Attitude Column: In Praise Of Lynne Featherstone
- 18 Nov 2014
Some time ago I got a phone call from the Liberal Democrat MP & International Development Minister, Lynne Featherstone. Would I be the guest speaker at a fundraising dinner she was organising. ‘What’s it for?’ I asked. ‘My re-election campaign war chest’, she replied. Gulp...
Attitude Column: In Praise (And Criticism) Of Peter Tatchell
- 15 Nov 2014
Seeing as this is Attitude’s Awards issue, let me award my very own Lifetime Achievement Award for service to Gays. And the winner is…. Cue drumroll…. Peter Tatchell. That surprised you, didn’t it? I have a tremendous admiration for Peter and all that he has achieved since he...
ConHome Diary: Andrew Neil Should Have Been Offered 'Newsnight'
- 14 Nov 2014
I used to do a lot of speaking to local Conservative Associations but since the last election I have only done one – and that was in Witney. Well, when the PM asks, it’s a bit difficult to say no, isn’t it? I thought it was worth at least a Knighthood, but hey, I understand I ...
ConHome Diary: Theresa May - Buy! Buy! Buy!
- 7 Nov 2014
I don’t know about you but I find this new trend of MPs reporting each other to the head of the Metropolitan Police absolutely despicable. Labour’s John Mann is the worst offender by far, but this week it was Tory MP Justin Tomlinson who reported Sadiq Khan for allegedly looki...
ConHome Diary: Grappling With Sadiq Khan in a Dark Room (And Other Stories)
- 31 Oct 2014
I don’t know what Ed Miliband thinks he’s playing at but he seems to be subliminally, and probably unintentionally, urging Labour voters in Rochester & Strood to vote UKIP. As a short terms strategy it might well be a jolly jape to give the Tories a bloody nose, but he sho...
Keith Simpson's Parliamentary Away Day Reading List
- 27 Oct 2014
With the prospect of another away day and the chance to catch up on some reading between presentations here are a few recently published books which may stimulate colleagues little grey cells. The political publication of the month is Winston Churchill The Boris Factor How On...
ConHome Column: Happy Birthday Guido!
- 24 Oct 2014
Tuesday night saw the tenth anniversary dinner party to celebrate ten years of the Guido Fawkes blog. There was something rather incongruous about the fact that it was held deep in the heart of clubland and that those attending were a rather good sample of the Westminster esta...
My Interview With Lynda Bellingham
- 20 Oct 2014
A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Lynda Bellingham, who sadly died today of cancer. The great think about Lynda was she was just how I imagined she would be – full of fun, flirts and laughter. Do have a listen to the 20 minute LBC interview HERE – it w...
ConHome Diary: What Lady T Said About Heseltine's Maiden Speech
- 17 Oct 2014
Our national broadcasters have done something I never thought possible. They’ve re-created the ‘closed shop’ and told the political parties to comply with their general debate wishes or else. Not that they have defined the ‘else’. They’ve more or less presented the party leade...
ConHome Diary: The LibDems Seem To Think It'll be Alright On The Night
- 10 Oct 2014
Well thank God that’s over. Three weeks of party conferences, plus the Scottish Referendum, is quite enough even for someone as politically geeky as your humble servant. Whatever the plural of knackered is, that’s how most political journalists feel. I’ve done 39 hours of broa...
VIDEO: Should the TV Licence be Scrapped?
- 9 Oct 2014
This is a video of a Freedom Association fringe meeting at the Tory Party Conference which I chaired on the future (or lack of it) of the BBC TV licence. Taking part were Andrew Allison (Campaign Manager, Freedom Association), Dave Atherton (Chairman, Freedom2Choose), Andrew...
Charity Auction: Join Me in the Directors' Box at West Ham & Help Underprivileged Children
- 8 Oct 2014
Global Radio, the company which owns LBC, has formed a new charity to help underprivileged children called MAKE SOME NOISE. The big fundraising day is this Thursday, tomorrow, and one of the prizes is one which I asked David Sullivan to put up and he very kindly agreed to do s...
UPDATED SEAT PREDICTION: LibDems to Win 28 Seats at General Election
- 5 Oct 2014
On Tuesday lunchtime I am joining Tim Farron and Peter Kellner speaking at an Electoral Reform Society Fringe Meeting at the LibDem Conference in Glasgow. If you’re in Glasgow I hope you will come along. Title: A prediction of how the Lib Dems will do in 2015, seat by seat D...
Attitude Column: Gay Men Have It Easy Compared to Lesbians
- 5 Oct 2014
Even in 2014 gay men in Britain still suffer discrimination and insults. It happens more rarely nowadays but there’s little doubt that there are still people around who believe homosexuals should expect to be treated badly because of our ‘perverted’ lifestyle. But gay men hav...
WATCH: And Tonight Matthew, I'm Going to Nena!
- 3 Oct 2014
Global’s Make Some Noise, the new charity supported by LBC, is asking everyone to make a lip sync video and donate £5 to help change young lives. All the LBC presenters will be taking part – and we want you to do your bit too. All you have to do is film yourself lip-syncing ...
VIDEO: Looking Back on Being a Candidate North Norfolk
- 3 Oct 2014
Please enable Javascript to watch this video This is a ten minute interview I did last week with Neil Perry of Mustard TV in Norwich, about my time as candidate in North Norfolk for the 2005 general election.
ConHome Diary: A Cock & Bull Story
- 3 Oct 2014
How quickly we forget. Spied walking into the ICC was Scottish Office Minister David Mundell, who was immediately offered a union jack flag by one of the myriad of people determined to press their wares on unsuspecting conference go-ers. Mundell, however, was having none of it...
Top 100 People on the Right 2014
- 1 Oct 2014
As our panel met there was only one thing on their minds, UKIP! The rise and rise of UKIP has baffled many in the media, and UKIP surpassed all expectations at this European Elections by topping the poll and bagging 24 MEPs. For this reason, we see a big influx of UKIPers on t...
Top 100 People on the Left 2014
- 28 Sep 2014
As our distinguished panel of politicians and pundits met to consider this year’s Top 100 People on the Left list, it was mainly concerned with the top ten positions. Would Ed hold onto top spot, or could he be usurped by, well, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow for that part...
Top 50 Liberal Democrats 2014
- 26 Sep 2014
Each year I assemble a group of experts to compile a list of the top fifty most influential Liberal Democrats; this year, the panel judged their performance since September 2013. Given the party’s awful performance in May – beaten into fifth place by the Greens in the European...