Iain Dale

I actually feel sorry for Iain now. It must be Christmas.

Update: Some comments on Iain’s site claim that he is the victim of a purge by David Cameron’s people. Somebody called “Ritchie” is mentioned. As Iain is very particular about who he lets comment on his site and who he doesn’t, I wonder if there is a grain of truth in it.

8 comments ↓

#1 Andrea on 12.19.07 at 5:40 pm

“Somebody called “Ritchie” is mentioned”

that’s Madonna’s mother in law: Shireen Ritchie, a Tory councillor in Kensington. She is/was the Chairman of the Candidates’ Committee

#2 Will Parbury on 12.19.07 at 6:12 pm

Shafted by Madonna’s mother in law, that’s got to hurt. Think he even interviewed her on 18DS. Is there no gratitude?

#3 Lobster Blogster on 12.19.07 at 6:52 pm

Good! There’s one I can cross of my anti-bullying list:

http://lobsterblogster.blogspot.com/2007/11/anti-bullying-week.html

#4 Brian Hughes on 12.19.07 at 7:15 pm

I see the conspiracy theorists are already on about how it’s all been fixed by an evil cabal up at CCHQ. I guess the truth is that there’ll have been hundreds of applicants – safe seats being almost as rare as the proverbial rocking-horse turds.

Still it’s a nice little reminder of how so many MPs are in reality chosen by a tiny group of atypical people (i.e. party stalwarts) behind proverbially closed doors (as they are in pretty well every other country on the planet and, probably, beyond). Rum old business this democracy caper – what?

#5 Iain Dale on 12.19.07 at 7:16 pm

That is not the case. I let everyone comment unless they swear. There is no purge. The Ritchie you refer to is Shireen Ritchie, who doubles as Madonna’s mother in law and candidates committee chairman. She is also a friend and not someone who would purge. Trust that’s cleared that up. And thank you for your Christmas spirit. A happy one to you and yours too!

#6 Iain Dale - Better stick to blogging, your just not cut out for politics « Parburypolitica on 12.19.07 at 7:31 pm

[...] Personally i’m not sure what is the unkindest cut. The suggestion that he is just getting a little bit past it for a Tory safe seat selection committee, they want future cabinet ministers not future guests on Have I got news for you, or the pity of Tom Watson. Still chin up Iain. [...]

#7 Chris paul on 12.19.07 at 10:23 pm

Not sure they’d have him on HIGNFY? The stitcher that comes up in comments elsewhere is an associate of Lord Offshore who of course blew loads of his money turning a Lib Dem high 3-figure maj to a low 5-figure one backing Mr ID in 2005. Something like that anyway.

Name of Barwell … Croydon or Maidstone may have his name on.

#8 Tim Ireland on 12.19.07 at 11:46 pm

“That is not the case. I let everyone comment unless they swear.”

Iain, you *know* that’s not true.

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