Gay Tory Iain Dale quits blogging
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Tory commentator Iain Dale has announced he will stop blogging.
Mr Dale, who is in a civil partnership, said he hated the “backbiting” and “character assassination” of the blogging world.
Instead, he plans to concentrate on his LBC radio show and publishing company Biteback.
He is known as one of Britain’s leading political commentators and his blog has frequently been named as one of the best-read political websites.
But he wrote today: “The truth is, I no longer enjoy blogging and I think that this has been evident for a few months now to my readers.
“I hate the backbiting that goes along with it. I hate the character assassination that is permanently present. I no longer enjoy the pressure of feeling I have to churn out four or five pieces every day.”
He added that his blog was having a “negative effect on various aspects of my business and broadcasting life”, including difficulties with potential advertisers.
Mr Dale also said that he would also give up all party-political activities because they had “hampered aspects of my business and broadcasting career in the past”.
“I am, and will remain, a Conservative supporter, but that’s as far as it goes,” he said.
Mr Dale refuted any suggestion that he had quit blogging because the Conservatives had come into power.
He said he would still update his blog occasionally but any posts would be “few and far between for the foreseeable future”.
In June, he announced he would no longer attempt to seek a seat in parliament after several failed attempts.
He stood as a candidate for Norfolk North in 2005 and was the first openly gay candidate selected by a Conservative constituency association.
However he lost out to Liberal Democrat candidate Norman Lamb and failed to be selected as a candidate in 2007 and 2009.