Sunday, May 17, 2009

Why Do I Do It?

My partner thinks I am mad. "What on earth are you doing, going to North Wales to speak to 60 people who've never heard of you?" he asked on Thursday night. "Are they paying you?" It was an interesting question. I find it very difficult to explain to people outside politics why I do what I do. Most sane people would think my partner has a point. Why would I drive 300 miles there and 300 miles back for absolutely no reward?

But all I am doing is what scores of politicians of all political persuasions do each weekend. OK, I am not a politician, but Michael Dobbs does it, Matthew Parris does it, Michael Brown does it. We do it because it's one way we can help local parties raise much needed funds to fight their campaigns. We do it because our lives do not allow us the time we used to devote to doorstep campaigning and we feel a little guilty about that. So I have a rule of accepting two speaking engagements every month to help raise money for the Tory Party. My partner still thinks I am mad, but there you go. I'll show him this email which I got earlier today from one of the dinner guests on Friday night in Aberconwy.
It was a pleasure both to meet you and to hear you speak. You asked why so many would want to pay money to come and listen to a person they had never met. Let me tell you, there are 60 people in North Wales who would be delighted to hear you again, should you ever return!
And that is why I do it. Because invariably they are thoroughly nice people.

31 comments:

Kate. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Hang on. Dobbs, Parris and Brown are journalists - you are not.

Dave Sparrow said...

Well I for one am extremely glad that you did visit. I'm from Colwyn Bay, but have lived in or near Wokingham for 20 years. My parents didn't attend and despite not having a computer, they are now fully (er, well, let's be honest, vaguely) aware of what 'the blogosphere' is, as I felt I ought to educate them prior to the visit of such an eminent celebrity. Their friends, who are equally bemused but more likely to investigate further given their available technology, will no doubt be following-up. You may have kick-started a pensioners' revolution. Let's hope so.

I like you, but you are awful said...

Mind you don't accidentally knock your head against any sharp pointy things.

Alex said...

Don't think that you are not a politician just because you are not elected.

Everybody who gets up off their backsides and does something for any political cause is a politician.

judith said...

Iain, you not only helped us raise much-needed Party funds when you spoke to us on the outer fringes of East London some time ago, you also ensured we had a most enjoyable and lively evening, even though you had a touch of manflu!

Thank you - you give something back to your community, and that is good karma.

Anonymous said...

OT - champagne socialist repays expenses:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5339908/Ian-McCartney-claimed-for-champagne-flutes-and-700-table-and-chairs-MPs-expenses.html

Martin S said...

Why do you do it? Because it is the right thing to do. Your ability to know what the right thing is, then to do it even if there is no gain for you, is one reason why you would make a good MP.

Incidentally
It's gone on for weeks and weeks. And shows no sign of stopping, anytime soon. Are we seeing the end of the Labour Party as we know it?

Iain Dale said...

Anonymous 7.46. Er, what's your point? Oh, and Dobbs isn't a journalist.

I like you 8.00, don't understand what you mean.

Unknown said...

Iain-I hope you earn enough money from all your other interests. If not, the least that we can do here as your regular readers is pay for your "expenses" :)

Plato said...

Good on you, I'm afraid that the Croydon South party took the piss out of me as a teenager in 198*

I worked 8 hrs a day for 4 weeks in the run up to the GE - I volunteered after seeing Sue Lawley go at Norman Tebbit [not an easy feat].

They lied to me about cancelling the post win party because I wasn't one of them ie not a braying YC pearl type.

I have never forgiven Old Tories for this. And I never will, call me sad, but it crushed my idealism in a moment.

Until then, Bernard Wetherill had been my MP and what a gent he was.

I will be voting Monster Raving Loony on the 4th.

They deserve everything they get and more for abusing our trust.

dheigham said...

And as a non-Tory, let me add a comment on how many active Conservatives are very nice people when you meet them; despite any different impression blog comments may give.

Jon Lishman said...

Great stuff. And keep going, Mr D.

What you do is valuable to those who care about this country and its political fortunes, especially now that it's crystal clear a change of government is absolutely vital if we are to emerge from the crisis we've been dumped into by the bunch of self-serving idiots now in charge.

Labour's failures in office (and its tribal defenders) need to be challenged relentlessly.

Without wishing to appear sycophantic, I for one therefore think that what you do deserves high praise. So there :)

Martin S said...

Actually, Iain is a journalist. And anb editor/publisher and a broadcaster, too.

