Wednesday 25 September 2013

Daley Bust Up

There's usually nothing more undignified than a physical altercation between two chaps who are clearly not used to it, and so it proves with Iain Dale confronting a protester in the video above.

However the "comedy" aspect of the confrontation belies a more serious point that, as Richard North notes, Iain Dale has taken it upon himself to attack a lawful protester in the street  - in essence carry out common assault. An allegation over which Dale is being questioned by Police.

Astonishingly, in a complete lack of self-awareness, he makes light of it on his blog, beginning his piece with the words;
"I knew I shouldn’t have had three weetabix this morning…
This describing a situation where a pensioner is assaulted by 6 ft 5, well built bloke nearly 20 years his junior. A pensioner who was exercising his right of free speech, lawfully, peacefully and harmlessly in a public space over an issue that is not without merit. One wonders if Dale would have been so keen to act if the protester was a chap who was younger, fitter and more able to look after himself? One suspects if he had done so he would have needed more than Weetabix. It certainly shows Dale for the bully that he is.

Dale concludes his piece:
Everyone has an inalienable right to protest, but no one has a right to make a continual nuisance of themselves and interrupt interviews like that.
Well actually yes they are, if they do so in peaceful and lawful manner which was clearly the case here. Interestingly Dale has a different take when it came to Walter Wolfgang at the 2005 Labour conference or more recently Ian Tomlinson, which had far more serious consequences (my emphasis):
I know in these situations one shouldn't prejudge until the IPPC reports its findings, it is difficult to see how anyone could be anything other than revolted by the pictures. It's not what we expect from the British police force. Mr Tomlinson was not involved in the G20 protest. He was trying to go home after working on his newspaper stand. He wasn't abusing the Police, he wasn't doing anything wrong.
It's worth remembering that in 2009 Dale applied to become a Tory Parliamentary candidate (and failed), if this is his reaction to a law-abiding "nuisance" what would he be like when dealing with not always complimentary members of the public when out campaigning knocking on doors?

What is largely being overlooked is that Dale did not respond like this out of "public duty" but instead for commercial reasons - personal profit - protecting an interview by Damien McBride who is plugging his book which happens to be published by Iain Dale's company.

Oh the irony, that a former Labour thug is protected by...a Tory one.

11 comments:

  1. Looking at your video footage I see that the protestor managed to get back up and continue protesting peacefully. Good on him !
    Like you say, if the protestor had been a big lad rather than a small framed OAP then Mr Dale wouldn't have gone near him.

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    1. Yes indeed, fair play to the elderly chap...he got back up and carried on protesting making Dale look completely impotent. Pathetic stuff from Dale as well illegal.

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  2. Lucky it wasn't me doing the protesting - I'd have decked Dale on the spot (after he assaulted me first of course). I hope they throw the book at Dale.

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    1. I suspect Dale will get away with a slap on the wrist fine if anything at all.

      I agree though that anyone younger for example could have resulted in some serious hospital time for Dale.

      Kudos to the elderly chap though he carried on protesting regardless...

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  3. as one of the great 'washed' and chosen 'few' we'll be lucky if he's even sanctioned with a caution.

    sadly it was always one law for us and no law for them, and ever it will be until we take back power

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  4. Exactly, I wouldn't be surprised either if no charges are brought. But Dale can't escape the footage and the 'legacy' of his actions.

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  5. I bet this only ended as a protracted and indecisive brawl because Dale had left home quickly that morning and forgot to slip his brass knuckles into his pocket..

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  6. Dale should get a criminal record for common assault .
    Other people have got a CR for far less . The Crown Prosecution service were not troubled by Prescott punching a bloke in full view of the cameras . A level playing field ? Does such a thing exist ?

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    1. I can understand Prescott - it could be argued that it was provocation and/or self-defence, though I don't necessarily agree with what he did.

      But you're right about a CR, you can get one simply for swearing in the street. I really hope Dale is up for common assault charges, but I suspect he probably won't be.

      He's lucky not to be up for manslaughter...the OAP could easily have had a heart attack or hit his head as he fell.

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  7. Dale probably enjoys that sort of thing TBF...

    ...Grappling with a chap...

    Marvellous!

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  8. Hard to say which disgusts me more. The assault on an elderly man or the "bystanders" that failed to intervene.

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