Twinge at Conservative conference 2009
Updated on 05 October 2009
Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan joins bloggers Iain Dale, Tim Montgomerie and others to debate the role of new media in modern politics at the Channel 4 News Twinge meeting in Manchester.
Channel 4 News and Fishburn Hedges hosted the second of their Twinge (Twitter Fringe) events at the Conservative party conference.
As with the Labour conference Twinge, members of the public were invited to join in and send their questions to the panel via Twitter.
Presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy chaired and the ensuing debate was tweeted back and posted on our live blog as it happened.
Watch the video
Watch the full twinge or edited highlights - including one Guido Fawkes thinks "Twitter is sh*t" on our video page.
Read the tweets
You can read what the panel had to say - including why Daniel Hannan thinks the #welovetheNHS campaign was started by Labour, why blogger Iain Dale thinks John Prescott doesn't send his own tweets and ask just how many people at the Twinge, actually used Twitter?
- 6:22 PM: channel4news Welcome to Twinge at the Conservative conference. The Twinge begins at 7.30pm, post your questions here - or send them to #twinge and Krishnan (@krishgm) will put the best to our panel.
- 6:22 PM: channel4news To make a comment - simply click on the blue "make a comment" post at the top of this blog and away you go!
- 6:42 PM: channel4news London Mayor Boris Johnson tells the opening session of the Tory conference that politicians must "get rid of the nonsense" but keep "the investments essential to the UK economy". bit.ly
- 6:42 PM: channel4news
- 6:43 PM: channel4news To see the Snowcloud of Boris Johnson's speech in full (below) click here: bit.ly
- 6:51 PM: jacqui Do you believe, like Obama in a Cabinet of the talents? Are there any current Labour Ministers doing a good job you would keep?
- 7:06 PM: channel4news
- 7:07 PM: channel4news Watch extracts from Boris Johnson's speech this morning (below). #Twinge gathering momentum for 7.30pm start, send your questions in!
- 7:21 PM: prdogs @channel4news question #Twinge. How much will they actually listen to what is being said rather than just give us their wisdom.
- 7:26 PM: tonytrainor RT @channel4news Trailer for tonight's #twinge - get involved from 7.30pm http://bit.ly/2jt5CF
- 7:28 PM: Dan_Martin What role does social media have to play in overcoming voter apathy? #twinge #cpc09
- 7:28 PM: Kuningan Q. to Dan - should the UK leave the EU?
- 7:29 PM: J B Who the hell do MPs think they are representing? Do the traitors really think they can get away with selling us out?
- 7:31 PM: channel4news Audience filing in to #twinge. Twitpic to follow
- 7:32 PM: channel4news Starting any minute now - and we'll be featuring your Tweets for the #cpc09 panel - just include #twinge
- 7:32 PM: channel4news #twinge messages already in from @kerrymp and @johnprescott - last week's panellist and video star respectively.
- 7:32 PM: michaelliam @JohnPrescott Perhaps Labour spend too much time tweeting and not enough time running the country #CPC09
- 7:32 PM: JohnPrescott Q to Iain. Why is there a reluctance from Shad Cabinet to tweet compared to Labour front bench? Scared to be off-message? #twinge
- 7:38 PM: channel4news Q to Hannan. Will you think twice about sneaking off to Fox News to run down our much-loved NHS knowing we'll expose you on Twitter? #twinge
- 7:38 PM: channel4news
- 7:39 PM: channel4news Watch Daniel Hannan MEP take the More4 News Twit-box quickfire challenge at Conservative conference - up against the clock to answer questions sent in via Twitter (video below)
- 7:40 PM: phoenix Ask them what they think Labour should do when they lose the election. Who will be their next leader?
- 7:40 PM: Fred Question? wheres my referendum! Daniel Hannan i have great respect for you, but unless 'Dave' gets his act together im voting UKIP
- 7:41 PM: Marc Glendening Q to Dan. Some Tories now talking about possibility of substitute, limited referendum on getting back employment policy from EU. Don't you think this will be the surest way to unite left behind EU project at a time when EU-sceptics should be trying to build broad coalition with democrats from all parties?
- 7:41 PM: channel4news Q to Tim Thanks for your advice on Go Fourth but can ConHome remain independent with Tory Dep Chair Ashcroft as your owner? #twinge
- 7:41 PM: channel4news Q to Iain. Why is there a reluctance from Shad Cabinet to tweet compared to Labour front bench? Scared to be off-message? #twinge
- 7:41 PM: channel4news Those 3 #twinge Qs were all from @JohnPrescott...
- 7:44 PM: channel4news #twinge video will be up in full on website tomo - tonight, follow it here or at www.channel4.com/news @marcridley
- 7:45 PM: louisehector @channel4news is there a danger politicians will spend all their time speaking to/sniping at each other on social networks? #twinge
- 7:45 PM: kevpeel Stop hogging the #twinge questions @johnprescott! I want @channel4news to pick mine up on homophobia in the Tory Party!
