Book Review: FA Confidential by David Davies
- 14 Nov 2008
David Davies was a BBC journalist who in 1994 jumped ship to work for the Football Association, first as spokesman, then as Executive Director. His memoirs are a fascinating account of his twelve years working at the top level of the FA, and they reveal a shambolic organisatio...
Baby P: It's Not Partisan to Ask Questions
- 14 Nov 2008
It seems that even to comment on the case of Baby P produces howls from the left of partisan politics. It is, of course, utter rubbish, and an attempt to deflect blame. If politics is about anything, it is about trying to prevent a repetition of the tragic events in Haringey. ...
MPs Bury Heads in Sand Over e-Democracy
- 12 Nov 2008
Yesterday afternoon I was part of a panel at the e-Democray conference. Pete Bazalgette (who created Big Brother), Labour MP Margaret Moran and LibDem MP Willie Rennie were the other participants. Normally, this sort of panel is quite tepid because there is a certain amount of...
In Conversation with Iain Duncan Smith
- 6 Nov 2008
This interview was conducted in late October 2008. A much edited version appeared in Total Politics magazine. You’ve got a better than average office here, haven’t you? This office was originally the ex-leaders' or ex-prime ministers' office, and I got it when I fi...
In Conversation with Hazel Blears
- 1 Nov 2008
This interview was conducted in October 2008 and appeared in Total Politics magazine. To her fans she’s a human dynamo, to her enemies she’s an irritating robot. Iain Dale talks to Hazel Blears, the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government about her li...
My Israel Diary
- 31 Oct 2008
DAY ONE I'm so tired I can hardly type, so we'll see how far I get with this. Today was spent travelling through northern Israel in a huge American nine seater 4x4. We set off from Tel Aviv just after 8am. The traffic congestion heading out of the city was New York-esque in...
Speaking at the Conservative 'Madrasa'
- 26 Oct 2008
On Saturday morning I spent a very enjoyable two hours doing some TV training with the 75 twenty somethings who attended the Conservative Madrassa Young Britons' Foundationconference in Berkshire. Several things struck me. There were a considerable number of female participant...
Excited About Israel
- 26 Oct 2008
This afternoon I fly to Israel for a five day visit. It's being arranged by Conservative Friends of Israel (www.cfoi.co.uk) who every year take several groups of MPs, candidates and journalists there to learn more about the country's culture, politics and economy. I am immense...
Killing Time
- 26 Oct 2008
I'm writing this somewhere over the Croatian coast, essentially because I have nothing better to do. I had forgotten how much I hate flying. There's always that sense of excited anticipation but the reality is usually a disappointment. A bit like a one night stand. I have a lo...
Twelve Inches Save My Life
- 12 Oct 2008
Last night at around 10pm, I was driving on the M25 heading for the Sky News studios to do their paper review. There was very little traffic and I was in the fast lane (natch) on a section with no lighting just past Clacket Lane Services. Listening to Stephen Nolan on 5 Live m...
Off The Fence: Why I'm Declaring for Obama
- 10 Oct 2008
In my Telegraph column today I look at why so many Conservatives have decided to support Barack Obama rather than John McCain, and I briefly explain my decision to come off the fence and join them. I never thought the day would come when I would not support a Republican can...
In Conversation with Ken Livingstone
- 10 Oct 2008
ID: Do you think you lost the mayoralty, or did Boris win it? Because there is a difference, isn’t there? KL: You had two candidates with high positives, committed supporters but with high negatives from people who loathed them. London was fractured. There was a huge swing ...
Gordon Brown is Frit!
- 6 Oct 2008
Well, if Nick Robinson is right, Gordon Brown has bottled it. All summer he has wanted to call an election but at various stages he has chickened out at the last minute. I was told recently that he wanted to call an election in early September but in the end he decided not to....
Top 100 People on the Right 2008
- 1 Oct 2008
By Iain Dale & Brian Brivati If the top 100 lefties list reflected in its volume of changes in position and large number of new entries the volatility of re-arranging chairs on the titanic after the ice berg has hit, this list of top 100 Right Wingers reflects David Cam...
GQ Magazine: My Long Read Profile/Interview with the Miliband Brothers
- 1 Oct 2008
INTRO FROM 2010: I just re-read a profile of the Milibands I wrote for GQ Magazine nearly two years ago. I think it stands the test of time, and as the Labour leadership campaign nears its end I thought it was reposting on the blog. Having never written a piece like this befor...
My 2008 Conservative Conference Diary
- 30 Sep 2008
Conference Diary Sunday The trouble with party conferences is that it is very difficult to keep tabs with the media narrative. Most of the journalists I have met so far seem completely knackered and willing the party conference season to be over. I suspect that the big stor...
Enid Simmons 1933-2008
- 27 Sep 2008
I won't be blogging David Cameron's speech this afternoon, as I have driven home to Tunbridge Wells to support my partner John at the funeral of his beloved mother Enid, who died ten days ago. We're all really missing her, as she lived here with us and her husband Roland. S...
A Day With the Family
- 27 Sep 2008
It might seem a bizarre way to spend your golden wedding anniversary, but my parents didn't want a party. They just wanted their three grandchildren and three children at home. In the end we all went out for a pub lunch in Great Yeldham and then spent a couple of hours at the ...
Top 100 People on the Left 2008
- 26 Sep 2008
The top lefties list this year delivers a simple message: success is more stable than failure. The top 100 Lefties sees a significant set of changes from last year, including 43 new entries in the top 100 and 4 new entries in the top ten, to be revealed on Wednesday. The bott...
It's Wacaweek
- 21 Sep 2008
I thought the THIS WEEK sofa had plumbed the depths when Jade Goody's posterior was invited to grace it. I was wrong. I've just caught up with this week's show. I am still trying to recover from the fact that Timmy Mallett was a guest. Here's his opening piece of insightful an...