Tuesday, June 17, 2008

DD Website is Now Live

For those who wish to help David Davis's campaign by making a donation or tootling up to Haltemprice & Howden, his campaign website is now live HERE. He will be resigning his seat tomorrow.

Just for the avoidance of doubt, as several journalists and MPs have asked, I am not his media spokesman. I have a magazine to launch! Weve just got the first copies into the office and they look fantastic.

Normal blogging will resume tomorrow.

61 comments:

  1. Why can't they have a more modern website? A bit of interactivity wouldn't go amiss. They could do with you on the staff Iain!

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  2. Unfortunately, it's not (currently at least) terribly good. Too much emphasis on 42-days, and a section called 'The Issues' which doesn't really lay them out clearly.

    The 42-day proposal, though in my view very important, probably seems quite remote to many people. I think people will identify more with some of the other issues, for example:

    - ID cards. Not so much the cards themselves, but the fact that it will become a criminal offence not to tell the government if you change your address, plus the amount of information which will be held (and no doubt left on trains).

    - Snooping by Council officials

    - Being arrested for reading out the list of British servicemen and women killed in Iraq (near Parliament), or displaying a sign saying 'Scientology is a cult'

    - The BBC's 'big brother' approach to TV licensing

    - The general 'Guilty until proven innocent' approach which seems to apply to everything from parking tickets to rubbish recycling

    ...etc etc.

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  3. It doesn't load up. Please tell me they have adequate capacity to accept all those who wish to access the website...

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  4. Doesn't look very live to me....

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  5. The nice young people in the banner look, well, white really.
    Do you think this is purposeful?

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  6. no it ain't !

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  7. Please stop banging on about David Davis!
    Enough already! It's so last week. :)
    thank you.

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  8. Iain, can you subscribe to the magazine, and if so where?
    Good luck with the launch.

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  9. DD needs to add a blog in order to democratise the site and jazz it up a bit. At present its not a blog, its a website and it lacks fizz.

    That's not a criticism of DD, He's my hero. Like many others, I've waited a decade for a politician of DD's stature to take on Brown and Blair's sinister surveillance state.

    Now DD's doing that, I so want him to succeed.

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  10. And quick of the mark to comment is...

    http://www.recessmonkey.com/

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  11. I tried to contact him to offer support, but got a snippy message that I had to give my full name.

    Why? A bit controlling, if I do say so. One apparently has to "qualify" by giving a full name in order to register support and encouragement for Mr Davis.

    I don't take my orders about how I'll send emails from bossy people in London. Their attitude has ensured that I won't be posting anything else positive about Mr Davis.

    What is it with British politicians that they think they're the boss of the electorate?

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  12. Chris, you can call 0207 654 5567. You will be able to subscribe via the website from Friday www.totalpolitics.com

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  13. Well, i was a bit 'sceptical' about DD's 'resignation' but his recent interviews on telly have shot that down. I'll be sending a donation to his re-election campaign. His essential argument is absolutely spot-on.

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  14. The leadership bid seems to be off to a good start!

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  15. Aaargghhh - get him into the 21st century and tell him how to accept credit card donations - cheques!! ffs

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  16. And the DD website is where???

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  17. Given that the contact form on the website does not work and no email address is given perhaps you could forward the following comment which I tried to sent:
    "Your website banner gives an unfortunate - if probably unintended - message that your campaign has no application to, or support from, black and asian members of your constituency.
    If your designer responds that the collection of people behind you does in fact include one or more blacks or asians then they are so pale and the image quality so poor that it rather defeats the object as that does not APPEAR to be the case.
    This is intended to be a constructive not critical comment.
    Although not a conservative supporter I applaud the integrity of your decision and would vote for you on that basis whichever party or candidates stood against you on this occasion."

    Jeff

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  18. I dont understand all these comments about the website being there. Every time I have clicked on it it has worked.

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  19. Anon 5.44

    I think all the white people probably represent his constituency. I can't imagine there are many non-whites outside of the Chinese and Indian restaurant owners.

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  20. The issue on the web site being may be a delay in DNS servers updating.

    Either that or the police state is hear already !

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  21. Are we getting comments on a site not yet live-brilliant!

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  22. Have just tried for tenth time!--NOPE!!!---am using your link.