- 7:45 PM: J B Why do MPs choose not to recognise our own constitution? Do they believe in the 'divine right of Parliament'?
- 7:47 PM: channel4news Thank you for all your questions - keep them coming. Best will be put to the panel by @krishgm and we'll post the answers.
- 7:54 PM: channel4news Time to show the first #twinge vid, on social media in UK politics - watch it at channel4.com/twinge
- 7:54 PM: JohnPrescott Can he go next Krish? RT@kevpeel Stop hogging the #twinge questions. I want @channel4news to pick mine up on homophobia in the Tory Party!
- 7:54 PM: channel4news Laughter when Gordon Brown, on YouTube, appears on the big screen. Don't remember that happening @ last wk's labour #twinge....
- 7:55 PM: channel4news Last week #twinge became the 9th most popular trending topic on Twitter - where will it go this week at #cpc09 ?
- 7:55 PM: Fred Q to Dan. If the Tories refuse to do anything to give us a choice on becoming part of a new vast EU superstate with unelected elites, why on earth should i vote tory?
- 7:55 PM: channel4news Over to the panel. Daniel Hannan: internet is a naturally unregulated medium, and so suits libertarians. #twinge
- 7:56 PM: channel4news The main difference is leftist parties tried to use internet to press across their message, says Daniel Hannan #twinge
- 7:56 PM: Simon Dan, you'd be much better as an MP and eventually primeminister, has this ever crossed your mind?
- 7:56 PM: John Pepin Are the Tories actually going to hold a Referendum on the Treaty OR are they going to lie to us like Labour did ??
- 7:56 PM: channel4news Hannan says he loves @johnprescott, with a dig at Prezza's age, as Prescott's Tweet Q is read out.
- 7:57 PM: channel4news Hanna: #welovethenhs was a Labour campaign, and got around 11k people #twinge
- 7:57 PM: channel4news Peter Barron from Google: best-attended events at #cpc09 have been media-related
- 7:57 PM: louisehector @channel4news Hannan wrong #welovenhs organic then hijacked by labour #twinge
- 7:58 PM: loveandgarbage @channel4news No it wasn't a Labour campaign. It was apolitical in origin and delivery and moved the news agenda.
- 7:59 PM: kb you want people back in work? get employers to pick up responsibility to pay decent LIVING wages
- 7:59 PM: channel4news Net has broken media's monopolies on comment - political parties' monopolies on fundraising will be next to go says @TimMontgomerie #twinge
- 7:59 PM: channel4news Before election, ConHome will be more disciplined, says @TimMontgomerie. But when in govt, project is better if scrutinised #twinge
- 8:00 PM: NonOfTheAbove @channel4newsAs a long time Lib/Dem If I Vote For the Conservatives would they Change the Voting system to allow Us to vote for NonOFTheAbove?
- 8:00 PM: GARY MCGREGOR WHY ARE WE PAYING £10 BILLION TO BRUSSELS EVERY YEAR
- 8:00 PM: zoombapup @channel4news #twinge Are we now supposed to have forgotten the expenses scandal? I don't see anyone being "sorry" for that these days!
- 8:01 PM: jolyonwagg1 Always get the impression C4 is biased in its News reports? Not balanced being left leaning news channel?
- 8:02 PM: J B Are we now living in a 'post democratic era'?
- 8:02 PM: zoombapup @channel4news #twinge Are we ever going to get internet voting? I
- 8:02 PM: channel4news No surprise as @douglascarswell says he's fully in favour of a Conservative govt... we also need scrutiny when in govt though #twinge
- 8:02 PM: The Little People Compassionate conservatism never heard anything more ridiculous in my life!! Were's there compassion?
- 8:04 PM: Tom201184 How will the Tories media policy change the BBC's role in Britain?
- 8:04 PM: Julie Francis We should not join the EU, lose our sovereignty, this country is losing it's identity, and god only knows what will happen to this country if Tony Blair takes stand for Europe, he has wrecked this country completely, how many more is he going to wreck? I find it hard to believe that anyone would want him in power in anything, he should be hung, strung and quartered for the mess he has left this country in, he knew what he was doing when he stepped down, he knew he had dug a big, big hole in the country and got out while the going was good, what on earth would happen if he has control over Europer?!!
- 8:05 PM: channel4news Tory new media boss @CraigElder says there's no central diktat on new media... denies candidates told to play it safe on Twitter #twinge
- 8:06 PM: oppo12 question to MEP Dan : if the Czechs and Poles have already ratified should we still have a referendum and if so what should the question be ?
- 8:06 PM: zoombapup I really wish we could vote for none of the existing parties. This country needs a change of morality and direction and no current politician seems capable of thinking beyond thier own concerns.
