The Delusions of a West Ham Fan
- 29 Jan 2006
Having witnessed West Ham's 4-2 drubbing of Blackburn yesterday (what a shame Jack Straw was in Davos...) I dreamt last night that the Hammers reached the FA Cup final and became the first team to play at the New Wembley. It would be fitting for them to do so as they were also...
EXCLUSIVE: Did His Credit Card Statement 'Do' for Simon Hughes?
- 27 Jan 2006
Something has been bugging me about the Simon Hughes issue. In a post below, I stated that The Sun had got hold of his phone records. However, I now understand that it may have actually been his credit card records which The Sun obtained. I think therefore that Simon Hughes mi...
Seven Things Meme
- 27 Jan 2006
Oh well, here goes... 7 THINGS TO DO BEFORE I DIE 1. Get elected 2. Write a proper book 3. Persuade my partner to take more holidays 4. Have enough money so I don't continually worry about it 5. Learn to play the Piano 6. Finish the Robert Caro books on LBJ 7. Lear...
Simon Hughes Deserves Both our Condemnation and Understanding
- 26 Jan 2006
And then there were two. Only Chris Huhne and Ming Campbell remain as serious contenders in the LibDem leadership race following Simon Hughes's outing in today's Sun. It's not the fact that he's gay that's the problem. It's the fact that like Mark Oaten and Charles Kennedy he ...
Top Ten Things Which Would Be Different if my Jack Russell, Gio, Was Prime Minister
- 26 Jan 2006
1. LibDem HQ in Cowley Street replaced by giant fire hydrant 2. Abolition of Pets Means Prizes 3. Capital Punishment restored for Dale Winton 4. Doggy door at the front of Number Ten 5. Dog biscuits on the NHS 6. Compulsory sterilisation for cats 7. Life sentences for ta...
Call from North Norfolk Tory to Norman Lamb to Defect
- 25 Jan 2006
When you're a Parliamentary Candidate you expend quite a lot of effort urging your supporters to write letters to the local newspaper either supporting your candidacy or to criticse the incumbent. One of the more regular correspondents of the Eastern Daily Press is a Conservat...
Dream, Dream, Dream, When I Was Young
- 12 Jan 2006
I don't know abou you, but I very rarely remember details dreams. Last night, however, I had a very vivid dream which I can remember virtually every detail of. Before your imagination runs away with you, let me explain. Fifteen years ago a very dear friend of the family died ...
Charles Kennedy Quits
- 6 Jan 2006
Daisy McAndrew (nee Sampson) joined ITN a few months ago from the BBC, where she had been hosting the Daily Politics Show with Andrew Neil. Before that she spent a couple of years as Charles Kennedy's Press Secretary. Today, Daisy McAndrew wielded the knife. She handed his pri...
My Predictions for 2006
- 31 Dec 2005
JANUARY Conservative leader David Cameron asks Paul Gascoigne to be a consultant to a new Tory Commission on Alcohol policy. Gascoigne agrees that "we're all in this togethah, wy, aye man". FEBRUARY LibDem leader Charles Kennedy announces his resignation on the grassy...
My 2005 Political Awards
- 30 Dec 2005
Well for lack of anything better to do this evening (I should be at Upton Park watching the Hammers v Wigan but the roads are very icy here...) I thought I'd do my annual political awards... POLITICIAN OF THE YEAR David Cameron - need I say more?! And this is not just a ...
A Runout on Newsnight
- 29 Dec 2005
I have just got back from appearing on Newsnight to talk about the David Blunkett situation. I was on with Labour MP Clive Betts, with whom I had done a News 24 interview earlier this evening. Clive is a nice guy but does rant a bit. So in contrast I seemed to be the voice of ...
John Redwood's Christmas Puddings
- 26 Dec 2005
It's nearly midnight and I am typing this in my sitting room in Swanton Abbott in front of the first log fire of the year. Sometimes life is just perfect. Today hasn't been bad either. Up at 7 to collect John Redwood to visit Holt WI Market. Anglia TV and the EDP were there. W...
Hard Drives & Celluloid
- 11 Dec 2005
The fire's alight. The Christmas tree is up. God is in his heaven. And friends are about to come round for dinner. Life's good sometimes, isn't it? Today I have been in Holt and Sheringham. Sheringham this afternoon was especially rewarding. We got more Conservative pledge...
Independent Diary: Does Michael Howard Know How to Vote?
- 10 Dec 2005
Having fought eleven general elections you might be forgiven for thinking that Michael Howard would be familiar with putting a cross in a box on a ballot paper. But my spies in the 1922 Committee tell me that he almost managed to spoil his ballot paper in the Tory leadership e...
Saturday Night in North Walsham
- 5 Dec 2005
On Saturday I spent the evening on patrol with North Walsham Police. There are clearly some very serious anti-social behaviour problems in North Walsham. While a zero tolerance approach appears to have reaped huge rewards in Sheringham, we now need to see those same measures i...
A Day of Varieties
- 21 Nov 2005
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. But the win...
And So to Bed
- 28 May 2005
Started the day in North Walsham as it is market day. Moved from there to Mundesley, where we found a lot of new support. Had quite a large team out with me today and we had a break for lunch at them Hunworth Bell before moving on to Fakenham and then Sheringham. Tonight was t...
Blogging Pause
- 25 May 2005
As some of you will have gathered by now, I have a new job. On Tuesday I start work as Chief of Staff to David Davis. I have therefore regretfully decided that I have to close down this Blog. I am sure you will all understand the reasons. It's my decision and my decision alone...
New Statesman: Did I Lose North Norfolk Because I am Gay?
- 23 May 2005
Politics - Iain Dale has no problem being an openly gay Tory Far from being the preserve of Colonel Blimps, it was the Tory party that stood the most gay and black candidates The past two weeks have been like attending my own funeral. I've had 400 e-mails and letters of ...
Saying Goodbye to my North Norfolk Campaign Workers
- 21 May 2005
This lunchtime I held a thank you lunch for 60 of my campaign team who did so much for my election campaign. It was held in Roughton at the home of two people who have become very close friends, Bert & Sylvia. The weather held off and I think everyone enjoyed it. I said a ...