Introducing my new Substack

What's on offer...

Why I’m doing this

Over the years I’ve built mini cimmunities on various platforms, starting with my original blog ‘Iain Dale’s Diary’, which at one stage was getting more readers than The Independent. I started a political magazine, ‘Total Politics’, catering for the political geel class - it does exist, you know!. Since 2010 I’ve concenrated my efforts on my LBC audience, and been names radio presenter of the year twice and now have an all time record high audience. But now I think the time is right to broaden my written offering and Substack seems to be the ideal place to do this. I’ve been mulling it over for a year, bit now I’m ready to take the plunge.

Why this, why now

I’ve looked around and observed how others use their substacks. I’m not intending to copy anyone else, I want to do it my way. So yes, there will be serious analytical articles, but there’ll be plenty of fun and fluff too! On my LBC show I try to make politics accessible to people who don’t necessarily follow ever jot and tittle of politics. That’s my aim here too. I want to engage everyone, young and old in the political debate, without any agenda at all. I’ll share insight, I’ll share my honest views without giving a damn if they are popular or not. I don’t toe a party line. I don’t want anything from anyone. I’m not beholden to anyone. That means I’ll always tell the truth, and if I get it wrong, I’ll admit it.

What kind of community am I looking to build?

I hope this substack develops into the kind of community I built with my old blog. People who are fascinated by politics and political history, whether casually or obsessively. I get huge satisfaction from hearing from LBC listeners who tell me my show has gor their 15 year old daughter or son interested in politics. And that’s what I want to do here. I’d like it to be forum where likeminded people can debate with each other the subjects I have written about. Places where you can do that are rapidly diminishing on social media.

So if You subscribe, what can you expect and how often?

At the beginning it will be a bit trial and error. There will be a weekly, somewhat waspish diary column, somewhat similar to that which I used to write in the Eastern Daily Press and ConservativeHome. There will be a weekly review of a TV show, movie or book. And there will be at least one political column. You will get advance notice of events I am appearing at, at least a day before they appear on other social media. There may also be discounted ticket prices for Substack subscribers. I also intend to do some videos and maybe a monthly live video chat for subscribers, where you can ask me anything you like. But I’m also open to ideas from you, as to what you would like me to offer. There will always be free content, and if you like that I hope you will want to be a paying subscriber for a minimal fee per month or per annum.

So please do subscribe by hitting the button below

Feel free to start as a free subscriber. There is no obbligation to pay a single penny. And if you do, you can unsubscribe at any time. It’s up to me to provide the kind of content you will come to value, and that you will find difficult to find anywhere else. I’m determined to rise to that challenge.

And a paid susbcription will help keep Dude and Woody in dog biscuits. Actually, joking aside, I intend to use any monies raised to employ a PA who can take some of the strain off me and also help with all aspects of my social media.

And here endeth the emotional blackmail!