The Wardman Wire

I have an image of Peter Kilfoyle MP in my mind this morning. He is in the restaurant of a 4 star hotel. His breakfast kipper lies forlorn and lonely on his plate, and he has a rather red face due to exertion. He is chasing a waitress round and round the table with a rolled-up newspaper, because she had the temerity to offer him a complimentary copy of the Daily Telegraph - and he’s not putting up with that !

Early Day Motion

Peter has co-ordinated an Early Day Motion in Parliament having a personalised go at the new Total Politics magazine.

Here’s the text of the EDM

Early Day Motion
EDM 1245

TOTAL POLITICS MAGAZINE
20.03.2008

Kilfoyle, Peter

That this House notes the impending launch of a purportedly politically neutral magazine called Total Politics; notes that it is fronted by Iain Dale, a failed Conservative parliamentary candidate; further notes that it is being run from Lord Ashcroft’s address in Cowley Street and that it is fronted by Lord Ashcroft; and calls upon hon. and right hon. Members to reject the free copies which will be sent to them in the near future.

Here are the other signatories. For some reason there are 14 in Total: one more than the number as Dwarves at Bilbo Baggins Unexpected Party. I wonder who is Gandalf?

• Joe Benton MP
• David S Borrow MP
• Russell Brown MP
• Ronnie Campbell MP
• David Crausby MP
• Jim Dobbin MP
• George Howarth MP
• Kevan Jones MP
• Bob Laxton MP
• John Mann MP
• Andrew Miller MP
• Ian Stewart MP
• Graham Stringer MP

Total Politics is edited by the daughter of a Labour MP, Sara MacKinley. From the Guardian:

Although it is undoubtedly a pioneer in its sector, Total Politics - which launches in May and will be edited by Sarah Mackinlay, daughter of Labour MP Andrew Mackinlay, and currently deputy editor of Payroll World - is just the latest print publication to use the “free” business model, in which revenue is generated entirely by advertising.

It seems to me that he should at least give it a chance rather than attempt a pre-emptive assassination “just in case”. Here is Iain’s short (10 minute) interview with Tory Radio. His comments about staff and balance are from about 5:30 in.

Questons, Questions

I can see two questions that arise here:

1. Is an EDM like this one a proper use of public money? This is one for the politicos.
2. More seriously - and this one that interests me - we all know that lack of interest is one of the biggest problems in UK politics. Total Politics has a chance of making a difference to that - being free to all elected politicians. Why is Mr Kilfoyle undermining such an initiative in advance? He should at least give it the chance to prove itself before wading in.

Wrapping-up

I can see this one getting a bit of attention this week from Gavin (a Liberal Democrat who has guest posted on the Wardman Wire), who is about to start working for Total Politics, as he is half of the Real Politik podcast, and also writes the scripts for the weekly (or so) Politalks animations.

The irony is that Peter Kilfoyle is an MP with his feet on the ground, and Iain Dale counted him as one of his top 5 MPs in December 2006.

Tags: total politics, iain dale, peter kilfoyle mp, early day motion