Blog
Tory Leadership 'Spill': It Could be the Cabinet That Decides Theresa May's Future
- 12 Dec 2018
It's finally happened and the 48 letters which are needed to trigger leadership challenge have finally been received by the Chairman of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. What the Australians would call a 'leadership spill' will take place tonight, and voting in a vote of ...
My Top Ten Books of 2018
- 11 Dec 2018
2018 hasn't exactly been a bumper year for the kind of books I like to read. I should explain that I mostly like to read political memoirs, biographies and diaries, with the odd football book thrown in for good measure. I hardly read fiction at all, which is something I want t...
Brexit Deal Poll Results
- 10 Dec 2018
Given the Prime Minister, in her infinite wisdom, has pulled the vote tomorrow, some questions in this poll have proved to be somewhat academic. However, I'll post them anyway. For the record, 2,318 people took part in this poll. I must emphasise that there is nothing scientif...
Poll: The Withdrawal Deal, a Second Referendum & a Government of National Unity
- 9 Dec 2018
We could be entering one of the most momentous weeks in British politics for a few decades. Or maybe not. Rumours are rife that the government might 'pull' the meaningful vote on Tuesday. Theresa May is so far resisting advice to do so, but who knows what will happen. Ther...
Conservative Leadership Poll Result: Boris Wins!
- 9 Dec 2018
Last night at around 8pm I launched a 13 question Conservative leadership poll. Since then more than 4,000 people have voted. I don't pretend that this is anything other than a bit of fun. It's certainly not scientific. Polls like this cannot be taken hugely seriously because ...
Poll: Who Would Win a Conservative Party Leadership Contest?
- 8 Dec 2018
It is not beyond the realms of possibility that by this time next week, a Conservative Party leadership contest could be underway. I know, I know, we've been here before, but if the Brexit vote goes ahead on Tuesday, and the government loses by a substantial three figure major...
The Perils of a Second Referendum & Why Remain Must Not Be on the Ballot Paper
- 7 Dec 2018
Let me make this clear from the start. I am wholly opposed to a Second Referendum, a People's Vote, a Loser's Vote, call it what you will. In 2016 we were told that it was a 'once in a generation vote' and that the government would 'implement what you decide'. Since then, t...
My Ten Favourite Pubs & Bars
- 6 Dec 2018
The pub is a uniquely British thing. They come in a variety of styles, but the sad thing is that they're disappearing at an alarming rate. So I thought I'd celebrate some of my favourite pubs, plus one US bar which I used to go to a lot in Washington DC, but has sadly now also...
Keith Simpson's Christmas 2018 Reading List For His Fellow MPs (And You!)
- 5 Dec 2018
This guide to interesting books published this autumn has been compiled at a time of great crisis over the future of the Brexit agreement, the ability of the Prime Minister to continue and a Parliament and nation divided. Thirty years ago the late Julian Critchley, MP for Ald...
Watch: Video Interview with James O'Brien
- 5 Dec 2018
This is the full video version of my ‘Iain Dale Book Club’ podcast with my colleague James O’Brien. We talk about his book HOW TO BE RIGHT, which has climbed to number five in the Sunday Times bestseller charts. It’s 55 minutes long.