- 8:08 PM: iaindale At the C4 News twinge with @krishgm. @timmontgomerie is on the platform, I'm relegated to the stalls. Premiership v Championship! :) #twinge
- 8:08 PM: oliverjamesking @krishgm #twinge tell people to move forward because we turning them away
- 8:08 PM: Jack Lodge Joyless Brown years to be proceeded by a bleak blue David.
- 8:08 PM: Anonymous I am afraid socialism as run out of steam.Its the end of the line.The train terminates at the next station!
- 8:08 PM: JD I wrote a dissertation on the impact of forum mechanics and operation on democratic processes. The results were conclusive that the speed of assimilation on the internet enables improved democratic process. The values which makes the internet positive in the contribution to democratic means do not correlate with conservative values. Especially if one of the campaign strategies is to restrict the BBC in the way that they propose.
- 8:09 PM: channel4news Ed Balls, David Miliband, @johnprescott all Tweet, says @krishgm - @iaindale claims Prezza's Tweet is all down to his son #twinge
- 8:09 PM: @fireballdaren #twinge Do Tories dislike twitter because they're scared of people seeing what they're really like behind the new image? #con09
- 8:10 PM: channel4news Time for another vid - a late entry from @EricPickles, who joined Twitter last week
- 8:10 PM: channel4news That was from @IainDale, who's now arguing with @krishgm whether Cab ministers actually Tweet
- 8:11 PM: channel4news Tories have more people on Twitter and Facebook than Lab and Lib Dems combined, says @ericpickles. One for @factcheck? #twinge
- 8:11 PM: channel4news Sorry for those following #twinge at home - @ericpickles video not yet online, but watch this space
- 8:12 PM: zoombapup It is fairly funny watching politicians flounder on the "new media". Maybe its the age demographic amongst the membership?
- 8:13 PM: channel4news Not everyone wants to sit around in boring committee meetings, says @CharlieElphicke - myconservative.com lets anyone get involved #twinge
- 8:14 PM: channel4news Web means attn goes to those with something interesting to say, not just appointed spokespeople, says Hannan #twinge
- 8:15 PM: channel4news Even I'm now bored of Lisbon referendum story, says Hannan - not that he doesn't want one... #twinge
- 8:16 PM: zoombapup I wish the media would forget about europe and ASK QUESTIONS!
- 8:16 PM: Len Watson Why would anyone vote for a party that promised a referendum but now back tracks on that promise, if its ratified prior to an election. Are the conservatives so arrogant that they will watch our sovereignty given away to an un-elected body without asking the public what we want? Surely a party keen to win an election would wish to keeps it's promise to the electorate of a referendum and dictate their policy based on what the people want. Democracy is based on what the majority want, not what the minority dictates and therefore I want a referendum, probably like every person in the UK, so that the winning party fulfils what the majority of people want.
- 8:17 PM: channel4news Channel 4 wants to get involved with election/leaders debate - in a truly interactive way, says @krishgm #twinge
- 8:17 PM: Fred "Even I'm now bored of Lisbon referendum story, says Hannan"
- 8:18 PM: channel4news Google would love a YouTube element to debate, says PEter Barron - using questions uploaded by public #twinge
- 8:20 PM: channel4news Some of your Tweets up on the big screen... @4ann #twinge #cpc09 Does Mrs C tweet? Because Mrs B does (quite effectively too).
- 8:20 PM: channel4news Election debate - @timmontgomerie unhappy that @nickclegg gets equal publicity - really the choice will be between Brown and Cameron #twinge
- 8:21 PM: Fred well thats pretty clear from you Hannan, no vote for tory from me. Be just as wasted a vote as voting for the other 2 main parties. To hell with the tories, they will never give us a choice on the superstate.
- 8:21 PM: zoombapup If Brazil can do computerised voting, how come we can't? Is it that we don't trust our government with our data? I know I don't. But I think it's definitely the future.
- 8:22 PM: channel4news #twinge do the Conservatives consider the question of electoral reform to be a valid one? - from @rosieellwood
- 8:23 PM: channel4news Backlash continues - from @kerrymp... #twinge
- 8:23 PM: channel4news I think I know @edballsmp @EdMilibandMP @JohnPrescott @jimknightmp (etc) rather better than @iaindale - + they do their own tweets! #twinge
- 8:26 PM: Anonymous The Tories are much more than just Lisbon Treaty. PPersonal rresponsibility,enterprise,low Taxs,and small state.
- 8:27 PM: bob Just wish media would stopp going ON AND ON about Europe. Tory position is clear. Let's hear about other stuff.
- 8:27 PM: zoombapup I wish government would get it out of thier head that London is the only city in this country. Does Boris really believe that London can carry a whole country? I suppose we're all paying for it to have fun during the olympics, maybe he's suggesting some form of pay-back?
- 8:30 PM: channel4news From the floor: Malaria No More - of @ashtonkutcher Twitter race fame. Not just a gimmick - it helped MNM in monetary terms too. #twinge
- 8:30 PM: channel4news Krishnan kick start's the Tory Twinge. Video below.
- 8:30 PM: channel4news
