:: Tuesday, April 22, 2003 ::

Election 2003 - Scottish Socialist Party - Scottish Socialist Party website

A good review from the Scotsman last week for my work on the SSP website.

"At last! A nice clean site without Flash graphics, garish colour schemes, mad navigation and messages from our glorious leader and the like.

The SSP website is a nice, proletarian place, where content seems to matter more than style. OK, the content is similar to other parties' sites, with 'news' being nothing of the sort, (parties really need to find another word for this), but the site is light on graphics and concentrates on getting the message across.

The main page contains an inspiring picture of Tommy Sheridan with megaphone in hand, but, thankfully, that's where the personality politics seem to end - something which other parties might learn from.

After that, the election stands prominent, with links to the manifesto in html and pdf, candidates and - a rarity - acknowledgement that there are council elections as well. The comes Stop the War!, of course, and 'news'

Navigation is where you'd expect to find it - down the left - grouped under headings such as The SSP, Campaigns, 2003 Elections, SSP groups and Resources. It wobbles a bit when you roll over some of the links, but nobody's perfect.

The SSP tells you what they stand for and provides links to the local party websites - a motley collection of really badly designed geocities sites and other free-hosting 'solutions'. It's all rather endearing. There must be some socialist web designers out there somewhere, surely?

There is also merchandise, but the SSP have yet to embrace e-commerce. A failing - nobody's going to buy much if they have to send off a cheque. Perhaps Visa merchant accounts are a bit on the capitalist side, but there are other solutions.

Campaigns include stop the war, the replacement for council tax, free school meals and the abolition of household water rates.

Election 2003 leads through to the manifesto and candidates - all you get, though, is selected pictures, no contact info, biographies, interests or the like.

SSP groups takes you to Scottish Socialist Youth - "Why should we get excited about work when what is on offer is so shite?" - yes, well, that applies to all of us, young fella - Socialist Women (not much) and the International Committee, which includes Solidarity Campaigns, including, at the top, Palestine, inevitably; Anti Capitalism; European Social Froum and European Anti-capitalist Left.

Resources includes links to like-minded organisations, election results, picture galleries and campaign posters to stick in your window.

As a website, no matter what you think of the politics, it works better than most. It's clean, simple and concentrates on policies. One of the best political party websites around."


:: Alister | 10:57 am | save this page to del.icio.us Save This Page | permalink⊕ | |

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