Thursday, March 08, 2007

Alastair Campbell's Diaries Out in June

So Alastair Campbell's diaries will be published in June. He has always said he wouldn't publish them while Tony Blair is still in Number Ten, so make of that what you will. I suspect that his publishers, the Murdoch-owned HarperCollins have told him that their value will hugely diminish the moment Blair leaves office.

I wonder if there is anything in the diaries which should worry the Dour one. I suppose if I were a conspiracy theorist I might speculate that the publication timetable is deliberately designed to come at the most inconvenient moment for Gordon Brown. Just as well I am not a conspiracy theorist, isn't is?


glass house said...

Iain - will you be blogging on this story:

Chris Paul said...

Their value will diminish when Blair leaves office? What are you on about? Expect a best seller whenever the blasted thing comes out. Even I will buy it.

Trumpeter Lanfried said...

Interesting. Sales will double if he dishes the dirt. But I don't think he will and for that reason I don't think I shall buy his book.

penlan said...

I doubt if he will trash TB as both of their reputations will suffer .However he will need plenty of malicious gossip to generate sales.The obvious victim is GB, especially if he is an incoming PM at the time.

Anonymous said...

I would have thought that somebody as viscerally anti-Tory as Campbelle would time his diaries' publication to be as damaging as possible to the conservative party.

penlan said...

Anon 3.28-As Campbell is a Labour insider,there is a limit to the fresh dirt he can dish on the Tories.Like most good socialists,his principles will be tested when presented with the trough.

Jess The Dog said...

Another self-justifying volume of lies, following Blunkett's. Campbell and Bliar were so entwined that there will be nothing that would undermine their positions, as said by Penlan and the dirt is more on Campbell's hands than Bliars.

Hopefully it will give the newspaper psychologists plenty to mull over, dissecting in public the personal of this latter-day Goebbels.

Anonymous said...

Shadow minister loses his job, but Britain's Tory bloggers don't see anything worth mentioning...

Ken from Gloucester said...

I know its posh but people should have a good read of The Speccie and the article by Fraser Nelson about the Police Investigation into ten Downing Street.

Conspiracy Theorist said...

Alistair Campbell made plenty of enemies when he was in number 10 - probably as many within the Labour party as outside it.

The problem with putting your head well and truly above the parapet by publishing your diaries, is that it reminds all those enemies to dust down their very own "Ali Campbell" stories and flog them to the first person who'll publish them.

So Iain, it looks like you and Guido have until June...

verity said...

I don't think it will be a best seller. The events that took place when he was the engine behind No 10 are - with the exception of the death of Dr David Kelly - looking stale and old.

He doesn't have any dirt on the Tories and he won't dish on Labour. So what is the point? As others have said above, he will probably knife Gordon in the back but frankly, so what? Brown looks as though he smells of sour stale sweat and has bad breath. His mouth, despite the dental work, is repulsive. The public aren't going to vote for him anyway, with or without Campbell.

I think Campbell's book will go the way of Blunkett's book. EBay for £5 and no takers.

Anonymous said...

Looks like Patrick Mercer MP has been a very silly boy indeed. Gone and got himself involved in a race row.

The BBC are already running the story as the headline on BBC politics.

They won't let this drop for months *sigh*....

Anonymous said...

It is not Mercer's comments which were about racism, not racist themself, but the total lack of comment and support from our Tory bloggers that is the real story.

Are we now too afraid to mention any real issues that are affecting Britain?

Is political correctness our core policy now?

Bishop Hill said...

Anonymous 3:50 said:


I once tried searching Labour blogs for "cash for honours" with a similar lack of success. I guess it's something to do with not shitting on your own doorstep.

professor tefal said...

will Iain Dale prove himself to be a proper journalist by telling us what David Davis REALLY thinks of Mercer being done over by the Notting Hill set?

This is not how to treat friends said...

"I guess it's something to do with not shitting on your own doorstep"

You mean sitting back and letting a Shadow Minister lose his career without passing comment is a healthy way to treat colleagues?

Come on, be honest. You're all too scared to speak your mind because it involves the 'race' word.

JH said...

"Just as well I am not a conspiracy theorist, isn't is? [sic]"

Iain, earlier today you posited a theory that Labour MPs had conspired to "bugger up the whole process" of Lords Reform.

Anonymous said...

No comment about Patrick Mercer from Iain Dale and Guido has blocked all posts as soon as the news broke.

Now what were all these tory boys saying about cover-ups over the last few days?

BJ said...

