Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Nominated for Political Commentator of the Year

I have been nominated for an award, believe it or not. Each year MPs and Peers vote in the HOUSE MAGAZINE/SKY NEWS PARLIAMENTARY AWARDS. I've been nominated in the Political Commentator of the Year award. Apparently MPs nominate people and they are then shortlisted by the House Magazine Editorial Board. I do of course realise that I don't have a hope of winning, but it is nice to be nominated all the same. Here are some of the awards and shortlisted candidates...

POLITICAL COMMENTATOR OF THE YEAR: Nick Robinson, Jackie Ashley, Matthew D'Ancona, Iain Dale

BACKBENCHER OF THE YEAR: Norman Baker, Edward Leigh, Patrick Mercer and David Taylor

OPPOSITION POLITICIAN: David Davis, George Osborne, Ian Paisley, Alex Salmond

MINISTER OF THE YEAR: Hilary Benn, Caroline Flint, Andy Burnham, Peter Hain, Kim Howells

PEER OF THE YEAR: Lord Adonis, Lord Kingsland, Baroness Ashton, Lord Norton, Lord Ramsbotham

INTERNATIONAL POLITICIAN: Jose Manuel Barroso, Al Gore, Angela Merkel

PARLIAMENTARY AWARD: Gwyneth Dunwoody, Lord Howe of Aberavon, Jack Straw

It was nice to see Health Minister Caroline Flint at the 'do' in the Commons this afternoon. Twenty five years ago we were debating each other at the University of East Anglia Student Union. The subject? VAT on tampons.

59 comments:

Anonymous said...

It would be nice to see the alternative awards' nominations - for those being the least effective in the respective categories. Any suggestions?

Anonymous said...

I hope Gwyneth D gets something, she's one of the very few genuine Labour MPs - respect!

Anonymous said...

If you judge a man by the company he keeps, your co-nominees hardly put you in the pantheon, Iain.

Nick Robinson? God help us. A Buggins' Turn, if ever there was one. Jackie Ashley? Blairite drivel. Ronny D'Ancona? Cameroon lickspittle, only partially cleansed by recent principled criticism of the grammar school fiasco.

Anonymous said...

judith said...
I hope Gwyneth D gets something, she's one of the very few genuine Labour MPs - respect!

June 13, 2007 8:11 PM

Yes, I totally agree. I am a Tory but would vote for her every time.

Unsworth said...

Caroline Flint 'debating VAT on tampons' - why?

Has she mellowed at all? Has she actually improved since being a student? If so how?

As to the awards:

Yes, Dunwoody deserves recognition, she's a feisty old gal with a decent incisive approach - and she doesn't suffer fools or knaves.

Edward Leigh is pretty good in Committee, a bit faux patrician, but not afraid to cut the crap.

Davis is really too often overlooked, he's done a lot of good solid work.

I wouldn't vote for any of the other nominees in any category except, perhaps, for one Iain Dale.

Anonymous said...

Don't let your nomination go to your head mate.

Anonymous said...

VAT on tampons? I'd like to see a summary pro and con.

From my fully formed and researched opinion that I didn't have 2 minutes ago, I'd say tampons were a necessity and any VAT charged would only be spent on the extra street cleaning if they weren't used. Yuk.

Anonymous said...

I too endorse Judith's praise of Ms Dunwoodie, and it is nice to see that so many other Tories are free with their praise for her. She deserves it.

Congratulation on the nomination, Iain. You're the only one with any character, standing or achievements as far as I'm concerned.

Anonymous said...

Ah the imperialists
still not got their head round the fact Salmond is not in opposition
actually
SALMOND IS IN GOVERNMENT :-)
yippee

Richard Havers said...

Congrats Iain, but Al Gore - how predictable.

Laurence Boyce said...

Nick Robinson, Jackie Ashley, Matthew D’Ancona, Iain Dale

Frankly Iain, it’s no contest. You should win easily. I really mean that.

Wrinkled Weasel said...

Congwatulations Mr Dale.

The "do" sounded gweat. Did you get a warm hand on your entrance?

