Dale Oust a Labour MP series.

Posted 19 Dec 2009 by Walaa Idris

Iain Dale is beginning a series on how to oust twelve Labour MPs he would like to see gone come the general election. Plus profiling the Conservative candidates standing on those seats and encouraging people to support them, by following their campaigning activities online and donate money for their campaign. He has started the series with Kerry McCarthy the MP for Bristol East, her Conservative opposite is Adeela Shafi.

Hours after he posted his blog all hell broke lose and angry accusations started to fly around. What’s funny about the temper and blame is that the other parties’ activists and supporters have been doing this for years, but now that the shoe is on the other foot they are shocked and unhappy! Tough, through the years the Conservatives have endured lots of attack thrown at them not to mention some abuse and trumped up lies and accusations by the other parties and now that they are fighting back people are unhappy, what a surprise!

Iain has never said or pretended to be anything but a Tory, so who did they expect him to support? Like most Tories he probably has had enough of the batter and lies not to mention being in opposition for over a decade and decided to do something about it. What’s angering them is not that he is standing up and supporting the Conservatives but the idea itself. It is a brilliant and genius idea which they did not think of first. That’s the real reason they are upset not because he is a Tory! Oh, and they will copy it, of course they will, and come up with their own twisted rendition of it, but like all the previous ideas, polices and pledges they copied it will be a watered down and confused version.

Our country is so close to the election and Labour is terrified, every day that passes is a day closer to them being ousted, and after 13 years in office, they can not stomach being out of office. Just like in 1997, they woke up the day after the election and did not know what to do next. They will wake up the day after this coming general election without a clue where to go next.

The Dale ousts a Labour MP series only focuses on seats with over 5000 majority and since most seats with a lesser majority tend to have better support both financial and on the ground this looks very promising. I am sure it will inspire a lot of copycats but who thought it first? Hat tip Mr. Dale!

2 comment(s)

Frugal Dougal
19 Dec, 22:30

Well said! It’s a much more civilised campaign than Derek Draoer’s plan to spread lies about Tory MPs, including plans to smear the Camerons before their son was cold in the grave. What we’re seeing is that Labour can give it but not take it.

Clive
20 Dec, 08:52

As one of those so-called “shocked and unhappy” commenters, I’d like to point out that, inspite of all your overwrought and emotive language, you completely missed the point. I for one couldn’t give a stuff who Iai does or does not support. But when someone with a public profile such as Iain’s comes out with unsubstantiated claims that someone is “not fit” to be an MP then why shouldn’t he be taken to task?

But don’t delude yourself in thinking that any party has the moral high-ground in the this arena. From McBride to Staines to Inamicus, all the main parties have online supporters who think political debate is about throwing as much mud as possible on the basis that some must stick.

And it’s nothing new. Remember Peter Griffiths’ (Tory) campaign slogan from 1964; “Want a n***er for a neighbour, vote Labour”? The difference these days is that anyone can set up a blog and get their own hands dirty.

It’s this whole potty mouthed, petty, spiteful and vindictive approach to politics, this turning away from reasoned debate, that has caused so many to disengage. Popularists like Dale do nothing to address this, relying on weak arguments, trivial soundbites, poor jokes and deliberately manipulated comment threads to achieve their aims.

As for your point:

“Just like in 1997, they woke up the day after the election and did not know what to do next. They will wake up the day after this coming general election without a clue where to go next.”

The same be said of the Tories, who woke up in 1997 not having a clue about what to do next and thus failing the country by being so poor in opposition. I don’t think they’ll fare any better in government should they win the next election.

Still, enjoy your place in the sun when it comes. I’ve been watching the slow motion crash of British politics since attending the Sheffield Arena in April 1992. I walked away from that fiasco with the suspicion that politics in this country had taken a new and unwelcome turn. And after Blair’s victory in 1994 I was convinced of it.

So go ahead, bask in such “genius” ideas. They don’t further debate or engagement, but that’s not what people want anymore, is it?

Commenting is closed for this article.