Sarah Mackinlay, the editor of TOTAL POLITICS, and I have just been giggling like a couple of schoolkids. On our way home (she lives in Kent too) we stopped off in W H Smith at Charing Cross to see how many copies of the magazine they had sold. As we approached the shelf someone in front of us picked up a copy and started flicking through it. We dissolved into fits of giggles with me muttering under my breath, "go on, buy it then, you bugger!" Needless to say he didn't. Sarah then proceeded to 'tidy' the shelf and count how many copies were left. Rather pleasingly they had sold half of their copies in the first week.
I keep getting emails from people saying "Smiths in Liverpool Street haven't got it in stock" followed a day later by someone else saying "glad to see such a prominent display in Smiths in Liverpool Street!"
Feedback from the launch issue is generally quite positive, but we have tried to take all constructive criticism on board. I think looking back, fewer but longer articles is the one lesson I would take, together with the need for a leader column. All other feedback gratefully received.
You can now read the whole magazine online as an E-Zine HERE. Also, enjoy the Daily Politicofeature, which is a 50 question lighthearted questionnaire answered each day by a different political figure. So far we've had Tom Harris MP, Mark Seddon, Mark Oaten, Robert Halfon, Jonathan Sheppard and tomorrow it's Peter Tatchell's turn. The Blog Directory now contains more than 1350 blogs, with a lot of new additions from overseas. Thanks to all who have submitted new blogs for inclusion. If your own should be listed in a different category, do let me know.
Anyway, Issue 2 is well underway. Hopefully, I secured the cover story today. If it comes off it should be a belter.
