Mr-Cool-As-A-Cucumber

Iain Dale is the creator of the political online television programme 18 Doughty Street and a Conservative A-list politician.

I was unable to go to this lecture due to work experience, so I thought I would look at the blogs of people who did.

I predicted there would be a political divide amongst the bloggers. Surely his right wing views wouldn't appeal to the lefties in the audience? But this wasn't totally the case. Actually, from the sample I observed, it appears that political interest didn't fully influence their opinion. For example Oliver Hawkins, who admits on his blog that despite not being a conservative he liked Dale's liberal attitude "you can think what you like".

The split amongst the two camps in the audience seems to have been from those people who appreciate his emphasis on freedom of speech and those who think 18 Doughty St is just a political gimmick. Emma Barnett blogged, "Iain Dale has won me over" "His lecture was truly inspiring" she even pet named him, "Mr Cool-As-A-Cucumber-Dale" and Rachel Arthur Blogged that Dale's freedom of speech message was an important one.

Not everyone was convinced by Dale's apparent smooth performance. Patrik O'Geary criticised the lecture for being, "partly an add for 18 Doughty St"and seemed surprised to learn that Dale, "Didn't know what he'd do if a representative of the BNP wanted to get on Doughty Street". Tom Williams was not impressed either adding, "I feel people will quickly lose patience with online TV"

Whether Iain dale is a political propagandist or simply an advocate of free speech, one things for sure, Jomec students aren't sitting on the fence on this one.


"Mr Cool-As-A-Cucumber-Dale"

"partly an add for 18 Doughty St"

If you would like to e-mail Iain then do so at.... iain@iaindale.com