Saturday, February 14, 2009

The Draper Slo-Mo Car Crash Continues

Draper's having another one of his hissy fits over Guido's Friday Caption competition. And he is DEMANDING - yes, demanding, that I and ConHome remove our sidebar links to Guido. How very student union of him. He even shows graphics demonstrating that we link to Guido. What Draper has conveniently ignored is that about half of the lefty blogs listed in DraperList's LabourList's sidebar also link to Guido... Tom Harris, Colin Byrne, Sadie's Tavern, Kezia Dugdale, Progress Online, LabourHome, Frank Owen and Conor's Commentary to name just a few.

He really doesn't get how blogging works, does he? You wouldn't believe some of the Labour bloggers and politicians who have been in touch over the last week to tell me what a prat they think Draper is, and how they are putting pressure on Labour HQ to disassociate themselves from him.

Having accused me of condoning racism, and now Guido, one wonders how long it will be before he does it to everyone else. It really is the last refuge of the political scoundrel. People have said I shouldn't react, and they have a point. But if someone is deliberately setting out to traduce your reputation, you can't let something like that stand. But it just shows that a leopard never changes its spots. He showed himself to be morally bankrupt over Lobbygate. Some of us thought he had learned the lesson, but clearly not. He's still a moral bankrupt now.

Sometimes I think there really ought to be a blog regulator. Because they could then fine Draper for bringing blogging into disrepute.

Meanwhile, we can just watch this slow motion car crash continue to happen.

UPDATE: The hilarious thing is that the only place the allegedly racist comments left by Guido's commenters can be read ... is on DraperList. When Guido found out about them he deleted them. Yet Draper still happily hosts them on his site. You couldn't make it up.

Apologies for the lack of links to Draper's site, but he ain't getting any linklove until he apologises for saying that I condone racism. I also won't appear on a public platform with him until he does so, so to all those lobbying companies and media organisations who keep phoning and emailing me asking me to be interviewed or to appear on panel with him, please don't bother. The answer's no.

132 comments:

Anonymous said...

Respect to you Iain.

Anonymous said...

If it annoys Draper it must be worth linking to. Blogroll link to Guido now added. As with vervet, respect to you Iain.

JuliaM said...

"And he is DEMANDING - yes, demanding, that I and ConHome remove our sidebar links to Guido. "

Ha ha ha ha!

Or what...? What does he plan to do if you don't?

Johnny Norfolk said...

I think you should have a competition.

" When do you think Draper last washed his hair"

Answers on a postcard please.

The man looks like and is a pratt.

Julian Bray said...

Iain, In think you are being a tad too hard on the laddie.As a veteran PR man (Lex Hornsby & Partners, way back in the 1960's )

I am steadfastly maintaining my Twitter link with Mr Draper for humanitarian grounds, it could well be that Mrs D will soon need a shoulder to cry on, a sympathic ear, so I will step into the breach! The Broon hoose of cards is rapidly falling apart, just hope cameron and Co can now raise their game to take on the mess.

So carry on let us both tilt at a few windmills but keep a bottle of single malt handy!

AnOnEye said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
BlueTechy said...

Iain, I'm surprised by you and Guido, why are you doing Drapers bidding by driving traffic to his site by playing into this charade of his?
It obvious that the only reason he's doing all these confrontation tactics is to get more traffic to his site and get publicity among the readerships of the big political blogs, it would lbe laughable if it wasn't working! Which is is!
Plus what're more, personally, I'm also a bit sick of seeing who articles dedicated to this fake "slag match" and hearing more and more about a chubby weird new labour control freak.

Stop stop it! he obviously thrives on this stuff, just ignore him for gawds sake.

CC Baxter said...

Does Draper think his online efforts have helped or hindered the Labour Party?

LabourList is a disaster, for so many reasons. You'd never think it's target audience favoured a Government that has been in charge (if not in control) since 1997. They act like an opposition or an opposition in waiting - much like the Government itself.

Trouble is the audience now is people of all views seeing the 'car crash' unfold.

Is there a means to donate to LabourList to keep it going?

davidc said...

there is no humour and certainly no humanity in labourlist.

its tone is smug, self rightieous, holier than thou and worst of all, boring.

tom harris' blog on the other hand is everything labourlist isn't(no conflict of interest - i just find his site well worth a visit).

Plato said...

Good on yer.

I logged onto Draperlist this morning as I suspected that my puny hit contribution would now be inconsequential compared with the tsunami of flaming that Guido's little note would generate.

It is hilarious and impossible to parody. In the space of about 20 mins there were 50+ new comments 99% of which could be distilled down to 'stop being a vain prick'.

His response to every one was either 'oh so you're supporting racism then' or 'well done for agreeing with me'.

I've taken the opportunity to use the excellent www.theyworkforyou.com to pen a note to Mr Mandelson asking him to put Mr Draper out of his misery before he does a Vanessa Feltz style online melt-down.

However, when all this over - I will miss his Braveheart twitters such as 'good idea just now from jockson of jock but even better if we all do it, come on twitterers! LabourList will compile a list on monday...'

Is he running a Brownie Club? Oh no I am a racist too!

Guthrum said...

Just met some local Labour Luvvies in Bristol this morning, nice people just sadly misguided.

They brought the issue of Draper up not me, they were totally embarrassed by his antics as they consider themselves 'serious' political animals.

The words unhinged, unstable and vendetta were used more than once

Rob Fenwick said...

"When Guido found out about them he deleted them"

...which, as anyone familiar with Guido's blog comments knows, is extraordinary. Guido's blog routinely tolerates the full spectrum of intolerance and vitriol in its comments.

So far, I've been pretty much on the "look mate, some of us pretty much built this hierarchy and you play by our rules or not at all" side of the debate, but Derek Draper has achieved something impressive in forcing Guido to take a responsible approach and delete just some of the vile comments which his blog so often harbours.

That said, he appears to have achieved this end by threatening to stalk Guido's advertisers, which is just another form of bullying.

Oh boys, boys, can't we all just get along? Oh let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King.... etc

Mr Mr said...

Can't see why you have rermoved the link Iain. I would have thought the more people who read his site the better.

Is it supposed to be an official Labour party Blog? One would think so given all the Labour MPs that have written on it and by association have endorsed it.

