A note from the editor: Comments and a comradely debate on LabourList

LabourList today launches an updated Comments policy to ensure the blog remains the leading place for vigorous debate on the centre-left at the same time as being clean and comradely.

The views of readers are one of the biggest assets for any political publication. Our readers post hundreds of comments each day, for which we are grateful. The majority are reasoned, clever, insightful and fair – but a minority post material which is offensive. It would be foolish for us to pretend these remarks do not exist.

We asked our readers how to improve the Comments section in a survey last month. You provided a huge number of responses and today we publish a new set of rules which make clear the standards we want people to maintain.

We want LabourList to remain the place for passionate and comradely debate. Each reader’s views are important, from the party’s grassroots to the shadow Cabinet, but we will not tolerate abuse and personal attacks.

We will also be looking out for and removing comments which are very repetitive, irrelevant, promotional, include defamatory material, or which come from a username which is a clear attempt at impersonation. We will block users who break these rules.

And for the overwhelming majority who leave thoughtful, courteous and challenging comments, thank you for helping to make LabourList a better community.

As always, if you have views on this subject then we are keen to hear them. Please email [email protected]