Anon 7:46 PM, I just did not want you to continue living in ignorance.

You are now better informed, if non-the-wiser...

wv = lazes

Anonymous said...

"Michael Brown does it"

I presume that is the former Tory MP and Independent Newspaper writer!

The Other Michael Brown who gave the Liberal Democrats there largest donation through stolen money is i think still in clink!

Maybe the Liberal Democrats should aim to return the £2 million plus donation by the time Michael Brown has completed his sentence and returned to society as a free but marked man!

The Grim Reaper said...

Thatsnews said "Actually, Iain is a journalist. And an editor/publisher and a broadcaster, too."

Iain Dale is not a real person. Iain Dale is a state of mind.

Philipa said...

Well I paid to hear you speak and it was great value compared to the debate the previous day. I would definitely pay to hear you speak again, Iain.

Why do you blog?

We could all ask ourselves the same question and I saw an amusing cartoon of a man being prompted by his wife to come to bed as it was late. 'I can't come now' he said 'someone on the net is wrong!' I wonder why any of us blog.. ?

Anonymous said...

"Why would I drive 300 miles there and 300 miles back for absolutely no reward?"

A 600 mile round-trip sounds like an MPs' claim! You must have taken several wrong turns!

AJC

TrueBlueBlood said...

Great stuff Iain.

Can you publish in advance your speaking engagements so we can get the chance to come and hear you.

Keep up the great work.

jon dee said...

Well done. Please excuse.......

BBC News24 desperately spinning McCartney's repayment as a good deed following "rule changes", rather than panic and guilt following the compulsory release of MP' expenses.

Please Daily Telegraph, do the BBC next.

Wil_cc said...

Iain, what did you think of the Tory candidate? He's not liked by a lot of Tories because he used to be Plaid.

(Hated by Plaid because he defected to the Tories.)

He should be a shoe in as the sitting Labour MP had a big personal vote and she is standing down. Labour vote will completely collapse.

Plaid hold the seat in the Assembly and we actually think we've got an outside chance of winning it.

Andrew Allison said...

"You are not normal people", said Donal Blaney at the start of a YBF training session at the conference last year. He is right. No-one outside politics will understand why we go out in the rain and deliver leaflets, drive to Crewe for the weekend, for no money, to help with the by-election campaign.

All of us involved with politics do what we do because we believe in the cause and want to do our bit.

Nick B said...

This post is a perfect opportunity to express my personal thanks that you do bother to keep writing and speaking. It is always a pleasure to read a well written argument even if one doesn't always agree with the conclusion. My day would be a lot duller without your blog so thank you for taking so much time and effort to keep it going!

Geoff said...

Andrew Allison is right. Iain, you spoke at a meeting of Conservatives Abroad in Fuengirola last year and were spectacularly great value for a ticket price which went to keeping ex-pats such as myself who are still entitled to our votes enthused with the UK political process.

More power to your elbow and please visit us again as soon as you have a space in your diary.

Anonymous said...

Will CC

What a nasty little comment.

If Guto is not liked why was he selected for the Assembly Election of 2003 and the General Election of 2005? Why was he approved an an 'A'lister (against his own judgement)? Why was he re-selected in 2007 with the support of the vast majority of members?

This type of contribution is unfounded - let's hope that the election will be fought with less spinning from Plaid.

By the way - do Plaid supporters hate him or just activists? I suspect the later since they know that Guto will give them one hell of a beating!

Colin said...

Although not a member of the Labour Party my wife Lisa and I went listen to Alistair Campbell who did a talk to raise money for Delyn Labour Flintshire. We both thoroughly enjoyed the whole evening. Will go to one again.
Not necessarily Labour.

Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District

A 1000 speeders a day through our village each day and North Wales Police do not care.

Johnny Norfolk said...

Well done Iain, its good to see that not everone thinks of money first.
You do it because you feel it is the right thing to do, no better reason.

David Hughes said...

Just tell him, "I'm on the Candidates' list and that's what I have to do to try (no pun intended) to get a seat. Along with eating rubber chicken, grabbing burgers etc., etc..
Trouble with you iain, is that you won't get there - too many Conservative beliefs and not enough conservative New Labour copies !

Anonymous said...

Moths can't resist a burning light?
The light grows dangerous, have a care.

Paul Walter said...

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you never get the balance wrong between feeding your ego and spending precious time with your partner. That would be a mistake many of us, including me, have made.

neil craig said...

Why do you do it - same reason we blog.

We do like the idea that people are listening to us. Part of being human.