[Gayle]

Not quite sure how to answer this but I feel I must since you have brought me into it.

For a start you have to put that quote in context - at the time (and bear in mind this is 18 months ago) I was unaware of this site until it was brought to my attention because there were quite a few people discussing a project that I was involved in (the Panopticon project of which I know you are aware). There was a certain amount of hostility towards me at the time because the project was controversial and I was the public face of it around here. You can understand my reluctance to come onto the site to face the hostility. However, after viewing the site for a couple of weeks I did come on to face the music and I hope, have become accepted because of it.

I am not a politician - I never was - if truth be told I did not have to justify myself in this way. Just as you would not butt into a conversation that someone was having on a bus there was no absolute need for me to butt into this conversation.

If you are a politician however, this is a very effective way of talking to the people of the town but I don't think it should be seen as obligatory. If a politician is comfortable taking this route then that is fine but if not it should not necessarily be seen as a failing if they don't want to.