Brown's website is Web2.0tastic

www.pants.gov

By John Oates • Get more from this author

Posted in Government, 13th August 2008 09:55 GMT

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Ten Downing Street has a new website, or rather blog. And it's hip.

Based on open source WordPress code, the site ticks off every Web 2.0 word-bingo box - even claiming to be in Beta. It's got everything the kids want: A Flickr page, a YouTube channel, podcasts and even a Twitter section - "it's 10 Downing Street here! I'm at 10 Downing Street!"

The site also has its own embedded video channel - Number10tv. You can link news stories to Delicious, Digg or Facebook, but, in the finest tradition of UK government, you cannot comment on them.

The site is suffering from a few glitches - signing up for newsletters is not possible - and went down entirely yesterday. It clearly needs Gordo's loving touch.

Communication with the PM is via the e-petitions site or via YouTube. There are already videos asking why people are not allowed to self-medicate with cannabis, and one from a 16-year-old girl concerned about the lamentable state of ambulances brought in for repair while she did work experience at a garage.

Sadly, emailing Gordon Brown is still not possible. When The Register asked about this in July we were told Brown would be contactable within a week. In August it still wasn't working and the e-petitions service shut for the summer. The new site says we will be able to email Gordo from 18 August. ®

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