I'm surprised that Campbell hasn't told him to sling his hook by now, as he certainly is not doing the Labour party any favours at all with his ranting and raving and dragging the party into his personal vendettas.

Wrinkled Weasel said...

I took a look at his terrible website.

It is difficult not to reach the conclusion that Derek Draper is Walter Mitty with added paranoia.

Plato said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vole Strangler said...

Iain, you & Draper are slowly slipping down the slope of respectability. In a few posts you will be down at the bottom with Guido.

Give it up, shake hands & get on with what people are really interested in: good honest debate.

Guido is a troll. He has a more than shady past (google it under his real name of Paul Staines: he resorted to English law recently to try & cover it up, although he himself hides behind offshore legal protection, but it is still out there).

Nigel said...

The really funny thing is reading all the comments posted on his site (sorry, I had to look) - seems all his many, er, dozens of readers think he's as big a fool as everyone else does!

MARA MACSEOININ said...

No, AnOnEye and YMT, I can see entirely why Mr Dale is responding to Dolly's extraordinary claims: because Dolly is setting himself up as a moral agent as the *result* of having made noxious allegations about Dale's character - to whit, that he is a racist and supports racist behaviour. And, having made such an erroneous claim, Draper has then had the audacity to take upon himself the role of judge, jury and moral arbiter and dictate the course Dale's behaviour should take. It is the kind of narcissism that characterises the government's behaviour to all those who question its dubious authority. And certain charges cannot be tolerated, even from the trainwreck that is Derek Draper.

Alex said...

What amuses me is how Derek seems to have the time to respond individually to the commenters on the post, pointing out how racist everybody is who disagrees with him. It really does seem to be his only line of argument.

Bardirect said...

Interestingly, his "personal blog" http://derekdrapersblog.blogspot.com - you know the one for "material which is not suitable for LabourList" - has a "Blogs worth looking at" section currently recommending "Buff the Banana with Paul Dacre" - a "work of satire that diaries titillating stories from the Daily Mail, so you can go straight there without having to view the offensive stuff."

Today the link is to http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1141972/Lingerie-love-Sexy-smalls-make-irresistible-Valentines-Day.html. (Not for you Dale)although you could demand he removes links to blatantly sexist and heterosexualist sites.

Unknown said...

Dolly really is a prize prat. Just LOLZing in his general direction really.

I give DraperList until Christmas at the latest.

Anonymous said...

Well, Iain, you pretty much brought this on yourself by defending Carol Thacther for her use of racist language.

To passively tolerate racism is to accept and perpetuate racism.

Perhaps you could end all this nonsense by issuing a statement - clarifying your views on 'Thatchergate'. It would then be perfectly clear to everyone where you stand on the issue...

maybe then we could all move on...

Plato said...

Alex C - I think this post sums up your argument:

'So thats it then, you just run around your playground screaming RACIST at everyone you disagree with? Andy McRae @ 11:48 am, Sat 14th Feb 2009'

With regard to Mr Draper, I can't believe the abuse and threats he is throwing around - I've never ever seen anything like this and hope never to again.

It's now gone beyond being funny - I don't want to disappear up my own ego but I think Mr Draper's vendetta has done much more to crucify his standing with his alter-ego professional body then whether he was 'in' or 'at' Berkeley.

MARA MACSEOININ said...

'Canvas' stated: "Well, Iain, you pretty much brought this on yourself by defending Carol Thacther for her use of racist language.

To passively tolerate racism is to accept and perpetuate racism."

Since this is Iain Dale's, rather than Old Holborn or the Ranting Penguin's blog, I'll keep expletives to a minimum; but this really is the most frightful sanctimonious piece of s*** and completely misses the point. (And, re Thatcher: if she'd scrapped the 'golly', then she'd certainly be using a racist phrase; as it was, she was drawing an analogy with a well-known cultural artefact. Has it been written or confirmed anywhere that she used the term with malice aforethought? With deprecating or patronising looks or gestures? No. So. Enough.) THIS is to do with Dolly Draper's claims that Dale is racist because he linked to Guido Fawkes' blog which runs a Friday caption contest and a few of the entries could be construed as somewhat tasteless. I fail to see how Dale could be accused of passively condoning or tolerating racism: he has made it quite clear that he does not under any circumstances.

Anonymous said...

That's it MARA - why perpetuate all this nastiness? One statement from Iain clarifying his views on 'Thatchergate' could put this ugly argument to rest.

force12 said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Plato said...

Canvas - would you give the moral waterboarding a rest?

Why don't you pop over and give your support to Dr Draper as he's clearly very busy and could do with someone batting for the other side.

Oh dear - am I being homophobic now?

Hacked Off said...

What do you mean Guido's deleted the comments? - 286 still there a moment ago, including the one of mine that Dripper objected to.

The Penguin

Catosays said...

canvas said...

That's it MARA - why perpetuate all this nastiness? One statement from Iain clarifying his views on 'Thatchergate' could put this ugly argument to rest.


As I said yesterday and it seems like a hundred years ago, the word 'golliwog' is NOT racist. You and the idiot Draper are giving it meanings that were not there and you are the people perpetuating this charade.

Why don't you and Draper just give it a rest. You're getting tedious in the extreme.

Plato said...

I notice that Mr Fawkes is busy elsewhere.

On any other Saturday I'd think nothing of it.

I'm not sure right now that I'd take this as 'no news is good news' where Mr Draper is concerned.

Mr Penguin, he's taken a handful of the more incendiary ones down but they represent about 0.5% of the 286 there now.

Wrinkled Weasel said...

You see, Canvas, the difference between you and me, and there are others, is that you want to ban everything.

Sometimes, I think you should not be allowed to post your hate-filled ignorant toss, but in a funny sort of way, you epitomize intellectual and moral
malnourishment of the liberal left and their first resort, which is to believe, beyond doubt, that they know what is best for us.

Dave H said...

Iain, I promise I can influence the content of Labourlist to favour you personally. I know simply everyone dahhhling.

All I humbly ask in return, is that you make the cheque payable to Dave H., BSc (C*ntab).

Anonymous said...

Can you detect a certain number of DraperList sanctinonious toadies amongst your bloggers Iain ? They stand out like a sore thumb ! You know who you are Canvas and Vole Strangler !!

LabourList is like Brown - a dead man walking. long live the Dishonorable M'Lord Mandelson - my choice as the next Labour leader...

