Conscious of being seen as disconnected from those they represent, politicians are tripping over themselves to conspicuously open their ears to the general public.

New media and other technologies provide them with a range of options — even Biscuit Gate doesn't seem to have discouraged Gordon Brown from engaging with voters on a mass forum.

Tomorrow morning at 10am, Ed Miliband will take part in an unprecidented phone conference with “thousands of members of the public” to discuss climate change and the Copenhagen summit. The event has been organised by 38 Degrees - snazzily named after the critical angle that brings about an avalanche — which seeks to mobilise grass-roots support around specific issues.

The event itself sounds like a logistical feat, with callers given passwords to have their allotted word with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

This is obviously a bit gimmicky, and it is difficult to see any meaningful or detailed discussion taking place between Miliband and thousands of people over the phone. So why is he doing this? Because in the run up to the election politicians are desperate to be seen as attentive, modern and as doing something different.

(Photo: credit photographer Zoe Norfolk, crown copyright, released under creative commons license.)