TWO THINGS.

This was going to be just a short post to mention that this blog has been voted the 83rd best politics blog in the UK, according to the Total Politics Top 100 blogs survey, but there's actually another thing I must make mention of.

ukpolitics100.png

But first, the Total Politics thing. I told someone in an email the other day that “I'd fall off my chair” if I came in the top 100. No such event actually occurred, I confess, but I believe I uttered an audible “bugger me” when I saw the news.

This is rather embarrassing in a way, and not just because I find myself in the uncomfortable position of being directly beneath John Prescott. No, indeed, I feel I am punching above my weight here, that at any moment my guise will slip and I shall be discovered as that 23-year-old bloke who doesn't really know all that much after all. So many other blogs that I read and admire have come below me that there is a definite wince on my face as I write this. On the other hand, some absolutely deserving folk have continued to march up the charts and congratulations to all of them.

Most importantly, thanks for voting, everyone!

- – -

There is, however, just one more thing…

You see, the Lib Dems are having their annual argument conference next week and one of the fringe events is the Lib Dem 'Blog of the Year' awards. Clearly, Charlotte Gore and Mark Reckons, between them, will be making a clean sweep of this – having re-defined what people see Lib Dem blogging over the past 9 months – but there is a category that neither Charlotte nor Mark are eligible for1, and that's 'Best Non-Liberal Democrat Political Blog'.

And, by some astonishing accident or mistake, this very blog has been entered into the shortlist!

Seriously!

So apart from saying a huge thank you to Helen Duffett, Alix Mortimer, Stephen Tall, Ryan Cullen, Lynne Featherstone and the other nomination judges – and pointing out how honoured and touched I am to be included in such an illustrious list – I must ask my readers if they will graciously head over to Lib Dem Voice, have a look in the sidebar on the right hand side of the page, select “Sharpe's Opinion” from the list of blogs (don't worry about looking at the others, they wouldn't interest you anyway, you're far too intelligent for them) and click the 'Vote' button2.

Just in case you weren't sure, I have made a small illustration:

BOTY Vote

So, umm, another thousand and one thank yous to everyone who voted for me – you're all wonderful, awesome, brilliant people. And because we both know how amazing you are, I'm sure you'll see your way clear to doing so again, just one more time.

Until next year, of course…

  1. Yes, okay, there's actually two categories – there's the 'Best Blog From A Liberal Democrat Holding Public Office' too. [↩]
  2. I am, admittedly, slightly tempted to make my own little 'Vote For Me!' button to put on this site which automatically registers a vote when anyone clicks it, but I think that might be considered cheating… [↩]