Anonymous said...

Cato "As I said yesterday and it seems like a hundred years ago, the word 'golliwog' is NOT racist."

Cato, you are a misguided soul. It is indeed a racial slur - especially in the context of Carol Thatcher's conversation.

Iain could very easily end this nasty distraction to his blogging by making a simple statement. That doesn't sound unreasonable or too radical an idea to me.

Guido's blog is a thing of the past - absolutely nobody takes it seriously. However, Iain has his reputation to think of.

johnAKAmark said...

I actually think that psychotherapy is the last refuge of scoundrels - blogging is self policing and doesn't require a regulatory body though. Twerps like Draper will always hang themselves by failing to grasp the essential nature of their chosen medium.

Cate Munro said...

I still can't quite figure out the problem with Guido's caption comp. I found it hilarious to be honest (as no doubt any 'normal' person would. Draper is off his head. I fail to see what Garraway finds attractive about him. He's a morally bankrupt nob of the highest order. I wonder if his wife actually knows what nobbishness he gets up to in the blogosphere? surely not - otherwise she'd get the hell out!!

Anonymous said...

Oliver, I don't know Derek Draper so I don't know what his train of thought is - but if I had to guess I would say what Draper takes seriously is injustice, unfairness and the hatefulness of racism. Like him or loathe him - that's up to you - but don't be fooled for a moment that this war of words just revolves around 'personalties'.

Jabba the Cat said...

@ canvas said...

"That's it MARA - why perpetuate all this nastiness? One statement from Iain clarifying his views on 'Thatchergate' could put this ugly argument to rest."


The only reason there is a perceived problem with racism is because idiots like yourself, and others who see an opportunity to further their own personal position at the expense of others, continue to make an issue where otherwise, to all intents or purposes, there would not be an issue.

I should add that Jabba is an equal opportunities hater.

Unknown said...

I agree with Plato, Canvas is engaged in moral waterboarding.

There is so much sanctimonious bull in his/her posts that i'm starting to feel a bit waterboarded.

How about you give it a rest Canvas? Have you heard of the "Greater Internet ****wad Theory"? Draper surely hasn't. It basically means that you can take a normal person, add anonymity, give them an audience, and they will behave like a total idiot, expressing distasteful opinions and comments that they often neither believe or would come close to saying in public.

That sums up Guido's comments for pretty much every one of his blogposts, and why they shouldn't be taken seriously.

So grow up and stop overreacting to people who's aim it is to be outrageous, and get a reaction.

Anonymous said...

So, Jabba, that means you are prepared to passively tolerate racism? Iain has responsibilities and can't afford to do that. Not that I think he would want to anyway. Hence my request for a clarifying statement from him.

Anonymous said...

John et al., your faux cries for freedom of speech seem to only apply to people who hold the same views as you. That's old style Tory. David Cameron must be deeply ashamed of all of you... trying to re- contaminate his brand.

Plato said...

Perhaps this typifies Mr Draper's Stasiesque approach to blogging:

"So you want Guido to admit that he was attempting to provoke Racist comments or have I misunderstood you?

What if Guido wasn't attempting to provoke racist comments?
Thomas Hardman @ 10:57 am, Sat 14th Feb 2009

then he can say so, and tell us what he has learnt from this sorry episode
Derek Draper @ 11:01 am, Sat 14th Feb 2009

Sanctimonous dick-head. Why oh why hasn't someone pulled the plug on him Iain???

Anonymous said...

Oliver, "However, it is not for him to say who Iain or ConHome link too"

Yes, Oliver, I agree with you. However, I think he probably did that to draw attention the 'issue' and he appears to have succeeded.

Anonymous said...

Canvas,will YOU please give it a rest,you are the one prolonging this.
It is people like you that are gradually turning me into a racist.Do you not realise how this continual bleating on someone elses behalf is having a negative effect.

Tungsten Pirate said...

I'm beginning to suspect that Iainwatch^h^h^h Labourlist was set up not as a place Labour minded people come together, but to try and destroy other blogs.

Does anyone go there now for any other reason than to rubber neck?

I've noticed that the lastest tactic is to shame advertisers. Labour seems to absolutely hate free speech. From Jacki Smith down to bee-bonneted Canvas

It's tacky and sordid.

Anonymous said...

DMC run: "Canvas,will YOU please give it a rest,you are the one prolonging this."

I believe Iain posted this article inviting comments?
IAIN says "Having accused me of condoning racism, and now Guido, one wonders how long it will be before he does it to everyone else."

---
DMC run: "It is people like you that are gradually turning me into a racist"

How extraordinary. You do it to yourself.

Jabba the Cat said...

@ canvas said...

"So, Jabba, that means you are prepared to passively tolerate racism? Iain has responsibilities and can't afford to do that. Not that I think he would want to anyway. Hence my request for a clarifying statement from him."


Jabba has no problem with racism, he hates most mice, of all colours and religious persuasion, until they are laid out in his feeding bowl.

From what Jabba can see you are trying to get Mrs Dale to articulate a position she does not hold for the purposes of your personal petty gain. That fully qualifies you as an asshole. You may award yourself a gold star and a tick immediately.

Anonymous said...

Jabba says "From what Jabba can see you are trying to get Mrs Dale to articulate a position she does not hold for the purposes of your personal petty gain."

Really, Jabba? And what position do you think Iain Dale actually holds?! This proves my point. Iain needs to clear things up.

Oldrightie said...

How about a link to me instead of Dolly!

Neil said...

A link to order-order will soon be placed on An Angle On Politics.

grace the collie said...

"Canvas" is a sock puppet for Derek Draper......

Unknown said...

@Canvas
John et al., your faux cries for freedom of speech seem to only apply to people who hold the same views as you. That's old style Tory. David Cameron must be deeply ashamed of all of you... trying to re- contaminate his brand.

Did you even bother to read my post? I never mentioned "freedom of speech" even once, and I never mentioned people could only have views I agree with, and i'm a Lib Dem, not a Tory.

So you failed on all counts.

What i'm saying is that you and Draper have your knickers in a twist over some Guido comments that were deliberately outrageous, deliberately designed to shock, and are the natural result of giving someone anonymity and an audience.

It's pathetic. Grow up.