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  23. Canvas - its last week, this week and every week till July 10th.

    Its our freedom that was last week.

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  24. Iain, please use your influence to get DD to speak with as many people as possible via Twitter. He needs to understand that Twitterers will expect to be able to properly converse with him. Otherwise, his Twitterings may be ignored.

    I think there is ample evidence that people want to become involved in the political process...

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  25. Anonymous Jeff 5:44 writes to Davis: "Your website banner gives an unfortunate - if probably unintended - message that your campaign has no application to, or support from, black and asian members of your constituency.

    "Although not a conservative supporter ..."

    NSS.

    To the rather over-excitable Canvas, no, the issue of our freedom is not "so last week". But your silly post gives me the opportunity to note that Obama is so last week.

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  26. The site will not take comments... i tried 3 times and got the haven't filled it in correctly message. I did, it is just not working.
    On clicking your link, the site appears only sometimes.
    Perhaps you could ask him to put a Paypal donate button on the site, like me, many people couldn't even find a chequebook let alone be bothered to go out and search for a post office.

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  27. canvas said...
    Please stop banging on about David Davis!
    Enough already! It's so last week. :)
    thank you.


    You came here, canvas, to Iain's site, where we are very interested in talking about David Davis leading the fight to regain our civil liberties.

    If you don't like this discussion the answer is n your own hands - naff off!
    But don't try and dictate tot he rest of us, there's a good girl.

    By the way, the rumour is that you've recently had a babby, is that true? If so, congratulations to you and your family.

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  28. I've sent a donation and volunteered!

    I understand that DD's office is so inundated with support that its completely paralysed at present.

    So, don't give up if you can't get through right away.

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  29. 4 david davis for 4 freedom says: Canvas - its last week, this week and every week till July 10th.


    And then what? it's a safe Tory seat. This pointless by-election doesn't mean anything. Nothing will change from the back benches. doh.

    :)

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  30. This is my first comment ever, but I had to ask - I want to donate but what is a 'cheque'?

    Seriously from what was said I thought this was the forefront of a new Obama-style popular movement. Evidently not - does he accept Postal Orders. Groats?

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  31. Is your link right, Iain? All I get is a directed to a UK2.net web hosting site. Very disappointing.

    word verification: grumpy

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  32. David Davis thinks he is Gladstone. He is not. He is an egoist, and a friendless one at that.

    I'm anti-42 days, but I have no admiration for what Davis is doing. Nor do I have any objection to Labour's response. A seat in the Commons ought not to be used as a vehicle for personal vanity.

    If it was anyone else but MacKenzie standing against him, I'd wish for Davis to get thrashed. As it is, a humiliatingly narrow victory would be perfect.

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  33. I'd actually like to get up to the constituency itself, but I doubt the local Tories are going to make a bee-line for it.

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  34. Yes, David Davis's arrangements for payment are sadly primitive. But when setting up something like this from scratch, without experience, you find it quite hard. I have done this myself, selling software over the net.

    The ideal solution, for convenience, is to have a nice arrangement for online payment set up by a man in a suit, for a fat fee. Not an option for me.

    If someone in the UK posts you a cheque drawn on a UK bank, no problem: in it goes. If someone in any other country sends you a cheque on one of their banks, you have to pay a fee for it to be verified and converted, which was £30 the last time I let myself get into that position a couple of years back, and is probably more now.

    Similarly, if someone from abroad makes a SWIFT direct bank-to-bank transfer (and gets this tricky procedure right) they will be charged a comparable amount. Of course, then the recipient gets the whole of the money sent.

    For myself, I set up both a US and a UK bank account, which took care of some of the problem. But for the rest, the only reasonably easy way I could find was to set up an arrangement with an online card handling firm -- I chose SWReg, reputable people -- so that they could take online payment and pass it on to me, less an administration charge which in my case is 6%. People paying from the EU are charged VAT by the firm (I'm not liable).

    Is there a better way? Wish there were.

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  35. What on earth is that website, it's years behind web 2.0 etc. Bloggers and backbenchers should be looking into something like this, from the US:
    http://www.actblue.com/

    Blogs highlight candidates worthy of your attention and people can make small donations to as many of them as they want. I'll send DD a cheque but he's missing a big opportunity here.