Anon @ 3.56



That would be Patrick Mercer, the former journalist for the institutionally liberal BBC then, would it?

Anonymous said...

Iain: Next time you're in the Sky studios spreading your cynicism during the paper review, please take a moment to recall the way in which yourself and fellow tory bloggers have tried to suppress an important political story on your blogs concerning Patrick Mercer. Guido has even blocked all comment. Shameful!

Verity said...

'Sadiq Khan, a Labour MP, said: "Patrick Mercer's comments are deeply shocking and so is the initial response of Cameron's HQ." '

Yeah. Right. Those tender islamic sensibilities. So easily shocked. Well it will just serve the Tories right when they lose all the muslim postal votes. Funny how they managed to keep their nerve during the mohammad cartoon riots. "Behead those who insult mo'" isn't shocking? "Pope go to hell?" isn't shocking?

It looks as though Dave's politically correct grip on the party isn't going to welcome mavericks and people who think for themselves. The British voter is sick of political correctness - aka thought fascism. The more I read about Cameron, the nastier individual I think he is.

The man was referring to his personal experience as an ex-soldier - something Dave is too much of a wimp to have been. He didn't condemn every black and brown serviceman. He said the ones that are inadequate or lazy use racism as an excuse. Surely no one doubts this?

Mr Mercer, I am absolutely 100% certain, would never refer to the Gurkhas as lazy and incompetent. Dave has a very tiny area of reference and he is ignorant man.

Dave's Britain: No free speech unless you agree with Dave.

verity said...

What is more, I am sure Mr Mercer would never in a million years have referred to hero Sgt Beharry as lazy.

He was referring to SOME layabouts who hid their laziness behind charges of "racism". I am guessing that Mr Mercer has the same contempt for white layabouts, but they can't hide behind charges of "racism".

As a former fighting man, I am guessing that Mr Mercer admires bravery and selfless devotion to duty without regard to the colour or the race of the soldier.

Anonymous said...

Ref: verity

Oh - now I see. Guido has perhaps blocked comment because he is afraid his fellow tory supporters will express their true racist opinions.

Same old tories, same old racists

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 3:50 said:


Don't worry, the BBC will ensure it gets nationwide coverage for weeks. Their journalists are getting so excited about it at the moment they might need to take a sedative just to calm themselves down.

Anyway, Conhome has covered the story and a good discussion is going on there.

Guido blocked comments because somebody started posting nasty comments about Jews and a few trolls are attacking his blog.

Finally, Mercer did have a point that sometimes racism can be used as an excuse, but the way it came out sounded like he was saying you just have to accept being called a n*gger or black b**tard in the army - because that's what it's like.

Hardly a good choice of words for a Tory frontbencher. Cameron has moved very quickly to distance himself from this and rightly so.

This one comment could do a whole lot of damage otherwise.

Newmania said...


the leadership contest / coronation thoroughly worthwhile and wholly unpolitical book, 'The Courage of Heroes', as discussed previously.

And the date, people, is 4th of June. Which co-incides with the suicide of Emily Davidson, Socialist Léon Blum becoming French Prime Minister, the crushing of the Tianamen Square protest and a military coup in Argentina. Still, it is also Angelina Jolie's birthday, and the anniversary of Heydrich's assassination, so it isn't all ecce equus pallidus.

Class act Croydonian

Anonymous said...

Anon 4.29

Why don't you p1ss off back to Labour HQ?

You've popped up on a few blogs over the last hour trying to spread your; "Same old tories, same old racists" bollocks (and - yes - you have used those exact words too)

Your attempt to spread this myth is as pathetic as it is childish.

Grow up and get lost.

Newmania said...

Same old tories, same old racists
No .
Same old Lefties same old traitors

Ahh thats better.

Tory Traitor said...

"Same old Lefties same old traitors

I thought it was John Major who forced through the Maastricht Treaty?

Anonymous said...

anonymous 4:43

Myth????? - look at the news.

Why are you defending racism?

throatwarbler mangrove said...

Let's play spot the blogger from Nu Lab HQ. It's so easy now - like shooting fish in a barrel. The giveaway is normally the Anonymous tag, followed by the shrill howls and hoots of indignation.

Don't you think it's time you devoted your energies to cleaning up your own dirty, stinking, corrupt, sleazy house of cards?

And no I'm not a Tory - just an extremely angry taxpayer and voter, thoroughly pissed off with all bent and corrupt politicans.

Roll on the day the rotting cancer is finally excised from Downing Street.

Bel said...

