In his bizarre attempt to become the blogosphere's Mr Popular, Derek Draper's latest wheeze is to "follow" every single one of my Twitter followers. Some might consider this to breach Twitter's own rules.

While I have been out this afternoon I have been deluged with Twitters or emails from people asking me why Derek Draper is following them - and telling me that the only way he can have got their details is from my own Twitter page. What's he up to? Is he setting up a Dale-Twitter monitoring unit, staffed by dozens of little Dollies? If not, he is going to lead a very sad life following the Twitters of 1,900 people. Or perhaps he's just Dolly No Mates. Can't think why.

Draper emailed me this afternoon suggesting that I should write a guest post on his site, and then he should be allowed to write a guest post on here. As they say in the internet world, LMAO*. It is clear that this whole spat is designed to increase traffic to his site. I'm not playing.

Draper has done more to damage the reputation of an open new media in three weeks than anyone else I can think of - and believe me there is some stiff competition. He hasn't got a clue what he is doing and it shows. I know it, you know it, and furthermore just about every other blogger on the left knows it. I'm not interacting with him any further.

I've just blocked him from following my Twitter feed and have removed him from my own list of feeds to follow. Up to you whether you follow suit. I'm not playing his stupid games any longer. If I want to play with prats, there are plenty of others to choose from.

UPDATE: Here's the email I have just send to Draper.
 

Derek,

I’m afraid it is you who have made a very big mistake. You don’t realize it now. But you will. I genuinely thought you would do well in this medium. Unfortunately you have contaminated it. I don’t interact with people who do what you have done. It’s you who owes me the apology. Not the other way around. But we can both whistle for it.

I hope you can live with yourself, because so far as I can see you have learned precious little from your previous forays into the world of politics. All you’re interested in is playing dirty. That’s not how I do business. And if you continue to behave in this manner your new media career will be as short lived as your lobbying one. And with the same result.

Iain