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  36. I've sent a donation but agree he should organize for credit card and Paypal donations.

    Have a look at the Public Defender website at
    http://www.tpuc.org/ for inspiratioon.

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  37. Canvas, you're boring, you're predictable, you're an hysteric, you're over-emotional to the point of often sounding unhinged, and you have never posted a mildly interesting thought. In short, you're way over your head, and you're drab.

    Go and light an incense stick to Obama. And do stop posting emoticons. They are so yesterday.

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  38. Anon 6.05 p.m. said "I think all the white people probably represent his constituency. I can't imagine there are many non-whites outside of the Chinese and Indian restaurant owners."

    There don't seem to be any middle-aged or old people either. They all appear to be in their 20s or 30s.

    Also, I thought DD saw this as a national campaign. That means he needs to reach out to all members of society.

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  39. Verity, you're boring, you're predictable, you're an hysteric, you're over-emotional to the point of often sounding unhinged, and you have never posted a mildly interesting thought.

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  40. I see that the entry for David Davis on your Total Politics website is out of date.

    He is still described as Shadow Home Secretary.

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  41. Anonymous said...
    Verity, you're boring, you're predictable, you're an hysteric, you're over-emotional to the point of often sounding unhinged, and you have never posted a mildly interesting thought.

    Anon,

    THIS rant is what I call boring. I enjoy reading Verity's postings, if you don't enjoy them - don't read them!

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  42. Matthew said...
    David Davis thinks he is Gladstone. He is not. He is an egoist, and a friendless one at that.


    Is this absurd ad hominem the best you can do? Must be as reasoned argument is clearly beyond you.

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  43. Matthew - If David Davis is a "friendless egoist", why has his site already been deluged with hits? Are people that eager to let him know he's friendless?

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  44. I quite like the way both verity and auntie Flo (or Coleen from Old Harlow) are both so mental. Two old gin bags haha.

    Scary views, yes. Boring, often. Reasonable, never!

    :)

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  45. You may not like what Verity has to say but Verity is of course right-don't like it?--go elsewhere!

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  46. ^

    Lot of desperation to attack DD. All hot air.

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  47. canvas said...
    "I quite like the way both verity and auntie Flo (or Coleen from Old Harlow) are both so mental. Two old gin bags haha."

    There is a world of difference between Verity and Auntie Flo.

    I agree with you about Verity but Auntie Flo is sincere and enthusiastic. Unlike Verity she is never arrogant, patronising, malevolent, sour, bitchy, self-deluding or barmy.

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  48. DDs site is now uploading for me.

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  49. Has he chose the right image?

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  50. I `m sorry to say that having thought about this a lot I cannot avoid the conclusion that DD is acting out of spite and ambition and without true principle.

    Conservative Party Policy is actually moving towards reducing the 28 day mark which I think is laudable. Why 28 days? So what is he doing ?
    Of all the many incursions into our freedom allowing the Police to bang up Islamic trouble makers because they look shifty is the one that troubles me least and already this strange event has diverted attention from the disgraceful Lisbon manoeuvres and the culpability of Brown for our inability to avert recession with tax cuts
    I agree with what he says but the overriding importance of getting rid of Brown and New Labour comes first and he is not helping by muddying the waters and removing his own voice from the only place where it would do any good .
    I do not like single issue Liberal style luxury Politics and I do not like "principle “ soi disant all that much anyway. I like Manifestos considered by the electorate offered by a Party and voted on in a free and independent country balancing all considerations of all the people .
    Auntie Flo has always had a bit of the Liberal about her and Verity had a bit of the anarchist Libertarian . Too much for me much as I admire them both
    This gesture is ridiculous CCTV cameras and genetic data bases are tough trade offs to debate , not simple catch phrases . I also do not like the company he is keeping none of which stuck its trendy head above the parapet to defend hunting or smoking . Boris Johnson is my idea of a Libertarian and his interesting and deceptively humorous article about bicycle helmets went to where Davies dare not . He said we have to accept that there are risks to freedom and stop pretending you can have it all.
    That is the real point .
    The frightening conclusion to all this is that on this occasion both Flo and Verity are wrong as is Iain Dale .Iain might want to think hard about to what extent he sides with the failed candidate for leadership[ of the Party and his advertising campaign whe it is clearly aimed at undermining David Cameron
    I like David Cameron, I do not want him undermined. I want him to be PM where he has much more to do than strike poses on one issue .
    Stuff Davies and his male menopause. I am not interested in his career , his bitterness or his sense of grievance . He should grow up

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  51. Verity - I meant friendless among the party hierarchy. Don't get me wrong, DD's cause (the fight to retain British liberties) is noble - I just don't think it is nobility that motivates him. I think it is a fear of being marginalised in the next Conservative government, and a desire to maintain personal status.

