So a Tory PPC has responded to the dog whistle of his leader by barking a little too loudly.
Not really a surprise, was it?
Then there’s the reaction. With that Maidstone selection coming up Iain Dale ties himself in knots so he can avoid condemming Hastilow and avoid condeming his removal. (Hastilow’s problem was that he’d attacked William Hague? Err no, Iain. His problem was that he’d said Enoch was right and immigrants get given red carpet treatment.) ConservativeHome blames the media. Ooookay. The comments at both sites are less restrained.
On reading Hastilow’s squib one realises that the man’s an idiot. He goes from saying that immigrants take British jobs because the British are too lazy to work to saying that immigrants come here to exploit our welfare system. I’m confused- is it the British or the immigrants or both who are the lazy spongers? Then all those new workers lazy spongers will apparently be a drain on the state because of err…. all the work they’re doing taking jobs away from the Brits?
13 Comments
November 5, 2007 at 4:53 pm
What utter bollocks.
November 5, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Iain, I see you’re displaying the rapier debating skills you’re known for.
If it’s “utter bollocks”, why haven’t you condemned what Hastilow said, or condemned his sacking? Do you think that saying that immigrants get the red carpet treatment and quoting Powell approvingly are acceptable for Tory candidates? If you don’t why haven’t you said so on your blog, instead defending him as “not racist”?
November 5, 2007 at 5:26 pm
[...] Iain Dale swears at Hopi Sen. You’ve only got to mention the word “Maidstone” these days and the poor fellow flies off the handle. Reading the exchange on Hopi’s blog has convinced me that I should get the transcript of the BBC appearance where he defended Nigel Hastilow’s comments. [...]
November 5, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Ahhh…. Iain’s done another post on this.
http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2007/11/learning-art-of-self-censorship.html#links
Oddly comment moderation is on this time.
Even more strangely mine hasn’t made it through yet.
He quotes Finkelstein in his support but neglects to mention that Finkelstein rightly says that what hastilow said was stupid and wrong. A condemnation absent from the seat chasing Mr Dale.
November 5, 2007 at 7:05 pm
Ah, I see Dale the Essex potty mouth has come by. He lecture’s other on swearing on his blog, yet can’t refrain from profanities when he’s out and about. I think the man is a hypocrite as well as a fraudster:
http://lobsterblogster.blogspot.com/2007/10/evenin-all.html
November 5, 2007 at 11:08 pm
If I’d known you were so eager for a ‘blogging feud’ Hopi I mightn’t have went quite so easy last week – clearly you punch several weights above me though.
On Hastilow though you’re right…
November 6, 2007 at 10:29 am
Cass- I’ve really no desire for a blog feud.. they’re so tedious- I suppose I just think that if you’re going to be rude about a post, the least you can do is say why it’s wrong…
November 6, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Iain has history of being very understanding on these “ecumenical matters”. Patrick Mercer’s “lazy black bastard”, blacked up Tories, poetical Tories and plain mad Tories have often I think had the thumbs mostly aloft from Our Man in Maidstone.
But as weasel words are almost a requirement for the Tory benches – all the benches really – then the greatest problem he has as a prospective MP in a safe seat is his incredibly thin skin. He simply cannot tolerate criticism. He is a ranter and a raver. Though not I must add in the Pils and pills way.
He should probably stop blogging, or start posting after counting to 24 hours, and post like a candidate rather than a knee jerky know all.
November 6, 2007 at 4:08 pm
[...] getting to the point, you simply must see this brilliantly insightful yet scrupulously polite comment from the UK’s number one political blogger. [...]
November 6, 2007 at 5:10 pm
[...] Britain’s leading blogger, ladies and gentlemen. Filed under bloggerdom See also Iain Dale owes Tim Ireland an apology, Tim Ireland – Iain Dale: I bet you think this song is about you…. and Iain Dale and the Richard Gere Conundrum permalink • trackback • print this • leave a comment [...]
November 6, 2007 at 7:16 pm
[...] Iain Dale becoming the most hated blogger in Britain? Or is it that other bloggers would sell their own mothers for a tenth of his traffic and attacking him is the best they can [...]
November 7, 2007 at 12:05 am
Come on Hopi! Use your imagination.
Of course immigrants can be stealing British jobs and taking our benefits – if they’re benefit cheats. And if they’re [i]working class[/i] immigrants, then they must be benefit cheats, no?
November 7, 2007 at 12:46 pm
“What utter bollocks”. Is this the same Iain Dale who does not allow swearing in his comments on his blog?