Thoughts on the Ian Oakley case 

Faceless Bureaucrat

Clinically sick or not, there is actually a bigger issue here.

I attended the so-called ‘public selection’ in Watford. Oakley was never the best candidate, but he was a ‘local boy’ (which seems to be the only criteria for getting selected as a Conservative PPC these days). At least one of the other candidates (Evans?) was head and shoulders above this ‘train wreck’ of a candidate, but never stood a chance because he wasn’t ‘one of us’. Shame on you, Watford Association, for putting your Party in such an embarrassing position. Let’s hope you take the blinkers off for the next selection meeting…

PS: Is it not time for CCHQ to consider imposing Candidates on key marginal seats to ensure that if the Conservatives do win the next election, they actually end-up with some MPs capable of holding down a Front Bench position? Otherwise, what was the point of having an ‘A List’ if only the ‘Locals’ ever get selected?

Ray

By way of contrast to 'Faceless Bureaucrat', I have encountered other instances where constituency associations have bizarrely overlooked excellent local candidates possessed of real Cabinet potential in favour of bland 'A-list' whizzkids with no local connections whatsoever.

Indeed, sometimes being the 'local' candidate can be a handicap insofar as on your way up through the constituency party you have probably made as many enemies as you have friends - such is the nature of politics.

However, I do agree that both the local constituency chairman and Central Office should formally apologise to those who have been wronged in order to clear the air and reaffirm that campaigns should always be about policy issues and not personality vendettas.

marcus stewart

Dale's article is far from 'excellent': it's utterly superfluous and unintelligent - and what a silly thing for Mr Hoskin to say. There is no political dimension to the Oakley story whatsoever: it is merely the sad tale of a man who, probably from some psycho-social dysfunction, has gone wrong; period.

Mark (not an aspiring candidate)

Oakley appears to be a one-off. Obviously Iain Dale has his own angle on this: Iain is trying to get selected as a parliamentary candidate and when a nutter succeeds where he fails he is likely to have something to say.
There is no need for an investigation by the Conservative Party: he was a one-off. The Tories should just move on as quickly as possible.
Not all local boys (or girls) are nutters.

Steve

I agree with everything you say, except your claim that the other parties should not make political capital out of this. Why the hell shouldn't they? I would fully expect the Tories to make political capital out of this if the boot was on the other foot, and I would have no complaints if they did. A party's PPC has pleaded guilty to criminal harassment - of course it's a legitimate stick to beat that party with. Like it or not, sanctioned or not, he was representing the Conservative Party when he did this.

Tactically, it's not a very big stick to beat the Tories with, because obviously this wasn't sanctioned from the top, and I wouldn't expect Oakley to get mentioned in a national election campaign - he's small beer. But it's absolutely a legitimate campaigning tool in Watford.

If you use criminal means in an attempt to gain electoral advantage, you should expect it to come back and bite you, electorally.

Iain Dale

Mark, FYI I have made clear I am not applying for seats. In any case, even if I were your point is beneath you.

Richard Nabavi

I think we Conservatives should take this very seriously. This campaign of harassment was utterly appalling and must have been awful for the victims. The party needs to look very carefully to see whether anything could have been done at an earlier stage to prevent it, and whether any warning signs were missed.

TrevorH

I think Dales comments were OK and his critics on nthis are purile.

It seems to me that Oakley has got some sort of mental problem so I agree with Hoskin.

The Tories should indeed mount an investigation and if there are any sensible Conservatives in Watford they should throw out their leadership 'to encourage the others'. All Conservatives everywhere should make plain to the Watford Branch just what a set of pillocks we think they are.

Chuck Unsworth

@ Mark

"Not all local boys (or girls) are nutters."

I am profoundly disappointed to hear this.

dennis

Iain Dale writes:

Mark, FYI I have made clear I am not applying for seats.

I think this is a real shame. Iain Dale would be an ideal choice to keep up the Watford Tory standard established by Tristan Garel-Jones: being witty, independent-minded and yet capable of offering useful service to a Conservative government.

Is there no way Watford could mount a ‘draft Dale’ campaign? Dragging Iain from his web-publishing like Cincinnatus from his plough would be a good move.

Mark (not an aspiring candidate)

Iain, I'm sorry: I should read your blog more regularly (I do read it, though). But you have tried to be selected in the past (and succeeded at least once). I think it is fair to suppose that your experience must influence your views to an extent, not least of local boys who are preferred to "outside" candidates. I think you and Peter Hoskin have over-reacted in calling for an inquiry. And I agree with Dennis above.