Dale The Blogfather

The Best of Iain Dale's Diary
1. Auflage 2012
ISBN: 978-1-84954-545-7
Verlag: Biteback Publishing
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 352 Seiten

'Iain Dale's Diary caught the beginning of the great blog wave and rode it until Twitter became the dominant form of digital communication. Dale was key in transforming British political comment - melding political convictions, personal views, gossip and emotional honesty. His diary of the Westminster Village quickly built up hundreds of thousands of readers and became a must for those on the inside and those on the outside as well. Dale had something for everyone and not just political geeks: chance encounters, domestic dramas, the travails of supporting West Ham, and even the joys of walking the dog. We miss it. Read all about it in The Blogfather, an offer you shouldn't refuse.' - Adam Boulton

Autoren/Hrsg.

Dale, Iain

Leseproben

2004

DEVASTATING NEWS

MONDAY 15 MARCH

Maybe this isn’t the appropriate place to write about this, but I’m sitting here with tears streaming down my face having learnt that one of my former employees has been killed in a sky-diving accident in Australia. Clare Barnes was the daughter of my friend Denis MacShane (Labour MP and Minister for Europe) and the former ITN newsreader Carol Barnes.

About four years ago Denis MacShane asked me if I would give some work experience to his daughter, Clare. He felt she was drifting in her life. What was meant to be a three-week stint working in our bookshop† turned into a year. She worked as a publicist for our publishing company‡ and was really learning the job well when she decided that she wanted to go travelling again. She was a girl with a tremendous wanderlust. Clare had a terrifically bubbly personality and everyone liked her. Even when she had done something wrong it was impossible to tell her off without feeling guilty yourself. I am devastated for Denis and Carol and can hardly imagine the pain they must be feeling. The world has lost a smiling face and at Politico’s we all grieve for her.

RONALD REAGAN RIP

SATURDAY 5 JUNE

Ronald Reagan died tonight after a ten-year fight against Alzheimer’s. He, more than anyone, was responsible for the West winning the Cold War and the fact that the countries of Eastern Europe are now free. He, Mikhail Gorbachev and Margaret Thatcher were the political giants of the latter quarter of the twentieth century. Reagan was a truly great American President and I cherish his memory. I remember his inspirational speech at Pointe du Hoc in France on the fortieth anniversary of the D-Day landings. I remember his words of comfort to the relatives of those who died on the ill-fated space shuttle in 1986 and I remember his speech in Berlin where he said: ‘Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall.’ A truly great man.

I just received an email from one of my best friends, who lives in Washington. I met Daniel† in 1992 when he was over here working for Patrick Thompson MP in Norwich North. We hit it off instantly and even though he is 3,000 miles away he remains the friend who understands me best of all.

In 1994, Daniel and I took our fathers to the Normandy beaches just before the fiftieth anniversary events. It was one of the most moving few days of my life. Daniel’s father died four years ago yesterday. In the subject line of his email Daniel wrote, ‘You’ve got to win North Norfolk for the Gipper, Iain!’

UKIP AND THE BNP

TUESDAY 8 JUNE

This week has been spent mainly on the doorsteps of North Norfolk.‡ Yesterday evening I went to Happisburgh Parish Council. The Deputy Leader of the local council, Clive Stockton (a Lib Dem), is the chairman of the council. He owns the Hill House pub in Happisburgh and is a political opponent who also happens to be a genuinely nice guy.

Today I have been in Southrepps, Northrepps, Sheringham and Holt. It’s been very interesting how the political climate has changed. Up until last week I had barely come across a UKIP supporter. Sadly I cannot say the same today. Bizarrely, several Lib Dem voters say they are voting UKIP. I even had a UKIP voter who quite liked the idea of the euro! How I managed to keep a straight face I just do not know. But this evening I experienced a first. I’ve been doorstep canvassing for twenty years but I have never – never – had anyone actually look me straight in the eye and say they are considering voting for the BNP. It happened tonight. Twice. In Sheringham of all places. And both people were well-to-do middle-aged ladies. Yesterday it happened once, in a very sleepy North Norfolk village. There is a real sense out there that the main parties are not addressing people’s concerns, so they therefore look elsewhere to lodge a protest. If our national leaders do not start addressing this soon there could be terrible consequences. I actually think I persuaded the two potential BNP voters not to do it, but it makes me wonder how many others there are out there who I will never get to.

