Friday, January 16, 2009

When the Left Falls Out

Looks like Derek Draper is getting the XXXXX I'm saying nothing.

UPDATE: It appears Mr Draper has some, er, interesting competition from a site called LabourIst. They're appropriating all LabourList's content, dumping it into a new site (with a much nicer design than the original) and then allowing free for all commenting. I sense Messers Shillings taking an interest in this.

Read Alix Mortimer's interpretation of this new development. Priceless. And hilarious.

35 comments:

Unknown said...

What's it got to do with "the Left"? It's two bloggers having a fight which isn't about politics. When you and Tim had a go at each other it was hardly a great left-right political argument.

Guido Fawkes said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Guido Fawkes said...

Almost feel sympathy for Derek. Almost.

Tony said...

Unfortunately Bloggerhaeds is currently throwing "503 Service Unavailable" errors.

Hacked Off said...

6. Try to answer comments!

Ha Ha Ha

The Penguin

Newmania said...

I'm trying to build a popular website here, not get stuck in a geeks ghetto
oooooh! i wonder how long it'll take you to post that on your blog
[Derek Draper]

Fair enough methinks

Newmania said...

I'm trying to build a popular website here, not get stuck in a geeks ghetto
oooooh! i wonder how long it'll take you to post that on your blog
[Derek Draper]

Fair enough methinks

no longer anonymous said...

My sympathies are with Draper, Tim Ireland is like the obsessive kid in the playground who keeps boring on about his personal hobby-horse while everyone else ignores him.

marksany said...

Iain, I do read some blogs for the comments, they are often more entertaining than the posts - CiF, for example.

Chucklenuts said...

It's got all the drama of a bust up between Andy Pandy, and the Flower Pot Men, and just as much relevance.

Unknown said...

Love it. Derek Draper is the most egotistical, clueless, narcissist on the planet.

And now he's treating the blogosphere like it's his own private domain. Derek, if you don't like the rules, don't play the damn.

Still laughing that only 24 hours in he was threatening to sue for libel on open comments. What a prat.

Martin said...

I'm saying nothing.

Seconded.

JuliaM said...

What's that old line again re Geoffrey Howe: 'Like being savaged by a dead sheep?

I can't decide which one bleats more pathetically, frankly...

Will S said...

I have no sympathy for Draper. He's behaving like the illiterate bully on the school playground who's got a new bike with lots of gears, but doesn't know how to ride it.

JuliaM said...

"Derek Draper is the most egotistical, clueless, narcissist on the planet."

Ahh, I see the reason for the fight now. Ireland wants that crown!

More popcorn needed....

Catosays said...

'Answer comments?'

Draper would have trouble answering the front door!

Old Holborn said...

He really is a cock

"MIND" Journalist of the year.

That just means mentals read his shite

Chucklenuts said...

"When the Left One Falls Out."

Ooh you are awful...but I like you.

JuliaM said...

"Tim Ireland was asking a legitimate question about referencing other people's work/comments on his blog."

Oh, I'm not too bothered about which narcissistc annoyance is actually in the right here.

Frankly, this is yet another "Can't they both lose...?" moment...

Morus said...

I've heard you've had your own flame-wars with Tim Ireland, Iain, but I can't help but feel that he's completely right about this.

If you're starting a new venture, and you claim to be about honest and open debate, then to apparently ignore your own comments policy, allow the perception that you have ripped off other people's work without attribution, and/or masqueraded as your own anonymous contributor then you deserve to get Fisked the way he has been.

If I were building a site of that type, I'd be very receptive to any and all bloggers who tendered questions and advice - he's been arrogant in the extreme, and he's got precisely the enemy he deserves.

The blogosphere, in spite of its reputation, has pretty good rules around etiquette, and they are observed by bloggers independent of size of readership or association. If Mr Drapers' site is struggling to meet those norms of behaviour then not only do I think he will fail in his stated aim, but he will deserve to.

Iain Dale said...

Morus, I have been careful not to take sides. However, Tim Ireland makes some valid points in some of his criticisms of LabourList. I have made my own on other threads.

J said...

Going by his contributions elsewhere that I have seen, LabourList is likely to be a failure because its editor is an illiterate fuckwit.

Unknown said...

I actually feel sorry for the guy. So may people clearly have it in for him that it's pretty pathetic.

I mean, I can't remember the last time I read a comment about Derek Draper without it being accompanied with at least one of the following:

a)Profanity
b)Derision
c)Abuse
d)Distasteful allegations concerning his wife.
e)Quiet, yet clear approval of at least one of the above

I agree that there are times when he doesn't help himself - that's clear, but this is all getting a bit much isn't it?

We all get it, "he's a bit of a tosser" according to the very vocal majority - now can we please move on from this nonsense?

The Grim Reaper said...

I notice you said on Wednesday that you weren't going to make any more comment about LabourList for quite some time. You've broken your promise after only 48 hours...

Iain Dale said...

I didn't make a comment, I provided a link. The temptation was just too great, I'm afraid :)

Cath said...

Phrases I truly NEVER thought I'd say......
but I'm with Draper on this one.

What a self-important tit Mr Ireland (who he?) seems to be.

Plato said...

John *no profile available* are you sure you aren't a sock-puppet?

...move along now, nothing to see...

I agree that he gets an enormous amount of stick and I don't approve of pulling his wife into the cross-fire - however this is of his own making and he's provoking the monstering that you've complained about.

Anyone who has visited a political blog such as Iain's or Guido's knows of Mr Ireland and his dog-with-bone persistence.

Assuming that he was naive enough not to know who Mr Ireland was, then his attitude was plain rude - as it is, he's now got a raging case of bloggerheads herpes for which there is no known cure.

If he'd started off on the right foot i.e. being polite, thick skinned (given his chequered political legacy) and appreciated his newbie status then I don't think this flame-throwing would have lasted much further than Tuesday.

As it is, labourlist is now a blogcrash. I can't see this crowd puller finishing anytime soon.

I say, what a silly billy - hat tip, Mike Yarwood.

The Grim Reaper said...

I forgive you, Iain. I'm half-expecting Derek Draper to do an Obnoxio and publish the personal details of Tim Ireland...

Martin said...

... why not? Ireland posted Drapers!

Trend Shed said...

I can't see the point in Labourlist. It is just a mouthpiece for Ministers. i.e. It is a Propaganda outlet.


Anyway...... there is already an organisation that fills the role of non-critical mouthpiece for Labour. Draper is going to have is work cut out competing with the BBC ;-)

Plato said...

Well said Mr Cook.

The Grim Reaper said...

Fair point Mr Cook, but I just hope we won't have to pay £139.50 per year to Derek Draper under threat of imprisonment.

Tim said...

Normally I would ignore the trolling of Martin* (aka Pogsurf, aka Lobster Blogster, aka Tory Dipper), but he's gone completely OTT trying to hitch a free ride on the unfortunate Obnoxio event.

I refute outright his bullshit claim that I published Draper's personal details.

I published Draper's email signature verbatim. It includes a phone number. That phone number is well publicised and attached to Mr Draper on many sites, including many of his own sites. I checked this before publication.

[*Hello, Paul/Guido. Martin/Pogsurf/Lobster/etc. is the man responsible for the majority of hostile anonymous edits to your Wikipedia entry. Just so you know.]

Martin said...

Hi everyone! I have an online real time biographer. It's quite fun!

Martin S said...

"MIND" Journalist of the year...

Yes, but not this year, Or last year. I believe he was MIND Journalist of the year in 2007.

This rather reminds me of a visit I made to a market hall not long ago. It proudly displayed a sign saying: "Loo of the year, 1981." Not any more they are not!