Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Iain Dale: Idle Tittle Tattle "Links" Nagel to Abrahams?


Iain Dale reports some tittle tattle this morning. His mystery informant seems to be suggesting unwittingly that if we get Willie Nagel (below left) to cough he - as a serial cosier up to Prime Ministers and politicians - will describe in excruciating detail the party funding activities, any schemes and any scams he was party to under Thatcher and Major?

Perhaps not. Perhaps Iain's headline, asking whether Nagel is "another David Abrahams", and his informant's gossiping around their shared networks INSERT/AMEND 14:49: may cause readers to worry that they are pointing at the worldwide jewish/zionist conspiracy to run the world, beatifically blind to party?

Take care with that one Iain! It's cobblers.

Apart from anything else Abrahams is clearly tribal Labour.

While he may have been considered "Thatcherite" by the Labour left, because of his occupation as a landlord, and have employed a PR spinner who has history with the Tories - (Guardian Profile) - that is absolutely clear in his background.

His father Bennie and mother Marion both Labour party stalwarts. Bennie in fact a Newcastle-on-Tyne Mayor and Marion too a Labour councillor there.

UPDATE 14:49: I have no intention of suggesting for one moment that Iain Dale is anti-semitic. But the juxtaposition of the headline and the content of the anonymous tip off may suggest that to some readers and that care is needed to avoid that impression. What ARE the links and simularities between the two men? What are the differences?

6 comments:

Iain Dale said...

Are you actually accusing me of being anti semitic? What a despicable thing to insinuate.

Chris Paul said...

No Iain. Nothing despicable here. The combination of your unnamed informant's quoted words and your headline may however lead others to think that and as that is clearly not the case I think you should be careful in quoting and titling thusly. That's all.

You are also doing Mr Abrahams a dis-service for, if your informant's gossip re Nagel flirting with any party in power is correct, then as far as we know Abrahams is not "another Willie Nagel".

You are also doing Nagel a dis-service as as far as I know he is not another clown as Abrahams appears to be, just a wealthy business man oiling the wheels of the political classes.

What is the basis for linking the two?

Chris Paul said...

Iain: having re-read the post I have now updated it in an attempt to be clearer.

septicisle said...

That's Rupert Murdoch, isn't it? Bet you've never seen them before in the same room.

Chris Paul said...

I've never seen either of them separately or together which proves your point. Has iain changed his careless post yet?

Ted Foan said...

Chris - you really are on very difficult ground. You have made the cardinal mistake of superimposing your own in-built assumptions onto Iain Dale. "Nagel" and "Abrahams" - those are Jewish names, surely? And then, because of this, you imply he must be anti-semetic.

Not necessarily - but so what? I'm anti-Chris Paul - because you can be so vaccuous and take ridiculous positions on political matters of the day. Even if Iain Dale is anti-semetic (which I don't believe he is, by the way) he's entitled to his view. Ask any Palestinian.

So don't ever assume - it could make an "ASS of U and ME". An oldie but a goldie!