Gay Marriage, 'Bigoted' Tories & Irresponsible Journalism
- 17 Jan 2012
There is nothing the media and the Labour Party love better than trying to make out the Conservative Party is still the ‘nasty party’. Not just seen as the ‘nasty party’, but IS the ‘nasty party’. And their means of doing it is to imply that the Tories are institutionally homo...
Labour Can't Afford to Lose the Likes of Harris & Bozier
- 16 Jan 2012
Tom Harris’s sacking as Labour’s new media tsar illustrates exactly what’s wrong with modern politics. Basically, anyone who displays a sense of humour has to be got rid of. Yesterday, Tom posted a Downfall spoof poking fun at Alex Salmond and one of his advisers, Joan McAlpi...
TV Review: The Sunday Politics
- 15 Jan 2012
The main question from a viewer’s perspective on any new TV show is this: Is it better than what went before? On the basis of the first ever Sunday Politics I would say the answer is a cautious yes. Andrew Neil is now without a doubt the best political interviewer on British T...
Why I Cried On the Radio Last Night
- 13 Jan 2012
Yesterday evening on LBC I achieved two firsts. I spoke to one caller for a whole half hour, and fifteen minutes later I wept. Live on radio. Really. Like Alastair Campbell, I have always been a little lachrymose. I have even been known to shed a tear watching Emmerdale. Perh...
Film Review: The Iron Lady
- 11 Jan 2012
I am probably one of the worst possible people to review this film objectively. I know some of the main characters personally, and Margaret Thatcher is my political inspiration. But I am going to give it a go anyhow. When I first heard about this film, the initial publicity s...
Is Parliament Becoming Relevant Again?
- 11 Jan 2012
I remember one day during the summer of 2003, while the Hutton Report was in full swing, appearing live on Sky News for a full half hour, live on College Green. Much as I like hearing the sound of my own voice, I did question why Sky had thought my pearls of wisdom were worth ...
Is Diane Right? Are Black Cabbies Racists
- 7 Jan 2012
Apart from Diane Abbott’s far left allies (yes, I mean you, Lee Jasper), most people think she made a big mistake with her apparently racist tweet on Wednesday night. I make no apology for admitting I was among the first to point out that if a white Tory MP had said the same a...
A Look Back on 2012
- 31 Dec 2011
As we look back on 2012 it is with some trepidation that we look ahead to 2013. Who could have foreseen the momentous events which changed our world over the last twelve months? It’s not just Britain which has changed, but the whole world order. The collapse of the Euro led to...
Twelve Predictions For 2012
- 30 Dec 2011
OK, here’s the ten predictions I made last New Year’s Eve in my Eastern Daily Press column. Let’s see how many I got right… Norwich City make the play-offs but fail to win promotion WRONGNorman Lamb becomes a Minister in a government reshuffle WRONGSeveral Norfolk councils en...
The Fast Show Is Back. Which Is Nice
- 27 Dec 2011
I am a huge fan of the FAST SHOW. It was, in my humble opinion, one of the funniest sketch shows ever to grace our TV screens. So when I heard it was returning, I was very excited. That was until I heard it was only going to be online. ‘Bound to be rubbish’, I thought. Anyway,...
What Should I Do With My Money?
- 18 Dec 2011
Perhaps even by writing this blospost I will be accused of scaremongering, but I don’t think I am alone in wondering about the consequences of a banking collapse. Back in 2005, when I was a parliamentary candidate, I remember walking down Cromer High Street on a Friday aftern...
A Tribute to Gary Speed & A Plea on Depression
- 27 Nov 2011
Yesterday I read a heartfelt article by Stan Collymore about his ongoing battle with depression. Last night I watched a documentary called ‘We Need to Talk About Dad’ about a family coming to terms with the fact that the father had hit the mother over the head with an axe – an...
The Consequences of the Arrest of the Ashford One
- 27 Nov 2011
It's always dangerous to comment on breaking news stories. The full facts are rarely known, but in the last half an hour quite a bit of information has emerged, which should give all those who cherish our freedoms and democracy great cause for concern. At 2pm today counter ...
Sally's Vibrator & a Weeping Ed Balls
- 22 Nov 2011
Lord Justice Leveson could do worse than read the latest issue of Total Politics magazine. Well, I would say that, wouldn’t I, as I publish it, But I think the reaction to two interviews in the magazine demonstrates what is wrong with today’s media. Now in some ways, I shouldn...
Complaints Over Labour PPC Selection in Thurrock
- 13 Nov 2011
It doesn’t matter what party you’re in, you like to see fair play in Parliamentary selections. Especially when there are two people you know in the contest. Over the last few weeks, candidates have been vying to be selected as the PPC for Thurrock. One of the candidates is Pol...
Why Does the BBC Need Two Commentary Teams At The Same Match?
- 10 Nov 2011
Whenever I deign to say anything remotely critical about the BBC I am accused of all sorts of things. People say, ah, well if you hate it so much, why do you appear so much on it? As if there was some unspoken compact that in order to be invited onto a BBC show you have to be ...
Theresa's Something of the Night Moment?
- 9 Nov 2011
I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. This is the Home Office, after all. The most dysfunctional government department of all, and that’s saying something. And it seems very little has changed since the days of Charles Clarke, John Reid, Jacqui Smith and Alan Johnson. Th...
Theresa's Something of the Night Moment?
- 9 Nov 2011
I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. This is the Home Office, after all. The most dysfunctional government department of all, and that’s saying something. And it seems very little has changed since the days of Charles Clarke, John Reid, Jacqui Smith and Alan Johnson. Th...
Would a 'Good News' Radio Programme Ever Work?
- 6 Nov 2011
Tonight I carried out an experiment on my LBC show. I think like many people, I am often frustrated that the news agenda is remorselessly negative. Bad news is news, good news is advertising seems to be the mantra on most newsdesks. Just read the Daily Mail if you don’t believ...
Counterfactual: What if David Davis Had Been Elected Leader of the Conservative Party in 2005?
- 27 Oct 2011
This is an extract from the book PRIME MINISTER BORIS AND OTHER THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED, edited by Duncan Brack and Iain Dale, published by Biteback. ‘I wish I’d known he could do that before’, whispered one aide to another. ‘Wouldn’t it be great if he could do it for hi...