By all accounts I could stand near you and deliberately go on a racist rant to get a rise from you, and you'll duely oblige?

Idiot.

Plato said...

For those requiring light relief:

Mr Draper has now decided who ought to be expelled from the Labour Party, I kid not.

'Derek

But read your posts. It's all MUST MUST MUST. It's like listening to Arthur Scargill in the 1980's but on speed. And look at where that took the party. Don't you think that voters are fed up with that style of politics.
chris jones @ 8:43 am, Sat 14th Feb 2009

its my style, get used to it;)
Derek Draper @ 10:38 am, Sat 14th Feb 2009

"its not brooding, its campaigning, its how we achieve change "

Nope. it's how you achieve a pissed-off alienated electorate, where even Party members like myself have decided not to vote next time.

Get your head out of your navel, stop pushing your own agenda, and try listening to the things that people want.
Nick Weeks @ 12:50 am, Sat 14th Feb 2009

well, you should be expelled then
Derek Draper @ 10:53 am, Sat 14th Feb 2009'

BTW ingore the timestamps, Mr Draper appears to be in a parallel universe operating at GMT-IQ

Anonymous said...

As if, Gracie.

If Iain would take a closer look at the psychology of this 'war of words' then he would realise that what Derek Draper is doing (and to a large extent he is succeeding) is flagging up the fact the there is still alot of old school nastiness out there in the Tory Party.

I imagine if there are any undecided/swing voters out there observing this whole episode - with their finger on the vote button - they will no doubt be thinking twice about giving the 'Modern' Tories a chance.

Iain should be more perceptive and realise this. DC and his modern Tories can't be too over-confident or complacent.

Like I said before, when it comes to the general election, it could very well be be a case of 'better the devil you know' or 'a protest/tactical' vote for the LibDems.

Mitch said...

perhaps a government moral bailout for dolly might help....oh they are bankrupt too.

Anonymous said...

John, it's good to see that adhere to your 'theory' and walk the walk... "they will behave like a total idiot, expressing distasteful opinions and comments that they often neither believe or would come close to saying in public"

Anonymous said...

you adhere too

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Unknown said...

@Canvas

No, this isn't going to work is it. I should learn not to get involved in a battle of wits with the unarmed :(

freddo41 said...

"Perhaps you could end all this nonsense by issuing a statement - clarifying your views on 'Thatchergate'. It would then be perfectly clear to everyone where you stand on the issue..."

Canvas is right, Iain. If only you allowed yourself to be bullied into submission, we could all move on.

force12 said...

o/t but Carolgate is a whitewash. Anything to get the economy and the useless snot eater off the front pages.

Chris Paul said...

To be fair Iain, Guido does put posts and caption comps up knowing exactly what he'll get in comments. He is complicit in those comments. Obviously I responded immediately with news for Derek that I'll not be de-linking. And I've also questioned the latest tactic ... contacting MessageSpace advertisers.

an ex-apprentice said...

Dear Mr Dale,

Good response. Don't allow Draper to drag you down to his level.

To all those attempting to use reason, common sense and logic on Mrs Canvas, save your breath, it has no effect.

Draper and Canvas are very similar in that they are both egotistical, self-centred berks whose only purpose on the blogosphere is to jump up and down shouting - "look at me, I'm important."

Such childish attention-seeking should not be encouraged, it'll only spoil them in the long run.

MARA MACSEOININ said...

Ignoring the depths to which 'canvas' has sunk - its witterings are all pretty unrelated to the matter at hand - I've just read through all of the comments pertaining to Guido's caption contest; not only are the majority absolutely hilarious, but a significant number take the piss out of Dolly Draper good and proper. Which perhaps explains his crusade: anything to assuage a battered ego. His vendetta's going that bit too far, though: after arming myself with mental cleanser I went on to LabourList and saw that various sewers are writing poisonous and misleading letters to those companies advertising on Guido's site. Too much.
I note that Dolly didn't make this kind of fuss when Damien Green was accused of grooming a young researcher.

Bill Quango MP said...

A big Canvas will take you longer to paint than your ‘normal’ size Canvas. Just how long is impossible to say, but if you find yourself getting impatient or, worse, bored, then painting big Canvases is probably not for you.

How did they know. I was bored just reading Canvas.

neil craig said...

Interestingly enough when I put up a comment on his site suggesting that in supporting our KLA friends in genocide & cutting people open to steal their organs Labour was being more than a little racist it got censored. I have, several times, mentioned such atrocities on here, for which I make no bones about saying the Conservative leaders share guilt. I doubt if Iain much likes these comments but he doesn't censor them.

As a general rule blogs from statist parties like Labour & the LibDems & anybody "environmental" are, with a few honourable exceptions, much more likely to censor which may be why they are less populat.

So Draper may get into a tizzy about words but when it comes to real blood on their jackboots racism he is entirely supportive. Fascist hypocrit. I DEMAND Draper apologises for racist censorship - there that'll show him.

Anonymous said...

Have just heard McShane on Any Questions - Draper and Mcshane are two of the best weapons the Tories have. Nurture them!

strapworld said...

Is Draper ill? Is his personal life on the rocks? Something is wrong. Rational people do not act this way.

Cant someone, who knows him, help him? It is alright sending out all the missiles. But he is not well.

Scouse & Proud #jft96 said...

Darlings...

Whilst I do not agree with either Mrs Dale or Mr Fawkes politically, I will be linking to their wonderful organs if only to upset little Dolly. My little Prole has turned into a monster and should be sacked at the earliest opportunity, as I told Gordon only this morning.

Jim Baxter said...

I seldom disagree with Wrinkled but this one time, this one time. Draper does not have added paranoia, he has subtracted intelligence.

But he must love this atention. Unawashed masturbator. Is a a washed masturabtor better? Dunno. Who hasn't had a bit of a tug or a push in his or her time? It only becomes a problem when you do nothing else, as clearly it is in his case.

We are feeding him. I know what I'd like to feed him and it would not be any part of me.

Yak40 said...

Apologies for the lack of links to Draper's site, but

No need to apologise, who wants to read Labour scum anyway, they should mostly be tried for corruption and treason.

wv: tucks !

Barnacle Bill said...

Can someone tell me if Canvas is Dolly's lady-boy?

Unknown said...