A DAY ON PLANET BORIS

FRIDAY 18 JUNE

I really ought to pay more attention to the advice Keith Simpson MP† gives me. I saw him at the Lord Lieutenant’s bash in Norwich and told him Boris Johnson was coming to North Norfolk today. He chuckled and asked if I had a backup plan and suggested that Boris might not know which station to go to, to get to Norwich. Sure enough, at a quarter to nine this morning the phone rings. ‘Boris here, now look here old boy, it is King’s Cross isn’t it?’ As he was supposed to be on the 9 a.m. train from Liverpool Street this was not a promising start to my day. I remained as calm as I could while inwardly cursing and suggested he got a train from King’s Cross to King’s Lynn. ‘OK, no probs,’ he said. Five minutes later the phone rings again. ‘No luck, old bean, no train till 9.45, gets in at 11.30’. At 11.30 we were due in Stody for North Norfolk Radio. More cursing. Silently, naturellement. Thinking quickly I dialled up the trains website and found a 9 a.m. train to Peterborough. ‘Excellent,’ trills Boris. Three minutes later the phone goes again. ‘Damn and blast,’ says Boris, ‘we missed it’. Luckily there was another one five minutes later. Which left me with the small problem of how to get to Peterborough from Swanton Abbott† in fifteen minutes. I might be a fast driver but I’m not that fast. In the end Boris got a taxi from Peterborough and I picked him up on a rather nasty industrial estate in Wisbech. We arrived at North Norfolk Radio fifteen minutes late. Then on to Langham Glass where Boris made a pig. Next stop Pinewoods Leisure Centre for Boris to speak at a Conservative fundraiser. A mere ninety minutes late. If it had been anyone else but Boris they’d have lynched us. We auctioned a glass pig signed (or rather etched) by Boris. Some farmers gave him an excellent briefing on sugar beet and everyone seemed happy. Except for me. I was supposed to have him safely delivered in Great Yarmouth where he was speaking for their PPC‡ Mark Fox by 4 p.m. At 3.20 we still hadn’t left. Then came the journey from hell. We got stuck behind every lorry and tractor in Norfolk and eventually got there at about 4.30. So having travelled about 150 miles and been driven to the verge of a nervous breakdown I made my way home to Swanton Abbott looking forward to a trip to Sainsbury’s. Back to reality after a day on Planet Boris. What a superstar he is!

SURVEY

SUNDAY 21 NOVEMBER

Just finished going through my surveys – must have looked at about 2,000 today. Especially liked the person who answered ‘Communism’ to the question: ‘What single thing would you suggest to improve the quality of life in your area?’ Turned out to be a UKIP voter. Hmmm. I particularly liked the person (anonymous of course) who replied, ‘For you to **** off back to London where you belong. You are not wanted here.’ Charming! Seeing as I haven’t lived in London for seven years and don’t even work there I’m not quite sure where he got that idea from. Another suggestion was ‘Making the national lottery easier to win’. I liked that one. But the winner of best answer to that question goes to Mr B from Hoveton who suggested, ‘Let down the tyres on Margaret Beckett’s caravan and give Labour a reality check.’ I like his way of thinking.

WELL, WHAT DID YOU THINK?

MONDAY 29 NOVEMBER

I have just got back from appearing on to talk about the David Blunkett situation.† I was on with Labour MP Clive Betts,‡ with whom I had done a interview earlier this evening. Clive is a nice guy but does rant a bit. So in contrast I seemed to be the voice of sweet reason (for once!). I will happily admit that I was quite nervous about appearing on this programme and was a little suspicious as to why I had been asked. But when I was sitting there waiting for the opening titles to roll I felt remarkably calm. Jeremy Paxman, who had obviously seen the earlier piece, had settled me down by greeting me with the words, ‘Hello, you attack dog!’ I replied that I thought that was normally his role. He then said, ‘Oh, you’re not going to have a go at me about the Michael Howard interview are you?’ Luckily I hadn’t seen it. Anyway, everyone tells me I did OK. Roll on !

BYE BYE BLUNKETT?

WEDNESDAY 1 DECEMBER

Well it’s not looking good for Mr Blunkett is it? I have to say that on a personal level I feel very sorry for him, but it is looking increasingly obvious that his personal circumstances have, at the very least, coloured his judgement. If you examine all eight of the allegations it really does not look very good. I’m tempted to rehearse them all here, but I’ll spare you that. I was in the House of Commons yesterday and the general feeling was that he would survive. I don’t think he will. And remember, this prediction comes from the man who bet 20 at 80–1 on a Conservative majority of twenty-one in 1992. Just a shame my friend (an esteemed solicitor in Hoveton) forgot to put the bet on for me … I’ve nearly forgiven him. Almost. Sort of. OK, all right then, I’m still seething. I may forgive, but I forget.

TODAY, TOMORROW

SATURDAY 18 DECEMBER

It’s 1 a.m....