My Australian Diary
- 14 Jun 2011
WEEK ONE I last came to Australia twenty years ago, in September 1991. Last time Australia was in recession was in 1991. The week I arrive here the country goes into negative growth for the first time since 1991. Sorry, Australia, I seem to bring recessions with me. I didn...
My Australian Spectator Diary
- 11 Jun 2011
I suspect you Australians won’t be welcoming me back to your country any time soon. Last time I travelled down under, way back in 1991, the country was in the grip of a recession, and during my visit this time, Australia’s first quarter of negative growth since 1991 was record...
All I Am Saying, Is Give Clegg a Job!
- 8 May 2011
When LibDem MPs return to Westminster this week they could be forgiven for having a collective panic attack. In their 22 year history they have never had such an onslaught of the political heebie-jeebies as they experienced at the hands of 12 million grumpy voters this week. ...
Why I'm Going to Start Blogging Again
- 1 Apr 2011
It's nearly four months since I quit blogging. So many people have been kind enough to tell me they have missed my daily jottings, and indeed, I have missed them myself. My life just hasn't been quite the same. Indeed, I'm sure you won't think it pretentious of me to say that ...
Why are the LibDems So Miserable?
- 13 Feb 2011
FOR 88 YEARS THE LIBDEMS YEARNED FOR POWER. NOW THEY'VE GOT IT, WHY ARE THEY SO MISERABLE? Iain Dale investigates, for the Mail on Sunday... It’s been another difficult week for the Liberal Democrats. The acrimonious departure of the hyperactive Lord Oakeshott as LibDem the...
GQ Article: My Top Ten Nicest Politicians of 2011
- 5 Jan 2011
Yes, believe it or not, as well as the crooks, the charlatans and the liars there are a smattering of politicians who are just genuinely nice guys. And gals. People you’d trust to babysit your kids. People you’d go for a pint with. People who you’d trust with your lottery winn...
Evening Standard Column: So Why Did I abandon the World of Political Blogging?
- 16 Dec 2010
So why did I do it? Why did I abandon the world of political blogging? Simple. I’d had enough of it, and when you stop enjoying something it’s time to quit. Since 2005 I have developed my blog into one of the top three political blogs in the country. Over the last year a milli...
Why I'm Giving Up Blogging (And Party Politics)
- 14 Dec 2010
Well, I am afraid this is the blogpost where I tell you that I am giving up blogging. This decision has been coming for some time and was nearly made a month ago, but I couldn't quite bring myself to do it then. Well, today I can. There's no single reason, but let me try to...
How the Coalition Should Deliver Fairness
- 7 Dec 2010
How the Coalition should deliver fairness The Coalition Agreement proudly declared that the new government would govern by the “values of freedom, fairness and responsibility.” But what is fairness? Most people have some vague idea of what fairness means to them, but few ac...
GQ Article: Barack Obama - An Obituary
- 7 Dec 2010
Barack Obama, who died yesterday at the hands of a Russian assassin, was a consummate peacemaker. During his two term presidency, Obama presided over an economic malaise which his country is still struggling to recover from twenty years later, but he brought peace to Chechnya,...
Let's End the Soundbite Interview
- 14 Nov 2010
Here's a piece I recorded for the Radio 4 Programme Feedback, which was broadcast this lunchtime. It's part of a series about what people want from Radio 4 in the future... Next time you listen to Today, the World at One or PM just count the number of times you hear the phr...
Sitting Next Door to Alice
- 31 Oct 2010
Someone just texted me... What a bizarre sandwich to be the filling for... Indeed. I must admit, when they told me I would be doing a paper review on Andrew Marr with Alice Cooper I did wonder how it would go. I was reassured that Helena Kennedy would be there...
Handling my First 'Breaking News' Story
- 25 Oct 2010
Tonight told me why I love radio presenting. There's nothing like it when you have to cover a breaking news story, especially when you know the main protagonists are listening. At 6.15 I thought I knew what we'd be covering tonight - pensions, Ed Miliband's first 30 days, and ...
Should we Ban Strikes in 'Essential Services?
- 23 Oct 2010
By Iain Dale and Nicholas Finney The Government's dire cuts to the public sector, coupled with the actions of the irrepressible trade union leaders like Bob Crow, have suddenly reactivated interest in strikes and perhaps more importantly whether they should be made unlawful...
Concert Review: Cliff Richard 'Bold as Brass'
- 16 Oct 2010
Going to see one of your musical heroes in concert is an experience always fraught with danger. Why? Because frankly, few people in the audience are ever interested in hearing new songs – all they want to hear are the big hits. And so when I went to see Sir Cliff Richard’s 70t...
My First Four Weeks on LBC
- 16 Oct 2010
I’ve now been presenting my LBC show every weeknight for four weeks. I’m doing this in addition to my normal day job, which is running a publishing company, so you can imagine it’s not an easy schedule to juggle. But I love every minute of it. Most of the show is phone in b...
Book Review: The Chris Mullin Diaries Volume 2 - Decline & Fall
- 10 Oct 2010
OK, I am a sucker for political diaries. I can't remember ever reading a set of political diaries which I didn't enjoy. And Chris Mullin's second volume of diaries, DECLINE & FALL, is no exception. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this volume is better than the first....
Top 100 People on the Right 2010
- 1 Oct 2010
The Daily Telegraph publishes today numbers 1-25 in its Top 100 Influential People on the Right compiled by Brian Brivati and me with an expert panel. 50-26 75-51 100-76 Today's installment includes Eric Pickles at number 6, IDS up to 15, Francis Maude up to 4 and a su...
The Any Questions Experience
- 27 Sep 2010
Well I'm in the BBC car driving the 300 miles back to Kent (no, there are no trains at this time of night since you ask) reflecting on my second experience of Any Questions. And seeing as I won't get back to Tunbridge Wells until 3am I thought I'd write a little missive about ...
Thanking Our Troops
- 26 Sep 2010
Last night on my LBC show we discussed the issue of how we treat our armed services, and in particular war veterans. It is never good when a presenter breaks down in tears on air, but last night it nearly happened to me twice. Once when reading out a heartfelt text and another...