Big conversation: heard it before?

Possible signs that Tony Blair is a better listener than many critics of his "Big Conversation" idea allege. Observer discovers that another Big Conversation has been going on since January.

Run by Brighton-based consultancy Planetary Tribe, it is a website with areas of discussion to which anyone can contribute. Sound familiar? Topics include war and peace, health, education (top-up fees), culture and community, asylum, pensions, work/life balance and all those other testing questions that New Labour's effort covers.

Planetary Tribe, a branding and communications consultancy, offers a bespoke consultation exercise service and has done work for the Department of Health recently. But a Labour spin doctor said Blair and his aides dreamt up their conversation completely separately. "Great minds think alike," he mused.

Jamie Roy, Planetary Tribe's Founding Director, could not be reached yesterday. Observer will only note this message on its www.thebigconversation.org website (Labour's has no definite article): "No part of the material or content of this site may be stored, transmitted, retransmitted or reproduced in any form or medium without the permission of Planetary Tribe."

© 2003 Financial Times