I cant believe that I got a comment on a blog I wrote which simply said “Mark Durkan has not tweeted since 2012”. I am indebted to regular commenter “Factual” for pointing this out because it confirms that Mark is a really good politician, because nobody has ever said anything sensible on Twitter or Facebook. Obviously this does not include me.

For the best part of the last decade, the bloggerati have wondered about the effect of Tinternet and “social media” will have on Politics and Elections….well too obviously a big effect and a negative one.

Now let me straight here …I love social media. I am as fond of cute pictures of kittens as the next man. And the day to day life of Keano is as well documented on Facebook….as Kaiser,Mattie, Pepper, Tiger, Scratchy, Taffy, Jack and Sam have all featured on my Timeline.

But nobody should kid themselves that having 1,499 Facebook friends from Norn Irons political parties is political involvement. Nor does having a flame war with 4,276 of your closest Twitted followerers. Its nonsense. Get a grip.

There was a “@” on the keyboard before Facebook and Twitter and it is no substitute for Discussion. And there was a “#” on the keyboard before Facebook and Twitter and it is no substitute for Policy.