Just popped over to "DraperList", saw that he is now trying to target the companies that advertise over at Guido's.

http://www.labourlist.org/together_we_forced_guido_to_take_down_the_racist_comments_on_his

How low can you get? Draper's response to this comment shows how deluded he is:

Zain Kassam
i sent out some emails. this is a great idea. it is about time Stains was forced to drain his cesspool, it really is disgusting.

Also i am glad to see Labourlist finding its feet, i must say i hope you guys are not disheartened by the bile and hate that is being aimed in your direction by the likes of dale and stains, you are providing a great site for important work, dont let them stop you.


Derek Draper
thanks zian, i have no doubt that you speak for the mass of readers of the site

Andrew Allison said...

He'll be gone soon. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Bill Quango MP said...

Doctors have warned me that Mr Draper is suffering badly and is now reacting poorly to this repeated criticism.
You may feel that by pointing out his obvious fantasies you are doing him a service.
Alas, he is not rational at present, and doctors fear that your commenting on his blog is only doing him harm.

Mr Draper is suffering from an inferiority complex. He believes that with his connections and qualifications and political ideology and moral superiority, he is above other bloggers in mind and spirit. His failure to perform well instantly has caused him to suffer a medical condition.
This condition is not unusual to people with stressful jobs, but what is unusual is his insistence on naming the disorder himself.

Mr Draper says he is suffering a loss of Guidibo, causing a premature Iainaculation which makes him Dizzy.

Specialists recommend some time spent Shirking from home, or maybe time spent
IDLE ,a chocolate snack bar like a Penguin a smoke a packet of
Old Holborn , a read of Plato, or Cato, Then his Wrinkled weasel may recover in time.

If not we will write to inform Bill Quango his local MP

All Seeing Eye said...

I link to Guido, but Draper hasn't threatened me.

*sulks*

Jabba the Cat said...

@ canvas said...

"Really, Jabba? And what position do you think Iain Dale actually holds?! This proves my point. Iain needs to clear things up."


If you need other people to explain what Mrs Dale says then you obviously have the intellectual capacity of a mollusc. Otoh, you could just be an average example of the average product of the ZaNuLab finely honed education system. Perhaps you could get your teaching assistant to help you catch up with the real world.

Dick Puddlecote said...

How very Labour. Perfectly illustrates a quote I reposted here from Harry Phibbs in the Mail Online.

New Labour gave up independent thinking so long ago they have forgotten how. Control freakery has poisoned their soul - and Labour List is its living (or rather dying) embodiment.

Car crash indeed.

Elby the Beserk said...

JuliaM said...12:01 PM

"And he is DEMANDING - yes, demanding, that I and ConHome remove our sidebar links to Guido. "

Ha ha ha ha!
Or what...? What does he plan to do if you don't?
//

Two options.

1. Threaten litigation.
2. Stamp his feet.

I suspect the latter, tho' he has a record for waving option 1 in the air at regular intervals.

But then, he's a very important being.

pxcentric said...

In fact Draper has won a victory of sorts over Guido.

The comments Guido has deleted were approved by him in the first place. He had comment moderation on at the time.

So Draper has got him to admit he made a mistake, which means he has succeeded in influencing the "right-wing bloggers" agenda.

That is why Draper is a spin doctor as opposed to a mere twerp like Tim Ireland or Crisp Haul.

Labourlist is a pretty ghastly site; he knows little about the web. But running a successful website is not his main purpose.

Chucklenuts said...

canvas.

I see Iain has not got back to yet regarding all your previous comments urging him to, "clarify his views." I'm sure that phrase has been used a lot in torture chambers across the world, and that even now he is deep in thought trying to do just that.....although I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

As for you saying that one of the most successful political blogs on the internet is a thing of the past.....well that's just plainly wrong and laughable.

The reason it goes from strength to strength is precisely the fact that there are no self righteous, prescriptive prigs like yourself imposing your views on everybody else with veiled threats and admonitions.

I'm sure Mr Draper would welcome you to LabourList, but be sure to behave yourself and not say anything he doesn't approve of, OK?

BTW, just get over yerself will yer?

Elby the Beserk said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Plato said...

Mr Ethelred you are mistaken.

'The comments Guido has deleted were approved by him in the first place. He had comment moderation on at the time.'

Mr Fawkes put comment moderation on just after Mr Draper started the RACIST RACIST RACIST campaign.

He then extended this to the other posts - I assume this was to ensure that no proactive trolling was possible.

I'm pretty observant for a goat.

pxcentric said...

@Plato the Observant Goat

Thanks for that.

I remain surprised that Guido didn't tell Dolly to go forth and multiply as this allows him to claim a victory.

Unknown said...

@ John

That really is fascinating! It reminds me of the BBC's tactics on their "Have Your Say" boards ..

Though all the evidence online (including from people sympathetic to them) points to the contrary, some on the left persist in believing that "ordinary people" in this country honestly want to subject themselves to their repellent brand of authoritarianism.

Plato said...

Do you think he's had a liquid breakfast?

'Do you still call for Iain Dale to remove Guido from his blogroll now Guido has removed the posts that you found objectionable?
Thomas Hardman @ 10:39 pm, Fri 13th Feb 2009

it depends. we asked him tov apologise. has he? willhe commit that it won't happen again? willhe acknowledge the photoitselfw as a provocation?
Derek Draper @ 10:28 am, Sat 14th Feb 2009'

Percival said...

This exchange in the comments over at LabourLost is particularly entertaining:

"guido, of course, agrees with me - that the posts should never have been published. that's why he's taken them don or is he scared of our new campaign targetting his advertisers? some champion of free speech

he's been using you windowlickers to make money you fools!
Derek Draper @ 12:21 pm, Sat 14th Feb 2009

So Derek, racism is out but degrading and ridiculing disabled people is fine.

Perhaps you could remove all posts refering to 'windowlickers', including your own.
Des Clarke @ 1:56 pm, Sat 14th Feb 2009

i thought windowlickers meant people on the outside looking in, what do you think it means? seriously, is it an offensiv term? i did not know
Derek Draper @ 2:03 pm, Sat 14th Feb 2009"


http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=window%20licker

Substitute 'windowlicker' for 'golliwog' and Derek Draper for Carol Thatcher...erm

....errr...

....hang on...

an ex-apprentice said...