    Auntie Flo': yes, it was ad hominem - that was the bloody point! I don't disagree with the argument against 42 days, I simply don't believe in DD's claim to political heroism.

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  52. I think Verity and Auntie 'Flo are vinegar t*ts.
    Verity is especially bitter and twisted while Auntie 'Flo is just old fashioned.

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  53. Auntie Flo' is worse than Verity. Flo' is far more shallow. Verity has some inner depth to her complete and utter ugliness.

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  54. will he have paypal so people can donate.Who does checques nowadays?

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  55. Aunti Flo is a perfectly lovely woman a deep understanding and Verity is tbe best writer in the blogasphere.

    ( Even though on this occassion I do not agree with them )

    Buzz off gnats

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  56. Newmaniac should take more water with "IT"!
    Lets just see how many people and how much cash rolls in.

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  57. Newmania said...
    Aunti Flo is a perfectly lovely woman a deep understanding and Verity is tbe best writer in the blogasphere.( Even though on this occassion I do not agree with them )

    Buzz off gnats



    Thanks, newmania, you're lovely too. As for the gnats, you've said it all for me xxx

    Your points are good ones, n. Where I disagree is that I believe that DD is doing Cameron and the Conservatives a power of good.

    1500 comments on BBC's Have Your Say and the vasy majority of them support DD. Many comments from people who say that though they were Labour or Lib dem supporters, DD has made them want to support the Conservatives.

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  58. Anonymous said...
    I think Verity and Auntie 'Flo are vinegar t*ts.
    Verity is especially bitter and twisted while Auntie 'Flo is just old fashioned.


    Another seedy nulab, 'progressive' in a mac, too cowardly to put even a blog name to a post. I can smell you lot a mile off, anon.

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  59. canvas said:

    "As for David davis - yuck yuck Does he look like he would be loyal to anyone but himself? His ego is huge! LoL xxx" Canvas

    canvas also said:

    "Dear David, Do you really want to win the next general election? ? ?
    Then I suggest you demote (or sack) David Davis and Liam Fox. ...They are both right wing tossers."

    canvas added:

    "Cameron rocks!"

    So would you believe she said:

    "I could live with either Cameron or Miliband as the next Prime Minister"

    Would you buy a second hand car from this woman canvas?

    And canvas calls ME a "mental" "old gin bag" with "scarey views" who is "reasonable, never"?

    You are the weird one with the scarey views, canvas.

    Go project your mental disturbance elsewhere, because you are fragmenting before our eyes, old lady, and you are wasting your breath to try your nulab smears on me :)

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  60. to auntie flo aka old colleen from old harlow:

    I think my predictions from two years ago are spot on. thanks for reminding me about them.

    David Davis is disloyal and he did eventually get the push (in a round about way). Let's face it - he'll remain in the back-benches now. Top result.

    Liam Fox will be the next to go. Fox is so untrustworthy and so self-serving (just like David Davis).

    And , yes, Cameron does rock. Hasn't DC done well? He is doing a great job.

    And, yes, I could live with either Cameron or Miliband as the next PM. ANYONE BUT BROWN! I think most of the country would like to get rid of Gordon Brown as PM.

    I don't believe in tribal politics - I don't belong to any political party. I will vote for who I think is the best option at the time. At the moment I can safely say that is NOT Gordon Brown and his government.

    So, auntie flo aka colleen from old harlow, I suggest you move into the 21st century and leave your bitter ways behind you.

    ciao :)

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  61. to auntie flo, I am younger than Barack Obama and you are older than John McCain. So, of course, our views will differ. You are old school. that's fine. Just get over your weirdo grudge thing. You sometimes appear to be a bully. Not good.

    ciao :)

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