I am no longer a politician and that brings a new freedom. It means that whatever I say now, has little or no impact, can only be my personal opinion and I am not bound by any rules, save the law, good manners (possibly) and common sense.

It also means I don’t have to tolerate snide comments, personal attacks or anything I don’t like anymore. I am not bound to engage in debate, I don’t have to answer questions and I am no longer accountable to the general public. Sounds good and is how 99.99999% of the population can behave.

As a politician or a newspaper editor 🙂 , all the above does not apply.

As a politician I only posted my thoughts on my blog which then automatically sent links to twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Why? Well it takes a lot more effort to post a blog which enforces a useful thinking time between the idea and publication. It also meant that the article was longer to give context and meaning but it also allowed me to explore the argument more fully. On the more controversial issues it allowed me to consult with others first to ensure my facts were as good as they were going to get and that I hadn’t missed the point.

Twitter, on the other hand, is short, instant and liable to bounce back and bite. Never, never, never use twitter when frustrated, tired or after a drink. What might have seen a good idea at the time may not in the cold light of day.

This blog has nothing to do with any current tweets. 🙂