Bloggers should show more control and responsibility, ex-Home Secretary and MP David Blunkett told the Fabian New Year Conference debate on the Media and Progressive Politics.

Blunkett argued that 'while free speech is important, bloggers have no responsibility or face any consequences for what they put into the public domain', and expressed opposition to unmediated access to information and opinions through bloggers who are free to say what they think and where anonymity prevents accountability.

'As we saw with the disgraceful reproduction of Saddam Hussein's execution, news presented in a particular form can not only have a profound and ill thought through impact but can also raise profound questions about what might be a future of unvetted and unedited amateur news gathering', said Blunkett.

'What previously would have been ruled out as unacceptable, or available to a very few outside the norms of our society is now beamed into the homes of hundreds of millions of people across the world'.

Blunkett also expressed his concern over the harassment and exposure of the families of those in public life, arguing that this was unacceptable and extremely damaging. He said 'I have a great deal of sympathy with Kate Middleton – in the future you will have people who cannot live normal lives.'

But Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell MP fiercely defended the freedom of the press, and the importance of an independent media. She argued instead that there was a 'new accountability' developing through the emergence of the internet as a forum for political debate, with readers and bloggers pushing journalists to the front line, in requiring truth and accuracy.

The value of blogging and the internet was also argued from the conference floor: the public generally feel powerless and that the internet provides a means of accessing unmediated information and opinions which are more accessible, and provide people with forums for their own opinions.

In a lively discussion, Chair Jean Seaton, Professor of Media History at the University of Westminster, asked panellists why anyone should want to become involved in politics considering today's media pressures.

Kevin Maguire, Associate Editor of the Daily Mirror and columnist for the New Statesman, argued that media scrutiny will only increase in future, and that those entering the political domain 'will have to be driven and thick skinned'. He acknowledged that the current relationship between politicians and journalists was 'pretty toxic' but contended that the relationship between politicians and the media is necessarily adversarial; Tessa Jowell agreed, arguing that there should never be a comfortable relationship between politicians and journalists, rather synonymous to 'the fox and hound.'

Other panellists were more concerned by how far political debate is seen to be dominated by negative mud slinging and the trading of insults, rather than policy analysis. Jackie Ashley, Guardian columnist and presenter on BBC Radio 4, said that an increasing 'vulgarisation of political debate' would alienate women in particular. Traditional political institutions like the House of Commons had been criticised for an aggressive and male-dominated style of political debate, yet new communications channels could be even worse. Ashley said that her female colleagues on The Guardian were often disgusted by sexist and abusive comments posted on the 'comment is free' website, which was intended to provide a forum for readers to respond

Youth participation was also a concern, with a young delegate commenting that the continual haranguing of politicians and the antagonistic behaviour of journalists was the major contributor to youth apathy.

There was division between the panellists over the future of media reporting in the wake of the internet, and the unprecedented challenges that it poses to the boundaries between free speech and censorship. Whilst several panellists welcomed the increasingly expressive and free media outlets, and unmediated access to fact, others advocated increasing control over how messages are communicated.

There was however general agreement over the need for more responsibility over the information disseminated within the public domain; Tessa Jowell argued for 'increased accountability so that it's clear who is saying what', and David Blunkett added the need to 'make citizenship classes work' so young people understand the angle from which information and opinions are coming from.

'The question for those whose livelihood depends on maintaining a credible media process is, 'are they strong enough, visionary enough to place their faith in quality rather than pap?' The question for us as politicians is, 'are we big enough both to be able to adapt to the new forms of disseminating and responding to information, ideas and views, and to contribute to raising the level of debate rather than reacting to dumbing down?', said Blunkett.

The Media and Progressive Politics: getting past the blame game with Jackie Ashley (Guardian columnist and presenter on BBC Radio 4), David Blunkett MP, Kevin Maguire (Associate Editor of the Daily Mirror and columnist for the New Statesman) Tessa Jowell MP and Chair Jean Seaton (Professor of Media History at the University of Westminster). This panel took part at the Fabian New Year Conference 'The Next Decade' on January 13th 2007, at Imperial College London.

Event report: Rosie Clayton