Re Patrick Mercer, his one mistake was to ignore this simple fact:

in today's Britain, where truth clashes with political correctness, truth MUST bow the knee.

Under the PC regime, it matters not what his own experiences were. If political correctness deems that certain things are unsayable, the truth must be supressed in that regard.

As our PC masters would have it, there are no 'idle or useless' black or ethnic minority soldiers. All are paragons of hard work and industry. So not only was Patrick Mercer wrong, he should be punished for deviating from the new script.

We should worry that an alien ideology (ie PC) has grown up in our midst, one that has no respect for the truth, and which in fact, will happily distort the truth in pursuance of its ultimate aim, ie our total indoctrination.

Anonymous said...

anonymous 4:43

Myth????? - look at the posts from 'verity'.

Same old tories, same old racists.

Anonymous said...

anonymous 4:43

Myth????? - look at the posts from 'bel'.

Same old tories, same old racists.

Bel said...

anonymous @ 4.43. So I am a racist because I choose to think for myself, and not swallow the PC poison that has been fed to unthinking people over the years?

The fact that you do not even countenance the points that verity and I have made, instead replying with that tired old 'same old tories' refrain ... that tells me that you do not think for yourself. Perhaps you are incapable of doing so, in which case you have the full weight of my pity.

Some advice for you. Read the newspapers, listen to the news, try to expand your mind. Hard as it may be, try to understand the concept that the 'truth' is not that deadly poison you are fed daily. There is a world out there that speaks a different truth than that which has been drilled into you, and which, sadly for you, you continue to parrot to your abiding shame.

Go away and learn about the real world. And when you have done that, and learnt how to reason and debate properly, feel free to come back here and we can have a proper conversation.

Bel said...

Sorry, my above comment should be to anonymous of 4.55.

Please folks, use your names, or even a pseudonym.

Anonymous said...

4:29, 4:50, 4:53, 4:55 Anon:

Do you think the more times you say it the more impact it will have?

Go on, say it again.. You've almost convinced me!!

Richard Dale said...


Why are they always anonymous? It is comic really, they live up to the stereotype of the little class sneak.

How can anyone with any wit say that Iain, or any blogger is trying to "...suppress an important political story..."? I don't know how many people read this site each day, but it is not many compared to those reading a paper, and I would be very surprised if they did not also read a newspaper, watch the television news or listen to the radio.

On the other hand the BBC has tried to suppress political scandals in the Labour party andits hangers on. The BBC is the largest news broadcaster in Britain, and probably int he world. It can certainly keep some in the dark because there are people who see or hear BBC news with no other major sourne of news.

Oh, I see the logical gap now. I said "anyone with wit".

Racist Tories is a myth. There is some racism everywhere but there is more racism on the left than on the right, and it has been spreading. At least on the right it has been reducing.

The problem is that the left don't know racism when they see it. Where exactly, my Anonymous friend, have bel or verity been racist?

Of course it is a convenient label, you call racism to try and win the point without resorting to actually having an argument to advnace. However it doesn't work with a literate audience who actually know what racism is.

Anonymous said...

Bel, Verity don't rise to it - it's attention he wants.

Can't be ar$ed to register or to think up a pseudonym!

Anonymous said...

anonymous 4:43

Myth????? - look at the posts in support of Mercer on the Telegraph site.

Same old tories, same old racists.

verity said...

Bel writes an articulate condemnation of the new religion: racism. And she is right: Mr Mercer's crime was to deviate from the new script. Dave, however, immediately bent the knee. Orwell, thou shoulds't be living at this hour. Thought control by the left is taking over British society as it seeps into the Tory hierarchy. Well,include me out, babes.

I have already written to Mr Mercer and directed him to this thread. At least there are two voices for sanity on it.

anotherlot said...

Iain should be proud fancy having your own set of astrosurfers, I hope your astro fans are paid by the Labour party and not out of my taxes.

Richard Dale said...

Anon 5:14

So, you who has the courage to come on hear spreading garbage but dare not even give a pseudonym, what did Mercer say that was so bad that there can be no defense of it? Why is that the case?

Richard Dale said...

P.S. Guido's comments seem fine to me!


throatwarbler mangrove said...


-and the fact that they stop leaving comments at about 5.30, when they fuck off down the pub where, no doubt, they try to blag a pint off the poor bastards they think are their friends.

Anonymous said...

But I read in the Telegraph that the diaries will be anodyne in respect of Gordon Brown, as Campbell doesn't want Labour to lose the next election - that said it will be interesting to see if that is honoured when they do hit the shelves..