Does Carwoline Flint use Tampons or cacti? (Just my little joke...tsk tsk!)

Anonymous said...

Up against Jackie Ashley ?

Strange bedfellows !

Congratulations and best of luck.

Anonymous said...

"MINISTER OF THE YEAR: Hilary Benn, Caroline Flint, Andy Burnham, Peter Hain, Kim Howells"

Que ? Did I miss something here ?

At least 3 of these are Blairite lickspittles and only Hilary Benn comes out of this with any integrity.

Anonymous said...

Agree that Gwyneth Dunwoody should get recognition if these awards are to mean anything.

Edward Leigh, whatever his faults, deserves praise for slicing through the bullshit on how our money is being wasted, and being intolerant of failure.

I would have thought that David Davis must be in with a chance, as Paisley and Salmond can scarcely be thought of purely as opposition politicians in the current climate.

Tapestry said...

well deserved Iain. Hope you win. I keep in touch with the UK from afar and your site is always a main point of contact back home.

Liberal Republican said...

congrats Iain!

Shades said...

You also came 2nd (twice) in the Blogpower Awards.

Anonymous said...

Jesus Iain,were you one of those FCS people that used to argue tampons were luxuries?

Anonymous said...

Interesting, Tapestry. I wonder which blogsite gets the most hits from expats?

Which blog do expats trust to not only give them relatively unbiased and interesting news but to have a gang of interesting posters who put up informed and insightful comments?

My guess would be Iain's site. It will definitely be a Tory site as most expats left because of the vile Blair - or earlier socialists.

The Hitch said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

iain -> completely OT , and my apologies for doing so, but next time you bump into somebody from Civitas could you kindly ask them to release their education report and make it available online. right now you have to pay 12 quid to get hold of it.

civitas page

its contents are far too important and deserve to have a much wider audience.

Iain Dale said...

Far from it. I agreed with Carloline that VAT should be taken off tampons! It rather took the wind out of her sails.

Chris Paul said...

Well done on that Iain. But suggesting you debated the matter with her when you didn't ... I'll not tell the judges about that.

Isn't Salmond in both - in power tenuously and in opposition categorically. Opposition is a fair shout on balance for this titan among curmudgeons.

Anonymous said...

A kind word for Lord Adonis, who stepped in off his own bat and rescued the Ancient History A-level from the government dementors who were about to abolish it. He was aided in this by his opponent Boris, who posed in an ill-made toga. Although Adonis' title might seem impossibly vain, it is no more than his surname, from his his father, a London Greek Cypriot. So he was the right man in the right place at the time when the decision was made, and he remembered his Greek roots and did the right thing. The name of the original Adonis (who, if you remember, perished in a bizarre boar-related incident) is related to _Adonai_, Hebrew for the Lord God. So he is Lord LORD.

Anonymous said...

Iain, Iain,

Less kinder souls than I might suggest that you are "tarting" for votes here...

Nevertheless, I'll be happy to vote for you here.

Hell's Bells - Verity would vote for you and our dear Yellow Star doesn't even have a vote over here.

Anonymous said...

Um...

How do I vote?

lady macleod said...

congratulations and good luck!

Anonymous said...

My money's on Baker for the backbencher award. The guy is a wonder!
A tie between yourself and Nick Robinson in your category.

Anonymous said...

What is it with student unions and tampons? My whole time at university was spent trying to opt out of a semi-compulsory tampon levy which the union forced students to pay to subsidise free tampons for female students. I suddenly began to understand why people opposed reducing the voting age to 18.

Anonymous said...

Iain,

In the Corinthian spirit of fair play - how do our dear friends:

Mutleythedog, Theospark, The Hitch, Tuscan Tony, Electro Kevin, Maneatingcheesesandwich (and even Jailhouselawyer) et al

add their names to this list?

Newmania said...

I have commented before that in failing to suffocate the odious Flint and stuff her worthless corpse into a skip your University career can be counted an unmitigated failure.

What a golden opportunity .

Ted Foan said...

