Silicon.com viewers keep faith with Martha Lane Fox

NEWS Martha Lane Fox continues to dominate discussion on Silicon.com's Agenda Setters 2000 microsite. The Lastminute.com co-founder was placed at number 28 in the top 50 list of the IT sector's most influential people. But Silicon.com's viewers are divided over whether she merits such a high position. One respondent said: "I really don't think that Martha Lane Fox deserves a place on the list. She is nothing but hype and recent performance hardly argues well for the future!" Another viewer commented on her position relative to that of Internet technology founder, Tim Berners-Lee: "Is Martha Lane Fox really more influential than Tim Berners-Lee? Surely she's just Lunn Poly to his Wright Brothers?" But the real test came when Silicon.com asked its readers to vote for their own top Agenda Setters in a users' poll where Martha Lane Fox moved up to number 11, proving that the majority of users rate her more highly than our panel. Despite the run of bad publicity following the fall in the companies share price, Lastminute.com continues its drive into the online travel industry with the announcement of a supply chain partnership with airline British Midland. Lastminute.com will auction around 10,000 British Midland seats for flights to more than 30 European cities.