Mr Dale appears to be having a nap, or down the footie. The unmoderated language on this site has sunk to a level that is simply APPALLING. I'm shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, that things can have got so out of hand so quickly. Sheer anarchy!

The denial of advertising attack now being mounted by Dolly the Sheep is a repeat of the tactics used by the Animal Liberation Front and other such terrorist nutcases against Huntingdon Life Sciences and others.

The association does Draper and the Labour Party great credit. Wasn't there some law passed about this kind of behaviour recently?

Plato said...

Ethelred, I think it was a no-win.

Ignore him and he claims RACIST!!!!

Remove the most colourful and be accused of submission.

I expect that Mr Fawkes knows which battles are most productive, and he has no pressing agenda that requires him to dig his heels in.

Mr Draper on the other hand is a traffic parasite - hoovering up the twitters of others, claiming the self-righteous groundsheet and inciting secondary picketing a la Mr Fawkes advertisers.

What a nice chap, isn't he?

SHAC and Huntingdon Life Sciences spring to mind. And I don't say that lightly.

Plato said...

Blimey ex-apprentice, do you have CCTV on me!?!?

Elby the Beserk said...

@canvas said...1:06 PM

That's it MARA - why perpetuate all this nastiness? One statement from Iain clarifying his views on 'Thatchergate' could put this ugly argument to rest.
//

Your statement confirms Mara to be correct. Well done. Smart as Draper. You and he like to tell other people what to do, don't you. Care to tell us why you feel you have the right to do so?

pxcentric said...

@Plato

He doesn't understand the medium; he thinks he's Time Out ca 1976.

A self-righteous and peremptory approach is the only one he knows.

Right on.

Leonardo said...

I really don't know why anyone replies to Canvas, you're only encouraging it.

It's a troll, don't feed it, it is no different from 'The Inquisition', 'Ambrose Silk' and all the other sad morons who spend all day posting pointless drivel in an attempt to destroy what they don't like and are incapable of competing with.

I particularly like the way it DEMANDS that Iain DO something. How Stasi, how NuLab, how sickening.

an ex-apprentice said...

Plato said...
Blimey ex-apprentice, do you have CCTV on me!?!?

No, of course not.

BTW That monitor could do with a dusting!

Hacked Off said...

There's a seriously ghastly photograph of Dripper on Old Holborn's blog, enough to make you want to pluck your eyes out.

Be warned, don't go there!

http://bastardoldholborn.blogspot.com/2009/02/christ-on-tricycle-theyve-done-it-this.html

The Penguin

Old Holborn said...

A Dpraper's Tale by Stanislav, a young Polish Plumber

Daily Referendum said...

Ode to Derek Draper, to blog or not to blog....

Elby the Beserk said...

@Leonardo said...
//
I really don't know why anyone replies to Canvas, you're only encouraging it.
//

You are of course right; however, it is fun from time to time to give some people a kicking when they are down. Canvas being one such.

Dick the Prick said...

Canvas - be careful up there, it's a long way down from that home made pulpit you're preaching from.

You remind me of a Baptist minister, some freaky fundamentalist - thou shalt not do anything or think anything that the Lord your God, through me, deems a sin. The word gollywog is not racist - no words are inherently racist - it is their use and by whom to which audience they are expressed.

Barrel of laughs!

Old Holborn said...

This fracas in cyberspace does raise, as they say, interesting questions.




Are, for instance global travellers on the information Superhighway, commenting, bound by the same arch and obscurantist politesse as is Westminster - dishonourable and right dishonourable thieving lying bastards on all sides facetiously bowing and scraping at one another, a faux courtliness masking an unprincipled gutter trade - or is it the case that the Internet is, as intended, a prohibitions-free zone, rightly uncorraled by UK legislation and convention ? Are bloggers to call on some CyberSpeaker to insist, point of order, that so-and-so withdraws that last remark?




It does seem that, as with much else, the House of Commons and its agents would, in matters of self-expression, ever restrict, proscribe, cajole and punish; the cry of I Spy Racist, here, being an example of the over-regulatory tendencies of all in MediaMinster.




Of nearly three hundred comments on the posting at order-order, a handful, fewer than usual, actually, are witty, many are angry, bilious, frustrated and another handful could be deemed deeply unpleasant; that comment moderation is enabled indicates that the truly incendiary comments are being filtered-out, so an element of notional Decency - always a difficult value judgement to make - is loosely imposed - for some, of course, any censoring is counterproductive; how can you challenge the unspeakable when none can speak it or hear it ? It must, nevertheless, be acknowledged that, as with the peurile TottyWatch - Guido aping that giant of Fleet Street, the great Libertarian, Mr Kelvin McKenzie - order-order does invite and provoke comment which it's owner, while clearly welcoming and celebrating, carefully refrains from making himself; this, though, is just the nature of show business and you have no business criticising Mr Fawkes' act or in pronouncing magisterially upon what may and may not appear in cyberspace, as though you are the sole arbiter not only of taste but of right and wrong.




There exists a legal framework for punishing incitement to racial hatred, if that is insufficiently potent you should lobby for it's strengthening; the reality of modern Britain, however - never mind the global audience which even a poor plumber can address, via the Internet - is that so-called incorrect language is the norm. In factories - such as remain - in pubs, in cafes, in clubs, at football grounds, in fact, everywhere outside the charmed circles of wealthy, political celebrity and Guardian-advertised "posts" in the public sector, where such corectness is rigidly policed, the comments which offend you so are everyday currency, that's how life is and order-order is, if anything, more tilted to "correctness" than you allow; more considerate and tolerant of Otherness than is assumed in your critique. Even within the component nations of the Union, hatreds, resentments and grievances flourish for centuries, mostly, these days, without incident; it is simply impossible to frame laws to make people like people they don't want to like. And rightly so, people will homogenise in time by their own efforts and exigencies, the State need only police the policeable- unfair discrimination, oppression and violence.




A minority of the country, a small minority, listens to Radio 4, reads the broadsheets, ho-ho-ho, watches Newsnight; an even smaller minority joins political parties; the endless, tyrannical rebukes from the braying, self-congratulatory Yasmin Alibhai Brown, the remorseless chiding of the ill-educated Melanine Phillips, the purple-faced why-oh-whyisms of Simon Heffer; the breathless I-Know-Bestism of Will Hutton and now the manufactured righteous indignation of Labour'sList, the sermonising cacophony, in short, from those whose only talent is to reprove, whose only industry is to hector, falls on deaf ears. The often coarse but evidently heartfelt jibes, however, of those who worship at order-order, reveal, in their vulgarity and acidity, in their anarchical bellicosity, the temper of the times.




