Iain was, whisper it quietly, once a member of … the Liberal Party.
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32 Comments
Well, Guido was a member of SDP Youth too, wasn’t he??
So we all know that the major quality of the human condition is to make mistakes when young. Iain has matured and joined a real political party. What is Mark Pack’s excuse?
“So we all know that the major quality of the human condition is to make mistakes when young.”
Or alternatively to occasionally enjoy a bit of fun rather than being completely po-faced about things
“So we all know that the major quality of the human condition is to make mistakes when young.”
Couldn’t agree more! Shame Iain chose to go the wrong way…
This must be the first time Mark has dug up something about Iain that is genuinely embarrassing.
No work to do Mark?
Iain’s sister and possible the rest of his folks are still libdemologists I think. So he’s got potty DNA.
Not sure this is of any relevance at all…to be honest, peoples politics changes over time in various directions as they experience new things in life which change their perspectives…i have been a member of far-left organisations before…SO WHAT…it’s not as if Iain goes round trying to present himself as an ‘unbroken thread’…hack job
I’m sure he mentioned this on his blog.
I certainly remember reading something about this written by him.
Guido is also a member of LibDem sister party the Progressive Democrats in Ireland.
Simon & Darrell: you are of course quite right. There’s no space anywhere on the internet for posts about midly interesting and amusing bits of news. See you back at the treadmill shortly 🙂
Hywel at 1505. That’s my point. To occasionally have a bit of fun, join the LibDems!
Mark;
a) from what people are saying here it isnt exactly news and b) to be brutally honest I dont find it particularly amusing…maybe I am having a sense of humour failure but it reminds me of the Edward Timpson piece which I didnt like either….
Je ne regrette rien. I was a liberal and remain a liberal. In the true sense of the word!
facepalm.jpg
Well, I’m a life long Liberal and LD, but I still admit to being a little embarassed by having been a YL.
My argument with Iain is a failure on my part, no doubt, but I simply can’t understand how anyone like Iain, one of nature’s gentlemen, can be a member of the nasty, homophobic organisation that hides itself under the mask of Cameron.
Iain makes much of the way in which the Tory Party has changed. Not out here in the boondocks, squire!
Judging by his dinner guest list you can tell why he wasn’t a member of the Liberal Party for long.
…so Iain’s reasoning for supporting the tories is that he believes democracy is wrong? Well if that’s what his magnificent leader tells him I’m sure he must know best!
And Vince was a long-standing member of the Labour Party – now THAT’S funny!
Oranjepan, if I knew what you were on about I’d attempt a response. Where exactly do I say I believe democracy is wrong, pray?!
Martin, given that my UK stomping ground is not very far from where you live, I can assure you that Iain is very far from being unusual or unrepresentative of Tories up your way too.
Mind you, given your propensity for rants (and general choice of language) about the Tory party it is possible that you don’t get the most favourable response from them.
Or, to echo your blog, yes … it is just because you are a Lib Dem 🙂
Martin at 1844. We are now on to one of those irregular verbs so beloved of “Yes, Minister”. I am Gay, you are tolerant, he is homophobic. Have you read David Grey’s “The Two Liberalism’s” ? in this tome, Grey differentiates between PC and traditional, i.e. enlightenment, liberalism. I suggest that this book is almost requred reading for all who are essentially liberal in outlook whichever political party they support. I consider DD, Vince, who is a parliamentary jewel and the best leader the LibDems nearly had, Iain and the late and much-missed Glenys Dunwoody, all to be essentially liberal in outlook, though poles apart politically. Can anyone else add to the list?
Interesting – we are what we are / who we are / what we belong to or what we believe in?
Personally, I’d be more worried about the kind of people wants to be with – some of his dinner party guests are distinctly dubious!
Sorry I mean Iain’s choice of guests:
http://www.totalpolitics.com/politico.php?id=20
Iain, the ‘favourite footballer’ you chose is also somewhat illiberal (!)
passing Tory. Don’t worry, if the Tories weren’t there I would have to invent them! After all, what gives me the most pleasure in life is beating them!
Martin @1100. One must take life’s opportunities, however fleeting and quixotic.:)
Why are so many Lib Dems so inordinately interested in a total, utter nonentity like Iain Dale? There are so many IMPORTANT issues for Liberal Democrats to discuss – martial law, Bush’s possible attack on Iran, the proposed nationwide eavesdropping database, etc, etc. Leave the tittle-tattle to the tabloids.
Actually, it was also once rumoured that he was a member of the Labour Party back in the early 1990s. But i will leave that for others to investigate….
After all, what gives me the most pleasure in life is beating them!>/i>
Martin, I never had you down as a Max Mosely type 😛
Biodiesel. That is almost libellous! I can assure you I have never been a member of the Labour Party.
Iain. He who is not a socialist at 18 has no heart. He who is STILL a socialist at 30 has no head. (As demonstrated every hour of every day in Parliament). I think this is a “three and fourpence” on your tale of waking up your parents to tell them why they should vote Labour.
Iain, I’ll offer you an opportunity to respond – if you are a ‘liberal’ what are you doing supporting a ‘conservative’ party? If you are also a democrat what are you doing supporting the party of paternalism?
If you are both a liberal and a democrat then you should be a Liberal Democrat.
However from the answers you provide in the TotalPolitics piece you have far too much time to offer the opponents of your supposed cause to be clear in the head about how to go about it – just look at the dinner party guestlist. But then by all accounts you’re more interested in knowing which side your bread is buttered than spreading any jam.