World's Big Sleepout: Trolled for Trying to be Charitable
- 13 Dec 2019
This article appeared in the Daily Mail on 12 December 2019. Click HERE. Last weekend I found myself sleeping rough in Trafalgar Square after Dame Helen Mirren had read me a bedtime story. That's not a sentence I ever imagined I'd be writing, but let me explain. ...
Polling Day Seen Through The Eyes of A Losing Candidate - Me (And How to Lose Gracefully)
- 12 Dec 2019
Fourteen years ago I stood as a candidate in the 2005 general election. It seems a very long time ago. It was one of those days which could have changed my life forever, and in some ways did. Ten years ago I wrote a blogpost about polling day and the election count. It got suc...
Hodder to Publish my New Book on Our 55 Prime Ministers
- 9 Dec 2019
I'm absolutely thrilled to announce that Hodder & Stoughton will publish my new book THE PRIME MINISTERS 1721-2020 in November next year. Here's their press release, which explains all. Hodder & Stoughton have acquired a major new book conceived by political j...
Iain Dale & Shelagh Fogarty to Anchor LBC's Election Night Coverage
- 6 Dec 2019
LBC is to broadcast its most extensive election night programme to date next Thursday, when the station simulcasts a fully-integrated results show on air on both radio on FM, DAB and global player, and in HD video on global player and LBC’s digital and social media channels. ...
Iain Dale All Talk, Book Tour & Public Event Dates
- 3 Dec 2019
Following the success of my 'Iain Dale All Talk' shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, we're taking it on the road in 2020. It will kick off with a four show run at the Lowry Theatre, Salford. We hope to do a lot more throughout the rest of the year. I'm also hosting some free luncht...
It Shouldn't Happen to a Radio Presenter 70: Telling Your Producer to 'Shut The F**k Up'
- 29 Nov 2019
Earlier today Nick Ferrari hosted an hour long phone-in with Boris Johnson. Nowadays all these interviews are not only filmed, but streamed live. We have a whole host of cameras in the studio, and unlike certain other broadcasters if we are going to stream something we are inc...
It Shouldn't Happen to a Radio Presenter 69: When Political Parties Won't Provide Guests
- 27 Nov 2019
Three weeks ago I provisionally booked Emily Thornberry to do one of our 8pm hour long interviews. It was supposed to take place at 8pm yesterday evening. On Sunday afternoon I was told that Emily wouldn't be coming. Reading between the lines it seemed apparent that she had be...
Thirty Things to Note About Germany and the Germans
- 22 Nov 2019
Back in the 1980s I did my gap year in Germany, in a spa town called Bad Wildungen, and then spent another year teaching English in a school not far from Stuttgart. I love Germany and would love to be able to spend more time there, but given my life at the moment, that's unlik...
Why I Find It Difficult to Speak to School Audiences
- 21 Nov 2019
I don't do a lot of speaking in schools and I feel guilty about it. I do get quite a few invitations, but if I am honest, I turn most of them down. Why? Because I am never sure I strike the right tone. As a 57 year old is it ever really possible to relate to a group of 11-18 y...
NEW ALL TALK TOUR DATE: Exeter with Jonathan Dimbleby
- 13 Nov 2019
I'm delighted to announce a new IAIN DALE ALL TALK theatre booking. Jonathan Dimbleby will join me on stage at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter on the evening of January 31 2020 to talk about his career in broadcasting, hosting ANY QUESTIONS for 32 years, his various books a...
It Shouldn't Happen to a Radio Presenter 68 - When a LibDem Hasn't Done Her Homework
- 13 Nov 2019
Last night on LBC I interviewed LibDem environment spokeswoman Wera Hobhouse about the floods in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire. She's been on my show several times before and always been rather impressive. This interview, however, turned into a bit of a car crash for her. She...
A Tribute to Brian Mawhinney 1940-2019
- 12 Nov 2019
Brian Mawhinney, who died on Saturday, was a tough talking Ulsterman, who rose to the heights of political power in John Major's government. He became one of Major's main confidantes and was a highly effective and competent cabinet minister. He was a man of some contradictions...
The Week That Will Decide Nigel Farage's Place in History
- 10 Nov 2019
Nigel Farage has a big decision to make this week. He will put up or shut up. He will either put up 600 candidates to fight seats all over Great Britain, or he will pull back from the brink. He made an offer of an electoral pact to Boris Johnson which he knew the Prime Mini...
If I Had to Vote (or Speak) For...
- 9 Nov 2019
Politics has always been a tribal sport. Political allegiances are often handed down through the generations. Some people find it unthinkable that they would vote any way other than their parents and grandparents did. Other people change their votes as often as they change the...
Iain to Chair Orwell Prize Judging Panel on Exposing Britain's Social Evils
- 6 Nov 2019
It's being announced this morning that I am to chair this year's Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain’s Social Evils. The prize is worth £3,000 to the winner and is sponsored by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The prize is free to enter and independent of any editorial agenda. En...
My Interview with Sir Lindsay Hoyle
- 6 Nov 2019
The Bercow era is over and the Hoyle era has begun. Not before time, many would say. I genuinely believe Sir Lindsay Hoyle has it in him to become one of the greatest Speakers we have ever had. His no nonsense style is just what is needed and his transparent love of the House ...
What Bush Fires Can Teach Us In the UK
- 5 Nov 2019
This evening I received an email from Mark, a listener to my radio show. It was in response to the furore about Jacob Rees-Mogg's remarks on Grenfell, which have made headlines today. The LFB's 'stay put' advice has rightly come under scrutiny. There have been 5,000 fires in L...
Are We Destined to Have December Elections Forever?
- 5 Nov 2019
Last week someone emailed a question to the For the Many podcast, which I record each week with Jacqui Smith about election dates. They asked if we would now have to go to the polls in December every five years, given the Fixed Term Parliaments Act. I confidently said, yes,...