Labour and Tory members, engineers of a racist holocaust in Iraq, promoters of and shareholders in AirTorture Inc. and joint authors of creeping totalitarianism at home can take their purse-lipped anti-racism sermons and preach them in the hospitals of Baghdad and Gaza and Kabul, among those made refugee to secure Tony Blair's fortune, his medal of Dishounour, let them preen and strut before the child amputees, the blind, the melted; let them, before they further lecture anyone, explain, if they can, the anti-racist credentials they reveal in this most recent Crusade.




You assume, Mr Draper, a morality which is obviously not yours, a correctness which your every word and action disown but most importantly and risibly, you claim a competence made ridiculous by each preposterous, daily maladroitness of the ludicrous Mr Brown and his Ship of Fools; in belittling the perfectly understandable outrage, rancour and cynicism for which order-order is a lightning conductor you demonstrate a complete failure to understand not only which way the wind blows but that there is a wind at all; here, you are out of your depth. Your Country, as Earl Kitchener might have said had he known you, doesn't need you.




Enlist who you will, marshal the whole of Westmister but you can't do this. You have neither the wit nor the industry; others may, Guido, for one, does, you don't. If you would, as we all should, assist what remains of the workers movement against the depradations of House of Commons Banking plc, you would go away, son, and spin no more.

Stanislav

T England. Raised from the dead. said...

Canvas!
You are a shining example of why I am so determined to obliterate lefties & push them into the history books forever!
Keep up the good work ;o)

Anonymous said...

Dick the prick, it's not preaching to point out that tolerating racism in any form is unacceptable. Most of the commenters on this post are ignorant or very misguided.

I know you're OK - but most of the other crackpots on here are missing the point. While they bang on about Draper - they take their eye off Gordon Brown. Exactly what Draper wants. Even Iain falls for it.

The Grim Reaper said...

I'm in the middle of setting up my own blog at the moment. Well, everyone living seems to have a blog these days - why not the Grim Reaper as well? Just to annoy that sanctimonious prsat Dolly, I'm going to make sure the link to Guido Fawkes blog on the blogroll is in extra large text, along with Iain's blog. I would be very pleased with myself if I could contribute a little bit to the downfall of Derek Draper. (speaking of which, has anyone posted a Downfall video with Draper played by that Mr Hitler yet? If not, someone's bound to be making one as we speak)

The only reason Draper doesn't like the caption competition at Guido Fawkes blog is because it's not about him. If Guido put up a slightly embarrassing picture of Dolly and invited people to make abusive captions about him, he probably wouldn't mind. Draper seems to get off on the fact that everybody thinks he's a tit. We know you're reading this Derek, so what do you say to that?

Canvas = still a Dollybot. Give it a rest. It's dull now.

The Flying Spaghetti Monster said...

Well done. Draper is a fool and deserves everything he brings upon himself.

pxcentric said...

@Canvas

So we are more likely to vote Labour because Dolly is an arse?

Chucklenuts said...

"canvas said...

Dick the prick, it's not preaching to point out that tolerating racism in any form is unacceptable. Most of the commenters on this post are ignorant or very misguided."


Unacceptable? Oh well, why not shoot or gas the lot of us, and then we won't sully your precious world view? It's called the final solution.

Atlas Shrugged said...

Draper my be increasing his turnover but is only doing so by reducing his margins.

This is bad business. Very bad business indeed for his beloved political party.

Encouraging more conservative and libertarian thinking trolls, is perfectly defeating his apparent stated objectives.

But then Draper is a Alan Bastard in a grubby, egg stained red tie. A slimy, under washed, over rewarded vacuously dishonest counter-productive one, at that.

He is the sort of chap that could within a sentence provoke angry offensive language from a deaf Trappist monk.

His thinking is stuck in the eighties, while his dress sense and personal hygiene habits are most surly stuck in the seventies.

How do these types sleep at night, after supporting with out question every single new law and authoritarian restriction, this our overtly, OBVIOUSLY and wholly fascist government has inflicted on general society for the last 12 years?

Thatchers war lasted 3 months at most. Not 8 years and forever counting.

This countries people are more racist now then at any time in the past. Ditto our police services, who actually ask for peoples racial origins when ever they come into contact with the public. ( you could not make it up )

The economy is screwed beyond belief or comparison.

Parliament has become a national and international embarrassment.

People who used to love this country now hate and distrust absolutely everything about it without exception. ( ie people such as myself )

Corruption in high places has become the accepted norm, if not also the essential norm. The BBC has gone even more completely insanely driven by establishment agendas.

My god, we cant even use our own language to express our discontent and honestly held fears. Or walk down more then 3 streets without being caught on some kind of camera. While violent crime still increases in spite of it.

If a government smells, walks, talks, acts and looks like a FASCIST government. While also being obviously under the control, and in the pay of known FASCISTS. I think it is safe to assume it is a FASCIST GOVERNMENT. If not, in anyway safe, to state so in public.

Draper is either incredibly stupid or a brainwashed habitual liar. I suspect he simply can not be the former, therefore he must be the mainly the later.

Therefore his future in whatever is left of the Labour Party post 2010, is completely assured. He could even one day turn out to be a future Labour Party leader.

( Not that likely however, as Draper did not go to the right sort of white brick educational institution. Where the real ruling class get there seriously nasty internationalist elitist brainwashing from)

As I now fully know which side of the fascists fence Draper intends to permanently reside on. Perhaps it is best I say no more?

Plato said...

Since Mr Dale is away and there is shameless blog content promotion going on, may I submit my sorry effort at scientific parody?

Platosays ridicule Mr Draper

wv winkyett!

Wrinkled Weasel said...

Plato is a shameless self publicist.

read my blog:

www.wrinkledeasel.blogspot.com

and leave an insult.

Old Holborn said...

Weasel

It helps if you spell it correctly



You HOON

Plato said...

Oh Mr Spelling Bee give him some slack - it's Sat night!

Challenge you to The Times spelling guru - are you up to to it?

Unknown said...