Iain - congratulations on being nominated but - no offence - don't you think they thought they'd better have someone from the blogosphere (and the newly emerging internet TV) to show they are embracing the new technology? And you probably have the highest profile at the moment - as well as being very good too! (Mandatory creep over!)

Anyway good luck. (But Dizzy is very good too!)

Anonymous said...

Iain, I don't know why you are surprised. Be realistic you are pretty much the only contender in this category. You have a virtual monopoly on serious political comment with 18DS and this blog etc..

I reckon the only person who doesn't quite grasp what you have acheived and what position you actually are now in is you..

Question is - Do you still want to be an MP ?

It would seem like a major step-down in many ways to me.

Hope you win. Regards

Anonymous said...

Funny that you say you don't have a chance of winning because you had my vote.

PS Do you think Prince Charles would vote for VAT exemption on tampons also?

Iain Dale said...

Just to remphasise what I said in the post, only MPs and Peers have a vote.

Anonymous said...

Baldrockbalrick [r similar]- I agree about Norman Baker. He is an outstanding MP and an outstanding MP in anyone's language. He is a hero.

Laurence Boyce said...

What makes Norman Baker “outstanding” exactly? Because he thinks that David Kelly was murdered maybe? I think you’ll find that actually makes him a nutcase.

Anonymous said...

Laurence Boyce - Read the coroners' report, sweets.

Do your homework.(It wasn't just one coroner, hence the apostrophe after the s.)

Anonymous said...

Congrats, and fully deserved!

Anonymous said...

Bwoy Hiain man.

We was just chillin' wid da brudda in da hood when dat good news come tru'.

'Nuff respec' me brudda an' a big up fe de Dunwoody chick too. Bwoy, she a real goer man. She could backbench me hany time.

Roger Thornhill said...

Well done.

It looked even more impressive until I saw Baroso, Merkel and Gore...what WERE they thinking?

re: anon 9:16 - Salmond is an opposition politician - to the Union!

Unknown said...

A well meritted award, Iain. Well done for keeping the website promptly and frequently up-dated.

But two-edged. Maybe you are more use to the tory party doing what you are doing than becoming an MP.....

Anonymous said...

Dear Laurence Boyce,

David Kelly WAS murdered! How it was done is a matter for debate but the fact is that a lot of commisars who were in on the fake WMD scam played a part in his demise. May I remind any NULAB supporters about the lies and wicked deceptions that went on in the run up to the Iraq fiasco and the deaths of 1/2 million people. A tragic waste of lives on the alter of NULAB vanity, most right thinking people would agree.

Newmania said...

Eva Brown


I would like to nominate Chris Paul for racists of the year supporting as he does the British National Socialist Party. There have been a large number pf BNP type comments lately emanating from the regime and the test in the roll of shame is Hazel Blears
“ We have got people living in Salford now from every country under the sun . We used to be 93% white working class. Our communities changing before our eyes “
Shock horror , as if this state of affairs was not entirely the fault of her “Multicultural “ Party and its traitorous effete denizens
The New Labour Nazi Party Part have also passed a resolution aimed at setting up a Britishness Day and addressing the problem of immigrants sitting around in the streets, Eva Brown, Frau Kelly, Frau Hodge and Frau Blears have all weighed in
: British homes for British people, British jobs for British workers and forcing all immigrants to speak English.
This is because the BNP threatens Labour Votes not Conservatives. I wonder how that grovelling wannabee Recess Monkey feels about this with his bland assertion that the Conservative Party are all “racist and Homophobic “. More to the point why is the BBC not crucifying New labour as they would if Conservative said anything of the sort.

The “Miracle of immigration “ I think Chirs ( The Parrot) Paul called, it . Ever felt like you were in the wrong Party?

Newmania said...

Iain what has happened to your ambition to become an MP . Its all gone very quiet on that score hasn`t it

Newmania said...

,...oops , and why does Boris think that Bklair is going to try to control the Blogasphere. Is there anything to this anyone ?

Unsworth said...

