I don't know what has got into the water supply but for the last week I have been under attack for things I haven't said and don't believe.. That's Twitter for you, I suppose, but it's incredibly frustating to read stuff which is simply a lie. It all stems from the interview I...
Monday proved to be quite a day here at the Fringe. The first show was with Rory Bremner, who was everything I knew he would be. In fact, I barely had to ask a question! He was an absolute joy to listen to, and his impressions were as spot on as ever. He also talked about ...
My Edinburgh experience started early on Friday morning. I finished doing my regular stint with Jacqui Smith on Good Morning Britain at 7am and was then driven to Kings Cross station to get the 8.30 train to Edinburgh. I normally fly, but thought this time I’d let the train ta...
It’s been quite a week in the Tory leadership contest with Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss continuing to knock ten bells out of each other. Sometimes the person who wants something most is the person who prevails, at least that is how it seemed last Sunday in the ITV debate. Rishi S...
I’ve spoken at quite a few literary festivals over the last couple of years, but Buxton International Festival is my favourite. Buxton is a sublimely beautiful town and the organizer of the books side of the festival, Victoria Dawson, is a delight to deal with...
The way some people are talking, the Tory leadership campaign is already over. They seem to believe that Tory members have made up their minds that Liz Truss is the woman who can win them a fifth general election. I would suggest that is far from the case. My experience fro...
Fr Friday 15 July marked my 60th birthday. It started at Good Morning Britain, then Jeremy Vine, and at lunchtime I held a drinks and canapes reception on the roof terrace at The Hippodrome. After that a small group of us went for afternoon tea at the Clermont, and then on ...
The Character Assassination of Penny Mordaunt Continues... In all my years in politics I have never seen such an attack on a British politician in a leadership contest. The whole of the right of centre press has, with the encouragement of several of the other candidates, tr...
I had been dreading July 15 2022 for quite a few years. And then it came. On Friday. I turned 60. Why was I dreading it? After all, we’re told that 60 is the new 40. If only… Part of me was intending to just ignore it. Treat it as just another day, no party, no celebration,...
Party leadership contests often come down to being between a ‘change’ candidate and one who promises more of the same. This time, a key dividing line maybe between candidates without a huge amount of government experience and those who have been vocal adherents of the policies...
Tonight’s vote is a numbers game. That may seem like a statement of the bleedin’ obvious, but it’s not just about the Prime Minister winning a majority of one. Churchill once said a win is a win and one is enough. In normal circumstances that might be true, but we are not in n...
The last four days have shown our nation at its best. It’s been full of people from all walks of life celebrating the reign of our Queen. The country has been brought together after a traumatic few years, and it has been great to witness. I am pro-monarchy but not unthinkin...
The Sue Gray Report may be many things but it is not going to end the Johnson premiership. There was precious little in it that we didn’t know before, and so far as I can see, very little that will provoke Conservative MPs to send letters of no confidence in the Prime Minister...
For two years I have been planning to host my radio in Belfast, and finally, on Tuesday, it came to pass. The day did not get off to a good start. Why is it that it’s always me who has a transport disaster? Global had booked flights for me and five others. All of them...
If you’d told me a few years ago that I would now be driving an electric car, I’d have laughed in your face. You see, I could rival Jeremy Clarkson in the petrol-head stakes. I love driving, I love cars and most of all I love Audis. I have had 15 of them. Then, last November, ...
UPDATE: The Scotsman writes up my show HERE. I'm delighted to announced this year's lineup for my Iain Dale All Talk show at the Edinburgh Fringe. And the big news is, Jacqui Smith and I will be hosting 5 For the Many Live! shows too! Headline guests include Sir Keir St...
Now they say 'never complain, never explain'. I'm going to ignore those wise words today, despite many people advising me not to. Apparently, with one interview, I've become the worst interviewer in the world. Well, according to Twitter. Read on... When you’re a...
For pictures from the first half of For the Many Live! at the Hippodrome on 18 April 2022, click HERE. Photos by Paul Gilbey. ...
On April 18 2022 Jacqui Smith and I performed in front of 320 people at the London Hippodrome on the Magic Mike Stage. Wes Streeting was our special guest. Here is the half evening in pictures.... You can see pictires of the second half HERE. Photography by Paul Gilbey &...
Over the last few months I have been very critical of the Prime Minister and his government, not least over their handling of the Ukrainian refugees, the approach to helping the worst off with the cost of living crisis and then gay conversion therapy. No one ever remem...