Why Is Alastair Campbell so Keen to Trash Damian McBride's Book?
- 21 Sep 2013
You know, the most amusing thing about the last 48 hours or so has been the emergence of Alastair Campbell as spinner-in-chief against Damian McBride. It’s most odd because most of the things Damian writes about in his book confirm all the things that Alastair says in his diar...
ConservativeHome Diary Week 23: Bonking LibDems & Their Leaks
- 20 Sep 2013
The poor old LibDems suffered from two rather embarrassing email incidents during their conference. The first was when a press officer sent their entire “Lines to Take” to the media instead of their MPs. MPs and ministers were given a checklist of five things to mention in eve...
Damian McBride, Me and His Brilliant Book
- 20 Sep 2013
Four years ago I appeared on the Today Programme talking about Carol Thatcher and her use of the word ‘gollywog’. She had just been fired from the ‘One Show’ for having the temerity to liken someone’s hair to that of a ‘gollywog’. This is what I wrote on my blog at the time… ...
The Revenge of the Orange Bookers
- 17 Sep 2013
Each year the Telegraph assembles a group of experts to compile a list of the top 50 ranked members of the Liberal Democrats. Meeting this year in the Westminster Intercontinental – the new hangout of choice for politicos – the panel judged the performance of Lib Dem politicia...
ConservativeHome Diary Week 22: Why I'm Supporting my Friend Nigel Evans
- 14 Sep 2013
It’s difficult to say much about the Nigel Evans case without prejudicing his trial, but one thing is for certain. Over the last few months he has found out who his real friends are. And that will be even more the case over the months leading up to his trial. I know several pe...
It Shouldn't Happen to a Radio Presenter 13: "Should You Have Gone to Specsavers, Prime Minister?"
- 12 Sep 2013
Here’s the interview I did for my LBC Drivetime show today with the Prime Minister – who, before we went on air, urged me to blog more! Anyway, we covered the new scheme he was launching today to encourage new business start-ups, the row with Jose Manuel Barrosso (he expre...
Rachel Reeves Isn't Boring ... But She Can Be Very on Message!
- 10 Sep 2013
Apparently the Newsnight editor Ian Katz found Rachel Reeves a tad boring on Newsnight last night. I won’t comment on that, but it made me recall an interview I did with Rachel earlier in the year when she was, shall we say, very on message! Enjoy… listen to ‘Iain Dale spoke ...
It Shouldn't Happen to a Radio Presenter 12: When a Minister Won't Answer the Question...
- 9 Sep 2013
listen to ‘That awkward moment when a politician cant answer a simple question!’ on Audioboo This evening I interviewed Treasury Minister Sajid Javid about the state of the economy. He pulled me up on an economic statistic I gave, so when he tried to pull the wool over my ...
Sarah Teather - A Rather Sad, Pathetic Hypocrite
- 7 Sep 2013
So Sarah Teather is standing down from Parliament. I can’t say I’m sure she will be missed, even by many in her own party. She’s given a tear-jerking interview to the Observer’s Toby Helm, which you can read HERE, if you have a strong stomach. She says she’s going because the...
ConservativeHome Diary Week 21: UKIP - The Bi-Sexuals of British Politics
- 6 Sep 2013
READER WARNING: There’s more than the usual dose of smut in this week’s column. This week I have been chairing three panels for the Daily Telegraph with the aim of compiling the Top 100 people on the right, left and the Top 50 Liberal Democrats, all of which will, as usual, b...
Kevin Rudd Does a Jed Bartlet
- 5 Sep 2013
I don’t like Kevin Rudd, but you have to hand it to him here. He does a Jed Bartlet on an unsuspecting pastor, who asks him a question on gay marriage. Rudd destroys him. And if you don’t know what I mean by a Jed Bartlett moment click on this and you soon will. It’s why ...
Attitude Column: Are You or Have You Ever Been a Bisexual?
- 3 Sep 2013
Inside the mind of every bisexual is a gay man struggling to get out. At least, that’s the view of many. It’s a widely held view that bisexuals are people who either want the best of both worlds, or, who are still too scared to embrace their inner gayness because they are on h...
A Tribute to Sir David Frost
- 1 Sep 2013
Sir David Frost, who died this morning, will go down in history as one of the greatest interviewers and journalists of his generation – perhaps of all time. His laconic style hid a forensic brain, determined to get to the truth. He didn’t believe in confrontation as a form o...
ConservativeHome Diary Week 20: Bomber Clegg
- 31 Aug 2013
There we were, in the Any Questions Green Room, the panel of four, all cacking ourselves before being called on stage. So we did what anyone would do. We discussed what questions might come up. And to my horror, no matter what the potential subject, we all more or less agreed ...
Why I Oppose Military Action in Syria
- 28 Aug 2013
I want to explain why I think military action against Syria would be wrong and why the UK should stay out of it at all costs. I am not a natural peacenik. I believe that foreign intervention can often be justified. I supported the invasion of Iraq. I supported the invasion of ...
Book Review: Don't Bite the Apple by Luke Bozier
- 26 Aug 2013
This is a book about sex addiction and computer hacking, and how those two things led to one man’s life imploding in front of his eyes. That man is Luke Bozier, a digital politics specialist who advised Tony Blair but then incurred the wrath of the New Labour establishment by...
ConservativeHome Diary Week 19: The Perils of Appearing on 'Any Questions'
- 23 Aug 2013
Tonight I’ll be on Radio 4’s Any Questions. It’s the fourth time I’ll have appeared on the programme, so you’d think I would be used to it, but not a bit of it. It’s one of those programmes where there’s a tremendous opportunity to make a complete idiot of yourself. I have a r...
ConservativeHome Diary Week 18: My Perky Buttocks & Why I Won't Be Voting For Dan Hannan
- 16 Aug 2013
I’m afraid Dan Hannan will have to do without my vote in next year’s Euro-elections. I can’t and won’t vote for a list that has Marta Andreasen on it. She’s not a Conservative, never has been and never will be. I’m not even sure that she is eligible to stand. Has she really g...