political commentator * author * publisher * bookseller * radio presenter * blogger * Conservative candidate * former lobbyist * Jack Russell owner * West Ham United fanatic * Email iain AT iaindale DOT com
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Who Would You Like to See as a Conservative MP?
Tim Montgomerie has taken something of a risk today by identifying twenty people on the Conservative Party candidates list who he thinks would make good MPs. He's kind enough to include me on the list. In compiling this list he has probably created 800 enemies! I guess we all have friends who we would like to promote and hope might be successful in getting a seat before the next election. I'm not going to name mine, but instead I will invite you to nominate someone you think would be an asset to the Conservative Party on the green benches.
Dan Hannan and James Cleverly. Both sound clever guys with a big grassroot tory backing and have political experience in EP and London assembly.
ReplyDeleteDan Hannan
ReplyDeleteOf course, the best asset to the Conservative party on the green benches is currently one Gordon Brown.
ReplyDeleteSean Gabb
ReplyDeleteno one would like to see you along with your unionist allies in the Labour and Lib Dems wiped out in Scotland
ReplyDeleteCraig Mackinlay. He is a shrewd and knowledgeable fellow, a magistrate and a Round Tabler, been around the block a few times, a good and clear speaker, very good ideas person, and very much a "hands on" kinda guy.
ReplyDeleteI am impressed with Craig, despite his dalliance with UKIP a few years back (a mistake that he has admitted!) and although I'd be sad to lose him from our Council, he's definitely MP material and would be great to have in the House and representing a parliamentary constituency.
Syed Kamall responded to my email inquiry, more than my Labour MP does. I also saw in the local paper that he visited a local school to talk about the EU. Again much more than my local Labout MP does, who is far more interested in his private income.
ReplyDeletePete-s
Philippa Stroud
ReplyDeleteIan McCord
ReplyDeleteprincipled, great speaker, independent minded
Richard Willis
ReplyDeleteJohn Bercow
ReplyDeleteI read a pamphlet recently by a guy called John Moss on reforming social housing. I then heard him speak on a platform at a Chartered Institute of Housing event.
ReplyDeleteHe was your candidate in Hackney South in 2005 and I assume he is still looking for a seat.
The pamphlet is excellent. It cuts right to the core of what is wrong with the current approach to affordable housing and makes sensible and costed suggestions about how to reform the system to make it better and cheaper.
At the CiH event, he shared the platform with a guy from the Fabian Society who has also written something in this field, but he had the Fabian guy agreeing with him!
That's the sort of person you need!
Having read your (very good) interview:
ReplyDeleteDr David Starkey.
He's more of a Tory than about half of the current crop. Also, he's an intellectual; there's precious few of those in parliament nowadays.
Just out of curiosity, is the official list of Approved Conservative Party candidates published anywhere? I don't mean those who have been selected for seats, I mean the total list of all those entitled to apply.
ReplyDeleteBen Jeffeys: PPC for Cheadle - a shining example of intelligence, integrity, and responsiveness to the concerns of his electorate.
ReplyDeleteHe really should go far.
This is a bit like the evil eye. Who’s life would you like to make thoroughly miserable by making them a Tory MP?
ReplyDeleteChris Galley
ReplyDeleteTo show the party keeps its promises
Dan Hannan
ReplyDeleteNigel Farage
Jeremy Clarkson
and you of course
1. Sir Robin Wales (Labour Mayor of Newham and all round decent chap).
ReplyDelete2. Tony Blair.
Certainly Dan Hannan, but, having been a reader of this blog, more or less since it began, I can say with an amount of confidence that you, Iain Dale, would make an excellent MP.
ReplyDeleteThe reason for this is that you have deep-seated views that have withstood the test of time and, importantly, the barrage of criticism and hectoring on this blog.
You are a signpost, not a weathervane. I want to vote for someone who holds to the core values that made this country what it is, and as far as I can tell, you have them.
You are of course narcissistic, vain and petulant, but you are also generous and have a moral compass.
All in all, if you do not become a ppc, it would be a shame. You give all the appearance of someone who can be trusted.
Frank Field.
ReplyDelete;)
Iain, go for Michael Lord's seat.
Andrew Griffiths (PPC for Burton) has always struck me as being made of the right stuff to make an excellent MP ever since I helped him when he stood for the European Parliament in 2004.
ReplyDeletePeter Hitchens, is the one, going by his articles in todays "Mail on Sunday" he is once again full of common sense, speaking on the children new law of regestered people who come into contact wiith children, and the pistol shooting law that was, he would free us from a lot of the dictatorship the Conservative and Labour politicians have given us, and the criminal would walk in fear.
ReplyDelete"you are also generous and have a moral compass...You give all the appearance of someone who can be trusted."
ReplyDeleteAre you trying to fuck up his chances?
Just scatter a few BAD old Tory boys and girls in to spice proceedings up abit , keeps the Tories in the news, that sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteI think Iain Dale is too nice to be an MP, he is needed here as a free spirit to say exactly what he wants with out being squashed!
Glyn Davies in Montgomeryshire. The sooner Lembit O'Prick goes the better. GD will make a brilliant MP and stands a realistic chance of defeating car crash LO
ReplyDeleteDerek Laud. We need him back in the party. Smart cleaver, witty and would bring in a fair few votes on election day.
ReplyDelete