PJ: a semi-compulsory tampon levy"

OK, you got me. What's that, then? Anything to do with 'cash for honours'. The noble lord always struck me as being a bit of a sanitary product...

Anonymous said...

I'm personally cheering Lord Norton on!

Anonymous said...

Baldrockbalrick [r similar]- I agree about Norman Baker. He is an outstanding MP and an outstanding MP in anyone's language. He is a hero.

Many would disagree. Disgruntled Non-Fans of Norman have their own website Norman Baker Watch

Anonymous said...

Iain, you may well want VAT removed from tampons. Unfortunately, the EU makes us levy it on this item.

If any one doesn't believe this, see the second note on this press release.

Anonymous said...

Good luck old chap. I have to say though that I don't feel particularly inspired by many of the contenders in any of the categories.

Iain Dale said...

This was 25 years ago. If my memory is correct we debating whether VAT on tampons should be reduced to 5%...

But if we move to today, I would still argue that they are not a luxury item and should therefore either be excluded from VAT or have a lower rate.

neil craig said...

What a dreadful set of nominations for international poitician. 2 EUists & a nutcase. I know they aren't British but surely there are some intelligent foreigners.

I think history will award it to Putin but can see why he wouldn't win in Westminster.

Anonymous said...

I don't think I am the only woman here who finds some of the male commenters' obsessive interest in tampons very creepy. The kind of men who get a secret thrill from sniffing bicycle seats ...

(Notice that none of the women has taken any interest in the subject.)

Of coursethere's a Norman Baker watch! He's effective. He doesn't give up. He's committed. To others in Parliament, that makes him dangerous and needful of ridicule.

Read the coroners' report, which Mr Baker has running on his site. Just one instance: They neglected to weigh Dr Kelly's blood. The government are claiming that someone died by bleeding to death and they didn't weigh the blood in the corpse! For a coroner's office that is inept or negligent or deliberate.

Read the whole report. If anyone gets justice for Dr Kelly, it will be Norman Baker.

Anonymous said...

I had a lovely run-in with Caroline Flint during the 2005 General Election campaign in Lincoln when she was a Home Office Minister.

She was a ministerial guest to Gillian Merron and paid a visit to a LAUNDRETTE of all places.

Whilst they were talking inside the LAUNDRETTE I got on the car megaphone and blasted "we don't want your dirty washing Gillian" and the whole street errupted in laughter.

Even the copper who was looking after Caroline Flint couldn't keep a straight face.

It was hilarious and a reminder to any budding politician NEVER to visit a laundrette!

Anonymous said...

Al Gore? International Politician of the Year?
Are you sure you want an award from these people, Mr. Dale?

Anonymous said...

Don't worry about Nick Robinson - his motto is "never scoop the spoon that feeds you".

Anonymous said...

If any backbencher rightly deserves to receive an award it must surely be Graham Brady, who in conscience resigned from the Conservative front bench to do what he thought was right for his constituents.

However, Patrick Mercer is only on the backbenchers because his indifference to the news that soldiers from the Commonwealth are forming a trade union to tackle racism and abuse. Apparently Mr Mercer believed that the very idea of such a union was "Absolute nonsense complete and utter rot." Shadow trade and industry secretary Alan Duncan, said that Patrick Mercer "appeared to be indifferent to the fact that someone was taunted for being black, you cannot be indifferent to that."

Mercer was sacked for claiming that being called a "black bastard" was part and parcel of life for ethnic minorities in the armed forces however David Cameron said of Mercer’s remarks "you can't make excuses for it" and promptly and rightly sent Mercer to the backbenchers, where Mercer then proclaimed that his dismissal was "nothing" just "sticks and stones". Asked if Mercer believed David Cameron to be a man of principle Mercer replied "He is the leader" and when pressed for a more truthful reply Patrick Mercer OBE sticks two fingers up and marches out.

I’m afraid that Patrick Mercer MP should rightly be struck off any list for an award until the day he is capable of understanding that regard for others is incumbent upon him as a principle of action and a cry for help should never ever be regarded to be absolute nonsense complete and utter rot. Certainly not a Graham Brady type of MP.