Tuesday, September 27, 2005

King of the Bloggers - Peter Black AM

Many people might be aware of Welsh Assembly Member Peter Black's Blog. The British Nationalist Lib Dem's blog has been widely publicised since its creation back in July 2003. Morfablog.com - September 2004 and BBC Wales News - January 2005, to name just a few, have mentioned Peter's blog as the first ever blog by a Welsh Politician.

But what you may find interesting is that Peter Black actually runs 2 blogs. One under his own name, and another under the name of 'Insider': Inside Swansea Council - 'An unofficial insider's view of Swansea Council and related issues'.

This blog is the LIC (Brit Nats Liberals / Independent / Conservatives) ruling coalition's propaganda machine, and was created in response to inside out @ swansea, a blog run by the opposition Labour Party, 'An alternative commentary on how things are run - or not - by the (LIC) coalition on Swansea Council'.

Peter Black has strongly denied this claim on his personal blog when questioned on the subject. He obviously wants to keep this quiet. Martyn Williams questions him on his personal blog:

"BTW, I was quite disappointed that your attack on me in today’s Evening post was based around a post on the inside Swansea council website. Couldn’t you have written something original? Or maybe the piece on that blog was in fact, your own?"

And Peter Black replies:

"I suggest that the blog entry was based on my letter. I make a habit of copying all my press releases and letters in to a wide circulation list of my colleagues for information."

When interrogated once again, this time by Hammers - back where we belong:

"So the Inside Swansea Council Blog is written by Lib Dem Swansea councillors. Thanks for clearing that up."

Peter Black states:

"It might be. I don't just circulate press releases and letters to other Councillors. A large number of party activists also get them."

Well what evidence have we got to back the claim that 'Insider' is in fact Peter Black AM? Peter made one fatal error when responding to a previous posting on this site. At 6.55am on the morning of Tuesday August 30, deprived of sleep, he responded to our posting using his own personal 'Peter Black' blogger account, instead of the 'Insider' account, and commented:

"Wow, that is constructive!"

He quickly realised his mistake, and deleted his comment, and a few minutes later added exactly the same comment using his 'Insider' account. But Peter didn't realise at the time that both comments were emailed to our inbox automatically. The first from his 'Peter Black' blogger account at 6.55am, AND the exact same comment three minutes later at 6.58am from his 'Insider' account. Unlucky Peter, you need to be more careful in the future!

16 comments:

Banksy said...

His blog is top of the list of links from the 'Inside' site as well.

Not the best example of covering one's tracks then.

Peter Black said...

Actually I withdrew that comment because I decided that it was superfluous. It is certainly a coincidence that 'insider' should be thinking the same thing at roughly the same time. If I knew who he or she was then I would clearly approach him or her to find out more.

By the way I have withdrawn your comment from my site as the link does not work.

Nicholas Michael Morgan said...

Coincidence? Come on Peter admit it. How many people are up and surfing the net before 7am?

Do you really expect us to believe that someone else posted EXACTLY the same comment from the 'Insider' account three minutes after you had deleted EXACTLY the same comment made using your personal account?

You'd be better off admitting that you are Insider once and for all!

Peter Black said...

That is precisely what appears to have happened. As I said, if I knew who Insider is then I would ask him or her.

Nicholas Michael Morgan said...

O come on Peter. Do you seriously expect anyone to believe that this was a coincidence?

Why not just admit it?

Peter Black said...

I have said what I need to say on this issue. I really do not see the need to keep on repeating myself. You can believe what you like.

Please refrain from using the comments section of my blog to carry on this conversation. You have your own blog on which you are free to publish what you wish. You should not need to supplement it with off topic comments on mine.

Nicholas Michael Morgan said...

If our posts on your blog were off-topic, why not create a topic on your blog dealing with this very important issue?

Unlike your blog Peter, we will not delete your posts, we do not believe in censorship.

Anonymous said...

hammers/lon152/DT

a bit rich hearing you complain of dirty tricks campaigning isn't it?

Ifan Morgan Jones said...

Hehe, very amusing. I can't believe Peter Black won't admit that he is the Insider after such an obvious slip up. It'd do much more for his credibility to just admit that he is the Insider - there are so many anonymous political bloggers about these days that no one would really care.

Anonymous said...

I think this story is blown out of all proportion.

If this non-story reaches the Evening Post then it will be even more obvious who hammers or lon152 really is.

Nicholas Michael Morgan said...

"I think this story is blown out of all proportion."

Why exactly. It's a matter of integrity. Peter Black has always denied that he is 'Insider', but now there is proof (unless you believe the coincidence ;-) that he is Insider.

Has he therefore been lying on his blog? What else does he lie about?

Anonymous said...

This is very much a non-story, unless hammers/lon152/D**** T***** decides to create one from it to smear a political opponent.

I'm surprised you'd want to help him out. This thread only serves the purpose of giving free material to the morally reprehensible blogger(s) named above.

Nicholas Michael Morgan said...

I don't know who 'Hammers' is. The aim of this site is to:

"expose the corruption, and failure of the three main British Nationalist Parties in Wales"

this story certainly fits the bill!

Nicholas Michael Morgan said...

If you're interested, 'hammers' has used this email previously on the Leighton Andrews Blog:

davelawrence@lycos.co.uk

Anonymous said...

It's obvious who hammers and lon152 is. Watch him get scared now and invent a new anonymous personality. We'll spot him a mile off as usual.

Anonymous said...

It's also worth noting that the n****** site was not updated for almost a whole week.

Has there been something on during that week to keep it's author, ***** ******, busy?