The Bedford Mayoral Primary Aftermath
- 21 Oct 2009
I didn't write about the Bedford mayoral election last week as I was concentrating on Bracknell, so allow me to share a few thoughts now. Much has been written about the Open Primary, most of it derogatory and blaming it for the fact that the LibDems pipped the Conservatives t...
All Women Shortlists - Not in my Name
- 20 Oct 2009
I agreed with much of what David Cameron had to say about attracting a more diverse range of Conservative candidates. Much progress has been made in this direction, not just over the last three years, but over the last ten. The selection methods which were instituted under Iai...
Reflecting on Bracknell & Moving On
- 18 Oct 2009
First of all, I have been overwhelmed over the last 24 hours by all the emails, texts, tweets and blog comments people have left. 98% of them have been very nice and almost made me feel like I am reading my own obituary! Yesterday was a a very good one for Bracknell Conserv...
Telegraph Column: Who'd Want to be an MP?
- 14 Oct 2009
Admitting that you want to be an MP in the present climate marks you out as either a social misfit or someone suffering from delusions. I have almost got to the stage of feeling I should attend a meeting of Politicians Anonymous to bare my soul. My name is Iain and I want to b...
Winning an Award
- 13 Oct 2009
This morning I won an award. I've never won one before, so I'm feeling rather euphoric. It was the EI Online Commentator of the Year. I was shortlisted with Guido Fawkes and Chris Dillow of Stumbling & Mumbling. The event was entertainingly compered by style guru Peter Yor...
Interview with Michael Kaminski
- 10 Oct 2009
On Wednesday morning I interviewed Michal Kaminski for Total Politics. He is the leader of the new European Reform Group in the European Parliament and has become a very controversial figure. I went into the interview with an open mind. I came out absolutely convinced that Kam...
Reflections on the 2009 Conservative Conference
- 8 Oct 2009
First of all, a heartfelt apology. I know I have been a useless blogger this week. I always find it difficult to do good blogging at conferences. This year, for some reason, I just couldn't motivate myself to blog much. It was partly that I didn't go into the conference hall m...
Why Prisoner Rehabilitation Matters
- 7 Oct 2009
It's always good to step outside your comfort zone, and last night I did that in spades, when I formed part of the cabaret for the Arts Alliance Music in Prisons fringe event. My participation stemmed from THIS blogpost I wrote back in November 2008, when I criticised Jack Str...
In Praise of Party Agents
- 4 Oct 2009
Yesterday evening I gave an after dinner speech at the Conservative Conference to 180 party agents and their guests. I will admit to being somewhat nervous at the prospect having been to one or two of these boozy events in the past. However, I shouldn't have worried as they we...
In Conversation with Michal Kaminski
- 2 Oct 2009
This interview was conducted in early October 2009 and appeared in Total Politics Magazine ID: What does it feel like to have become the new hate figure for the British left? MK: I have put myself in a very strange situation! But I can tell you that if the foreign...
The Hateful Daily Mail
- 1 Oct 2009
Just by writing this blogpost, I will probably damage my chances in Bracknell. Some will say 'if you can't take the heat...'. But I am damned if I am going to stay silent when I see a national newspaper indulge in a homophobic attack on me. A year ago, the Richard Kay column i...
Top 100 People on the Right 2009
- 1 Oct 2009
In the annual list of the 100 most influential people on the left or right of British politics, we nearly put someone we do not know the identity of at number 2 in both lists. We will call him Deep Moat - the Whitehall whistleblower who shook British politics to its foundation...
Why I'd Like to be MP for Bracknell
- 30 Sep 2009
Some of you may have seen on various sites over the last two days that I am in the final round of the parliamentary selection for Bracknell. I didn't want to say anything here until the shortlist was officially announced by the local party. There are seven of us in the...
Fun with the Fabians
- 27 Sep 2009
Earlier this evening I was part of a Question Time style panel at a Fabian Society fringe meeting titled CAN LABOUR WIN? Chaired the the Observer's Gaby Hinsliff, the meeting also heard from Ed Balls, Caroline Flint, Caroline Lucas and Sunder Katwala, the director of the Fabia...
Top 100 People on the Left 2009
- 25 Sep 2009
1. (+80) PETER MANDELSON First Secretary of State, Lord President of the Council and Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills When he returned to the Cabinet in October 2008 he also returned to the heart of the government, after the reshuffle in June 2...
Behind the Scenes at LBC
- 23 Sep 2009
Sorry for the lack of posting since lunchtime. When you get a call to say "can you present our evening show tonight?" from a nationally renowned broadcaster it kind of throws your schedule. A few weeks ago I did a tryout for LBC to present a show with Yasmin Alibhai-Brown. ...
The Very Worst Kind of Gesture Politics
- 22 Sep 2009
I've just got home from the LibDems to read of the row that has been developing of the purchase of 57% of ConservativeHome and PoliticsHome by Lord Ashcroft. Let's start with a declaration of interest. Lord Ashcroft owns 25% of my company Biteback Media, which publishes Total ...
Book Review: Paddy Ashdown's Autobiography
- 20 Sep 2009
I don't know about you, but I find nowadays that it takes me three months to read a book, as the only time I have to read is just before I go to sleep. And within three pages my eyes have closed. Indeed, sometimes I wake up at 5am with the light still on and with me still hold...
Top 50 Liberal Democrats 2009
- 18 Sep 2009
(+1) Vince Cable LibDem Treasury Spokesman There’s no doubt that Cable is the most respected LibDem politician in the country – not just in his own party, either. He bitterly regretted not standing for the leadership and if anything happened to Clegg, he would surel...
An Evening with Sir Les & Dame Edna
- 16 Sep 2009
Last night I went to see Sir Les Patterson and Dame Edna Everage at the Royal Albert Hall. What a disappointment. I last saw them on stage about 15 years ago. I remember leaving the theatre with my cheekbones hurting because I had laughed so much. It was rather different last ...