It Shouldn't Happen to a Radio Presenter: No 4 - Reacting to a Guest Faux Pas
- 27 Feb 2013
This afternoon I recorded an interview with best selling author Barbara Taylor-Bradford, which we’ll be putting out on next Thursday’s LBC Book Club programme. So as a well trained radio presenter, I thought I would trail it at the end of my programme tonight. With me in the s...
Telling Gary McKinnon's Story
- 27 Feb 2013
We made an exciting announcement today. Biteback Publishing has bought world rights to a book from Janis Sharp, the mother of hacker Gary McKinnon. The book, Saving Gary McKinnon: A Mother’s Story, will be published in September. I am thrilled to be publishing Janis Sharp’s ...
The Implications of Eastleigh - Crunchtime for Cameron and Clegg as Miliband Escapes Scrutiny
- 27 Feb 2013
I can’t remember a by-election which was so hard fought and was more difficult to call than this one, apart, possibly from Crewe & Nantwich. However, in that one there was no national overhang on a particular party, and there was a definite feeling of Tory momentum. There...
Grooming a Schnauzer
- 26 Feb 2013
Every six weeks or so our Miniature Schnauzer, Bubba, has to go to a dog groomer in Heathfield to have his hair cut. It’s a bit of a trauma for the poor little lad. For one thing he always throws up on the journey, although never on the return He’s otherwise very well behaved...
A Good News Story About Care Homes
- 26 Feb 2013
We talked about care homes on my programme tonight, Figures from the Alzheimers Society show that 80% of people in care homes are suffering from dementia. That really is a quite incredible statistic. Many people are scared of going into a care home and in some ways you can und...
Assuming Guilt
- 25 Feb 2013
We live in a society where we automatically assume guilt. Yes, we hear the caveat “innocent until proven guilty”, but how many of us really believe it? We all assume that Cardinal Keith O’Brien is guilty of acting inappropriately with four young men because our overall impress...
Clegg Statement Just Makes Things Worse
- 24 Feb 2013
Nick Clegg has just made things a whole lot worse for himself and his party. It’s all very well being indignant, but it’s quite difficult when you haven’t actually got much to be indignant about. Fraser Nelson rightly questions why on earth he has brought Danny Alexander into ...
Is It Time For Another Nick Clegg 'I'm Sorry' Video?
- 24 Feb 2013
The last thing any political party wants in the week before an election are the weekend papers to be full of headlines about a scandal. It’s bad enough for the LibDems that the Vicky Pryce/Chris Huhne trial recommences in the morning, but to have headlines about how they have ...
Tom Swarbrick's 'The News That Nearly Was'
- 24 Feb 2013
I work with some brilliant young people, both at Biteback and LBC. Two of the brightest and most talented at LBC are my Sunday show producer Carl McQueen and reporter Tom Swarbrick. Tom’s about to be assigned to Nick Ferrari’s Breakfast Show, but over the last six months he ha...
The Loss of AAA is a Mild National Humiliation - Now Let's Get Serious About Generating Growth & Cutting Spending
- 23 Feb 2013
There’s been a lot of hypocritical comment since it was announced Britain’s credit rating had been downgraded from AAA to AA1. With a few exceptions people on the right are making out there’s nothing to see and people should move along and these credit ratings Johnnies don’t ...
On My LBC 97.3 Sunday Show Tomorrow From 10am...
- 23 Feb 2013
We have a corker of show tomorrow (producer Carl McQueen is very proud of himself), so I thought I’d give you the rundown… 10-11am Interview and your calls to HM Chief Inspector of Schools Sir Michael Wilshaw. 11-1130am Interview with Sir David Attenborough 1130-12 Olly Man...
It Shouldn't Happen to a Radio Presenter: No 3 - Being Recognised
- 23 Feb 2013
“Excuse me,” said the elderly gentleman. “Are you the chap from ConservativeHome?” That happened yesterday afternoon on the train back to Tonbridge. “Er, no. I’m Iain Dale,” I said. Flattering, though it is, I am not Tim Montgomerie! “Ah yes, I see you on Sky News in the ev...
The Tories Should Beware of Marta Andreasen
- 22 Feb 2013
The news that UKIP MEP Marta Andreasen has defected to the Conservatives will no doubt provoke some celebrations at Tory HQ in Eastleigh tonight. She is the second one to do so, following in the footsteps of David Campbell-Bannerman, who re-ratted last year. She cites Nigel F...
Have You Ever Met a Nice South African?
- 22 Feb 2013
I’ve never been to South Africa, which is probably just as well. I’d spend the whole time drooling. You see, I am that very unusual example of someone who finds South African accents rather sexy. Erotic even. That probably marks me down as some kind of linguistic pervert, but ...
Mystic Dale Has a 'Birds Eye' Premonition
- 22 Feb 2013
I was doing the News Review, with Petrie Hosken, on ITV’s THIS MORNING at 10.30 today and the final item was a picture of a ready meal of Steak and Chips in which a lady had found a dead bird. ‘What do you think of that then?’ chirruped Eamonn Holmes. Quick as a flash, I resp...
Saying Sorry Has to Mean Something
- 22 Feb 2013
We live in a society where ‘Sorry’ seems to be the easiest word. Apologies are demanded from public figure for the most minor transgression, preferably with tears. And if the apology is not forthcoming, the weight of the media descends. Politicians in recent years have thrown ...
New Glasses, Possums?
- 22 Feb 2013
I’ve had to wear glasses ever since I was in my mid-twenties. I’m a bit short sighted so need them for driving and watching TV, but I don’t wear them all the time. This week I went for my annual eye test, and I had imagine my eyesight had got slightly worse. Instead I was told...
It Shouldn't Happen to a Radio Presenter: No 2 - Dealing With a Shouty Guest
- 21 Feb 2013
Israel. Never touch the subject. That’s what one producer told me when I started presenting on LBC. I didn’t listen. It’s one of those issues which will fill the phone switchboard within minutes. It attracts zealots on both sides of the debate, but it can also attract some dam...
The Tories Won't Admit It, But Ed Balls Secretly Impresses Them
- 21 Feb 2013
Ed Balls is the one Labour politician virtually every Tory loves to hate. He gets under their skin like no other. The very sight of him sends them into paroxysms of vitriol. He is also, it has to be said, not the most popular figure in the Labour Party. But despite all that, ...
Truth & Consequences: Five Decisions That Changed the Course of My Life
- 20 Feb 2013
Have you ever made a decision that has turned out to completely alter the course of your life? Without it, you know your life would have been completely different. I can’t remember why I was mulling this over today, but it occurred to me that there have been quite a lot of tho...