A Complaint About my Dimples
- 26 Feb 2004
Spent this morning meeting senior council officials at North Norfolk District Council to get briefings on their work. A nice bunch of people with a genuine commitment to public service. This afternoon I met a group of local Cromer crab fishermen. They are very worried about th...
The North Norfolk Conservatives AGM
- 22 Feb 2004
Spent most of the day catching up on letters and admin after a very hectic few days in the constituency. Had a very good meeting with the NorfolK Chief Constable Andy Hayman on Thursday lunchtime. He's very dynamic and has some very innovative ideas. In the evening I spoke at ...
Speech to North Norfolk Conservatives AGM
- 20 Feb 2004
NORTH NORFOLK AGM SPEECH 2004 Ladies and Gentlemen, I always view AGM speeches as a kind of State of the Union address. Where we look back on the year that’s gone by and look forward to the battles to come. I’d like to start by thanking you all for making ...
What a Candidate is Up Against
- 17 Feb 2004
Had a hectic day at Politico's yesterday doing several media interviews about moving the shop. I even did one for German TV. Having done a degree in German and lived there I ought to have conducted the interview in German but I chickened out. Pathetic. Then it was off up the A...
Speaking for Ed Vaizey
- 15 Feb 2004
Just had an extremely busy few days in North Norfolk and last night I was guest speaker at Wantage Conservatives' Valentine's Day dinner. My friend Ed Vaizey is the candidate there. It was a hugely successful event and bearing in mind they had never heard of me, it was great t...
Speech to Wantage Conservatives
- 12 Feb 2004
Ladies and Gentlemen, this must be the first time Wantage Conservatives have had two Guardian columnists speaking at a dinner. I’m not sure this trend should be encouraged any further. I was delighted to receive your invitation to this Valentine’...
Weigh in
- 10 Feb 2004
Released this today... Iain Dale’s Pound for £1 Challenge He may look a fine figure of a man, but believe it or not, North Norfolk Conservative Parliamentary Candidate Iain Dale weighs in at a phenomenal 18 stones – yes, 252lbs. Between March 1st and June 26th he aims ...
A Letter to Politico's Customers
- 10 Feb 2004
A letter written to my customers at Politico's today... I am writing to tell you that Politico's is relocating to Kent on 12 March and continuing as an internet/mail order business at www.politicos.co.uk. Our shop in Artillery Row will close on 12 March. Nearly 50% of the ...
A Busy Few Days
- 6 Feb 2004
Drove up from London on Wednesday night and this week I didn't even manage to have my mobile phone stolen. On the way up stopped off to speak to Cambridge University Conservatives on the subject of The Tories & the Media. Had a good and lively audience of rather unsterotyp...
Speech to Cambridge University Conservatives on the Media
- 4 Feb 2004
Thank you for inviting me back to the City of my birth to speak to you this evening on The Tories and the Media. With the background noise of the Hutton Report still ringing in our ears it is perhaps a good time to reflect on our relationship with the media, a relationship whi...
A Weekend of Different Experiences
- 1 Feb 2004
On Friday afternoon I held a pensions forum with David Willetts, which went very well indeed. He's such an expert on the subject. It's a hugely important issue in North Norfolk and we invited a range of pensioner groups to participate. I am appalled that the EDP, despite sendi...
Not a Good Day
- 30 Jan 2004
Yesterday was one of those days you just wish would end. At about mid day I got a call from my accountants to say that I had to be double the amount of tax I thought I had to pay - and all by Saturday if you please. We then had the Hutton Report (or do I mean whitewash?). I th...
Expenses? That Would be Nice!
- 24 Jan 2004
I keep being asked by people about my 'expenses'. They seem to think that as a candidate all my expenses are paid. I wish! I am obliged to tell such people that as a candidate you don't get any recompense from anyone whatsoever. Your only reward comes when the electorate, in t...
First Visitors
- 17 Jan 2004
Had the first visitors to the new house this evening. Sylvia and Bert very kindly put me up for the first three months of my candidacy in North Norfolk and must be pleased to see the back of me! In fact four different people offered to put me up until I found a house, which be...
Moving
- 15 Jan 2004
Just a quick entry this morning as I am about to go and record a half hour programme for Anglia TV for their Sunday lunchtime slot (12.00pm on Sunday if you'd like to tune in). It's to discuss how legislation is made. Who influences the process and could we do it any better?I'...
Greshams Lecture: What is the Conservative Party For?
- 9 Jan 2004
At Greshams School, Holt WHAT IS THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY FOR? The title of this lecture is intended to be a little provocative – what is the Conservartive Party for? And I don’t mean in the sense of – it’s for hanging, or it’s for low taxes, I mean what is its purpo...
Oops, I've Done it Again
- 2 Jan 2004
Oops, I've done it again. Here's a self explanatory press release... As the controversy over the Radio 4 Today Programme Listerner's Law Poll continues, North Norfolk Conservative Candidate Iain Dale today revealed that the Tony Martin Law was shortlisted at his insistence...
Today Programme Listener's Law Judgement
- 23 Dec 2003
Had a riotous time this morning. Up at 6am to go to the BBC to judge the shortlist for the Today Programme's Listener's Law competition with Labour MP Steve Pound and my friend Julia Hartley-Brewer, the glam political editor of the Sunday Express. We chose a representative sel...
Book Review: The Devil's Tune by Iain Duncan Smith
- 22 Nov 2003
Just imagine that you are an aspiring Tory MP – yes, I know it’s difficult, but stick with me – and the week after you become an approved Parliamentary candidate you are sent the manuscript of a political thriller with a view to your company publishing it. And then you fi...
Guardian Column: Kinder, Gentler...
- 11 Nov 2003
When George Bush senior said in his inaugural speech that he wanted his Presidency to represent a ‘kinder, gentler America’ he could hardly have foreseen that his vision would be turned into reality so quickly – not just in America but in Britain too. Yeah, right, I hear you ...