It must be hard for Draper to see that despite his needlessly confrontational moral waterbording (A Plato Trademark), this thread has more comments than has been posted in total over at DraperList.

Word Verification: Absolute Batshit Crazy

Unsworth said...

@ Canvas says:

"Most of the commenters on this post are ignorant or very misguided."

Good grief! And she, of course, is not.

But no one here 'needs' to 'clear things up', do they? That is complete bollocks. Indeed no one here 'needs' to do anything at all.

And 'we could all move on'? Who is she speaking for? Certainly not for me, and I suspect not for most commenters. In fact who the hell is she to speak for 'we'?

She doesn't want to move on? Too bad, she'll be left behind then.

Wrinkled Weasel said...

Thankyou OH.

That will teach me not to post under the influence of a large Plymouth.

wrinkledweasel.blogspot.com

John said...

Canvas, do give it a rest love.

Martin S said...

I agree with Jamie Dowling. Links will be on my site asap.

But not that of Mr Draper.

Martin S said...

Canvas, you said
Well, Iain, you pretty much brought this on yourself by defending Carol Thacther for her use of racist language.

That is not what happened. That is what Derek Draper pretended happened. And it seems to be what you have chosen to believe.

We have second-hand reports of something that was allegedly said in a private room off air.

Of course, what the self-congratulatory persons at the One Show have overlooked is that potential guests will think to themselves: "God. I know Carol shouldn't have said that, but... what if I were to say something in the One Show green room that Adrian Chiles (or whoever) took offence to? I Cant risk that. I'll just tell my agent that I will not be available should The One Show want me on their programme. Much safer that way."

Anonymous said...

Grim Reaper, I'm beginning to become very fond of you in a perverted way. You're quite sweet really. haha

;)

Good Golly, What did David Cameron say about Patrick Mercer? eh?

Iain Dale said...

Having just got home and read this thread I have deleted all the comments with bad language in them and apologise to those who were offended by those comments.

Elby the Beserk, you are now on a yellow card.

Canvas, just get used to the fact that I stick by every word I said about Carol Thatcher and no amount of posts from you is going to make me withdraw a single word. You, of course, have twisted things, in a Draperesque fashion to accuse me of defending the use of racist language. I did no such thing, as you will see if you go back and read my original words.

If you really think I defend racism please feel free to discontinue reading this blog as I can't imagine you would wish to read the words of someone you think could do that.

But you know that's not what I have done so please stop accusing me of things i have not done.

Anonymous said...

"just get used to the fact that I stick by every word I said about Carol Thatcher and no amount of posts from you is going to make me withdraw a single word."

Then why not confirm exactly what is it you 'said'? Clarify your views and end this war of words...

;)

Iain Dale said...

I don't need to clarify what I said. If you are too lazy to go back and read it, that's your problem.

Anonymous said...

It's not about being lazy...it's about 'clarity'. Perhaps you are misunderstood - or perhaps you weren't quite eloquent enough the first time around?

But look at all the fuss this has caused. Surely, you could clear things up with a one paragraph statement? Unless you like all this unwanted attention? :)

Iain Dale said...

No, there is no confusion, except in your mind. What I said at the time was crystal clear, not open to misinterpretation. All you are doing is trying to stir up trouble, and I'm not biting. So stop it. It's boring now.

Anonymous said...

Have it your way Iain ...but it might come back to haunt you...

:)

If you are clear on your 'views' then you shouldn't have a problem with reiterating them...IMO, you might be muddled?

PS> It's you who keeps bringing this up - time and time again. Not me. Don't post articles on the subject if it bores you. This is your article = not mine.

Chucklenuts said...

"February 15, 2009 Iain Dale said...

No, there is no confusion, except in your mind. What I said at the time was crystal clear, not open to misinterpretation. All you are doing is trying to stir up trouble, and I'm not biting. So stop it. It's boring now.

February 15, 2009 1:33 AM"


Iain, what's it like having your very own demented psyber stalker/bunny boiler?

Martin S said...

Canvas said:

PS> It's you who keeps bringing this up - time and time again. Not me. Don't post articles on the subject if it bores you. This is your article = not mine.

Actually, Canvas, it is you. You keep bringing it up.

A junior (very junior) work colleague was causing a stir some time ago. She would not shut up. She had got hold of the wrong end of the stick. She knew she had, but somehow could not stop and ended up being extremely offensive to another female colleague.

I will say to you what I said to her:

"Canvas, you are being very naughty. Nobody is impressed. So just stop it, now."

She did. I hope you will to. It is clear you have no valid arguments and seem to be just looking for a pointless argument. Perhaps you might like to try this forum, instead? Apparently it is specially created for people who just want to be rude, to demean other posters and to generally have pointless arguments:-

http://www.flamewarforums.com/

Chucklenuts said...

"canvas said...

Have it your way Iain ...but it might come back to haunt you..."


The only thing coming back to haunt him is you, you mad cow.

Old Holborn said...

I am now convinced Derek El Draper has converted to Islam

He has issued a fatwah against Iain and Guido

He is offended of behalf of others so he will attack on behalf of others.

Classic Iranian Mullah stuff

Anonymous said...

Thatsnews "It is clear you have no valid arguments and seem to be just looking for a pointless argument"

You think they are 'invalid' and 'pointless' only because you happen to disagree with my views. Pathetic. Have you ever had an original thought in your life? Doesn't look like it.

zzzzzzzzzzzzz off you go.

Martin S said...

Canvas, you prove my point. You are, without a doubt, one of those annoying people who enjoy being rude on bulletin boards and on any Internet Forum that doesn't decide to ban you for being the silly little troll that you are.

You probably troll on several boards using multiple identities. Why? Because you can.

Unless you are 15, your mental development is stuck at that age. Perhaps you should seek help form your hero the Psychologist Derek Draper? Although as he uses the highly insulting disablist term "Window Licker" on his forum, you might like to consider not going there, as they say.

What do you think of Mr Draper's use of such an insulting term?

Of course, you will you call on him to dissociate himself from it.

Well come on them Canvas. Set to it.

Spartan said...

My Golly wants to know who is this 'canvas' because he's getting RSI reading the same comments time and time again.

Catosays said...

Canvas, why don't you pop along to Guido's and expound your views there?

I hope you do because I shall surely enjoy it...as will everyone else thereon.