The UK prime minister's site now features an e-petitions section. Use has increased in a very short time. The main problem is that there are no deliberative elements - no forums, no blogs. Just individualised, push-button e-democracy of the 'consultative' kind discussed in Chapter 5. Seems ironic, given that Matthew Taylor, the outgoing chief advisor to Blair, recently criticised the Internet for fostering this style of politics. Still, it is significant. See a lively thread on the Association of Internet Researchers email list and commentary in The Times by Peter Riddell.

Update: Thanks to Steven Clift for posting a link to the ongoing debates at DOwire.org in a Comment.