On a typical Friday I’d have all sorts of lovely links to peruse. But, as you may or may not have noticed, there’s not a lot really going on – except a pointless ‘blog war’ between the more hysterical elements. If you don’t know what I mean by that, do your best to keep it that way.

Since it’s pretty slow on news today, I just thought I’d take a moment to congratulate Alix for making the shortlist for the Orwell Prize for political writing, and to explain why she should win.

If I’m honest, of the six shortlisted blogs the only ones I read regularly are Alix’s and Iain Dale’s. Two of the others ought to be discounted considering they’re from pro news media bloggers. If it were Iain vs Alix, though, I say Alix’s is the one in which the writing surprises and delights (as well as illuminating, convincing and occasionally surprising some more). Dale, instead, has the quick-fire stories and pumps out the gossip at full volume.

And that’s the division, isn’t it. That’s the two types of blogging, laid plain for all to see. In the red corner we have reactive blogging – quick, to the point: write it and post it, hang the consequences and scrow the typos. Iain Dale is this kind of blogger – in fact he defines the genre. Reading his Diary gives the unmistakable impression of a man whipping out post after post on trains, planes and in automobiles; whenever and whenever he has the opportunity.

Against that, fighting from the red corner, we have the proactive blogging. The bloggers who find their own take on a story and explain it carefully, considering every word, checking carefully for typos and grammatical errors; refining each sentence and always looking out for a turn of phrase which is that little bit more dextrous, that little bit more precise.

Alix is this kind of writer. Some months only two or three posts break through the People’s Republic’s firewall, but even when they come sparingly, and even where there are opinions we don’t agree with, they’re rarely anything other than immensely entertaining, enjoyable and enlightening to read.

So, if we’re giving out prizes – particularly ones which bear George Orwell’s name – it’s to this second kind of blogger they should go. And that’s why I’ll be disappointed if anyone other than the Head of State of the People’s Republic of Mortimer walks away with the trophy.

(This Message Has Not Been Endorsed By Any Member of the Mortimer State)