David Cameron follows Jesus in bid for MySpace generation
-01/10/06
In his energetic b
David Cameron follows Jesus in bid for MySpace generation
-01/10/06
In his energetic bid for the votes of the young, Tory leader David Cameron, whose party gathers for its annual conference in Bournemouth today, is following Jesus into cyberspace ñ with his own interactive web page.
The Conservative leader talked enthusiastically about his ëwebcameroní project yesterday. He wants to attract a blogging generation disaffected from mainstream politics, just like church advertisers want to attract those fed up with religion.
So ëDaveí (as he likes to be known to those for whom ëDavidí is too formal) has set up a web area with distinct similarities to the MySpace phenomenon ñ the cybernetwork where a page was recently established for Jesus and pals.
Last night the man who wishes to be the Saviour of the Country was seen on TV trumpeting the merits of people-friendly, cyber-happy New Toryism from his kitchen, while trying to get the kids to behave at the same time. A distinctly modern dilemma.
Meanwhile, over on MySpace, the Saviour of the World (33 years old, Nazareth, Middle East) was promising ìWhoever seeks will find. Whoever knocks, it will be openedî and expressing a special interest in linking with ìtax collectors and sinnersî.
A commentator told the UK Christian think tank Ekklesia (officially Jesusí first web ëfriendí): ìThis openness to taxation, consorting with the worldís riff-raff and advocating an ëopen bordersí approach to relationships got Jesus into a lot of trouble with the authorities in his day. And it wouldnít go down too well with many traditionalist Tories today, Iíd guess.î
In fact the Conservatives are set for a row precisely on the issue of taxation. Those committed to rolling back the state and leaving the all but the very poorest at the mercy of private charity are furious that Mr Cameron will refuse to offer tax cuts for the better off. Yet, anyway.
As the faithful gathered in in seaside Bournemouth, the image-conscious Tory leader echoed John F. Kennedy to appeal to the middle-ground in a TV interview. He also hit back at critics who say his approach is policy-light.
However, the bad news came in recent opinion polls which show that young voters remain resistant to Conservatism, and that the new leaderís ëhoneymoon effectí appears to be wearing off on the UK electorate as a whole.
A Daily Telegraph commissioned YouGov survey published today says that only 35 per cent of respondents think Mr Cameron has been a good leader for the party, compared to nearly 50 per cent six months ago.
But as thousands protested about Labourís market-oriented NHS reforms and health service cuts in Epsom, Surrey, general voters told pollsters that they trusted Cameron more than Gordon Brown, Labourís leader-in-waiting, on this issue.
Meanwhile, the Conservative Party hope that their fresh-faced supremoís ëhip blogsterí image will win over those who remain sceptical that Mr Cameron really does represent a break from the hard-faced Thatcherite past in anything more than appearance.
Launching today, webcameron is described as a ‘unique opportunity’ for people to communicate with the Conservative leader via video and other online continent.
The website will also allow other ‘thought leaders’ from around the world to express their views. The first of these will be Republican US Senator John McCain, a critic of President Bush – who is delivering a keynote address at the Party’s conference.
ìThe web has brought about a massive cultural change: away from top-down communication and towards bottom-up collaboration where everyone is on the same level. I think it’s vital for politics to be part of this changeî, declared the Tory leader.
[Also on Ekklesia: Thinktank becomes Jesus’ first cyber friend; Jesus on a beerglass to spearhead Christmas campaign; Tory leadership candidate attacks Christian agency on trade; Tory leader accused of snubbing Scottish Catholic Cardinal; Cameron and Blair offered ‘Punch and Judy’ workshop; BBC’s Tory leader TV trail thwarted by Jesus; Tory leader follows church on hoodie love and faith-based welfare; BNP exploit racist fears and ‘Christian country’ claims; Church campaigners say government can be bolder on child poverty]
David Cameron follows Jesus in bid for MySpace generation
-01/10/06
In his energetic bid for the votes of the young, Tory leader David Cameron, whose party gathers for its annual conference in Bournemouth today, is following Jesus into cyberspace ñ with his own interactive web page.
The Conservative leader talked enthusiastically about his ëwebcameroní project yesterday. He wants to attract a blogging generation disaffected from mainstream politics, just like church advertisers want to attract those fed up with religion.
So ëDaveí (as he likes to be known to those for whom ëDavidí is too formal) has set up a web area with distinct similarities to the MySpace phenomenon ñ the cybernetwork where a page was recently established for Jesus and pals.
Last night the man who wishes to be the Saviour of the Country was seen on TV trumpeting the merits of people-friendly, cyber-happy New Toryism from his kitchen, while trying to get the kids to behave at the same time. A distinctly modern dilemma.
Meanwhile, over on MySpace, the Saviour of the World (33 years old, Nazareth, Middle East) was promising ìWhoever seeks will find. Whoever knocks, it will be openedî and expressing a special interest in linking with ìtax collectors and sinnersî.
A commentator told the UK Christian think tank Ekklesia (officially Jesusí first web ëfriendí): ìThis openness to taxation, consorting with the worldís riff-raff and advocating an ëopen bordersí approach to relationships got Jesus into a lot of trouble with the authorities in his day. And it wouldnít go down too well with many traditionalist Tories today, Iíd guess.î
In fact the Conservatives are set for a row precisely on the issue of taxation. Those committed to rolling back the state and leaving the all but the very poorest at the mercy of private charity are furious that Mr Cameron will refuse to offer tax cuts for the better off. Yet, anyway.
As the faithful gathered in in seaside Bournemouth, the image-conscious Tory leader echoed John F. Kennedy to appeal to the middle-ground in a TV interview. He also hit back at critics who say his approach is policy-light.
However, the bad news came in recent opinion polls which show that young voters remain resistant to Conservatism, and that the new leaderís ëhoneymoon effectí appears to be wearing off on the UK electorate as a whole.
A Daily Telegraph commissioned YouGov survey published today says that only 35 per cent of respondents think Mr Cameron has been a good leader for the party, compared to nearly 50 per cent six months ago.
But as thousands protested about Labourís market-oriented NHS reforms and health service cuts in Epsom, Surrey, general voters told pollsters that they trusted Cameron more than Gordon Brown, Labourís leader-in-waiting, on this issue.
Meanwhile, the Conservative Party hope that their fresh-faced supremoís ëhip blogsterí image will win over those who remain sceptical that Mr Cameron really does represent a break from the hard-faced Thatcherite past in anything more than appearance.
Launching today, webcameron is described as a ‘unique opportunity’ for people to communicate with the Conservative leader via video and other online continent.
The website will also allow other ‘thought leaders’ from around the world to express their views. The first of these will be Republican US Senator John McCain, a critic of President Bush – who is delivering a keynote address at the Party’s conference.
ìThe web has brought about a massive cultural change: away from top-down communication and towards bottom-up collaboration where everyone is on the same level. I think it’s vital for politics to be part of this changeî, declared the Tory leader.
[Also on Ekklesia: Thinktank becomes Jesus’ first cyber friend; Jesus on a beerglass to spearhead Christmas campaign; Tory leadership candidate attacks Christian agency on trade; Tory leader accused of snubbing Scottish Catholic Cardinal; Cameron and Blair offered ‘Punch and Judy’ workshop; BBC’s Tory leader TV trail thwarted by Jesus; Tory leader follows church on hoodie love and faith-based welfare; BNP exploit racist fears and ‘Christian country’ claims; Church campaigners say government can be bolder on child poverty]