1. Keep Right Online has created a Dan Hannan Video Remix.
2. Archbishop Cranmer calls for my expulsion from the Conservative Party.
3. Neil Stockley on Back to the Future politics.
4. Jo Swinson on her experiences of being a female MP.
5. SNP Tactical Voting on a tawdry defection.
6. Tim Montgomerie draws 10 lessons from the Tory Spring Conference.
and for a bit of history...
7. Ian Visits on the arrival of Big Ben in 1858.
7 comments:
Mr Dale,
His Grace did no such thing: he merely raised the question.
You are one of the few who make the Conservative Party interesting.
But so did Stuart Wheeler.
Bless you.
++Cranmer
His Grace the Arch-Heretic wrote:
Bless you.[sounds of heaving offstage]
I must say I was slightly surprised at seeing other parties ads on here but I have never really thought much of it. It does not bother me per se, however I do believe that Cranmer does actually pose a good question. I went to Labourhome to see if their messagespace had similar ad's but it didn't.
I read Cranmer's post I am surprised that Iain did not post a comment on Cranmer page. I am not trying to make trouble but I think it is something that Iain should clarify
I haven't replied to the post because frankly I thought it was rather pathetic and not worth responding to. This blog is not part of the Conservative Party. I am not a Tory candidate. I vote Conservative and I want the Conservatives to win. That's my personal stance and everyone knows that. Most of the people who read this blog know exactly who they are going to vote for. An ad from Libertas isn't going to make any difference to that. And to compare me with Stuart Wheeler, as Cranmer does, is frankly risible.
Does Cranmer think the Telegraph shouldn't take ad money from parties other than the Conservatives? No. And there is no reason why I shouldn't.
And if the Conservative Party wishes to take up his advice, then that is a matter for them. But they wouldn't be so idiotic.
Iain,
no offence was meant by my question. It just struck me as odd that you did not post a comment on it.
Thanks for clarification
Mr Dale,
His Grace apologises if he has offended you: that was not his intention. With enormous (sincere) respect, he is not used to being called 'pathetic' or having his writing dismissed as 'risible'. Indeed, he prefers reasoned argument to insult hurling in any case.
In every (self-)categorisation you have performed (indeed, pioneered) for blog, you identify Iain Dale's Diary as a 'Conservative blog', as opposed to being simply 'Right Wing'. It is right up there with ConservativeHome as a blog which flies the flag of the Conservative Party, rather than simply being the blog of someone who happens to possess Conservative leanings.
You imply that if you were a 'Tory candidate', you might pursue a different policy. Why? In what sense is pursuing the present policy increasing the likelihood of your becoming such a candidate? Is it not a little antagonistic to all those who are presently Conservative Party candidates that the foremost 'Conservative blog' in the UK is actively promoting other political parties and evangelising for members?
It is curious that you raise The Daily Telegraph as a comparison. The newspaper is not a member of the Conservative Party: membership confers rather different obligations than does loose association. The Telegraph is primarily a financial pursuit: it exists to sell copy, to augment circulation, to increase advertising revenue. In order to achieve that, it is capable of switching political allegiance, and has manifestly done so in the past, and appears to be doing so once again.
Is that the case for your blog?
ConHome is also not a blog of the Conservative Party, but there is no sense in which it would promote the opposition, especially during an election campaign.
Since Iain Dale's Diary promotes Ken Livingstone, the Liberal Democrats, Jury Team and Libertas, presumably you would have no qualms about accepting advertisements from UKIP or the BNP.
If not the BNP, you must be prepared to promote parties of a certain political worldview. What are the criteria?
And if you would accept advertisements from UKIP upon your private property, solely in order to profit, in what sense is your 'disloyalty' different from that of which you accused Stuart Wheeler? In what sense is promoting rival political parties not being 'in association' with them, and therefore a breach of your Party membership?
And you will be well aware that the Conservative Party is indeed quite capable of idiocy. Of course His Grace does not want you expelled. But this discussion is not gratuitously provocative: it is a genuine desire for understanding.
"...this discussion is not gratuitously provocative..."
"Should Iain Dale be expelled from the Conservative Party?"
Discuss. Attempt to reconcile.
On second thoughts: don't bother.
It was an odd posting from Cranmer. His comments here have a rather peculiar flavour to them too.
(wv=pricabbl. I won't go there.)
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