Proud to know Iain Dale full stop

Iain Dale has accepted a police caution following his very public scuffle with anti-nuke protester Stuart Holmes in Brighton.

He has also published a statement and apology on his blog.

I understand why he has done it and I hope it draws a line under the affair.

In the meantime it was heartening to read this tweet from Tim Montgomerie, founder of Conservative Home and now comment editor at The Times:

Tim knows Iain very much better than I do but I would like to echo that sentiment.

In my opinion, however, it doesn't need the qualification.

And, for what it's worth, that video still makes me laugh.

Comments

[Joyce]

The video was extremely funny in a "bloody hell!" kind of way and viewed in the light of Toby Young's observations coupled with the dog wearing a placard!

Nevertheless, I think that Iain did the right thing in apologising because he did the wrong thing in reacting as he did. What I find a shame is that some commenters on his 'apology' post refuse to accept that the apology was sincere, despite not knowing Iain Dale and not, therefore being in a position to judge. In such circumstances you either take an optimistic view of human nature and conclude that the apology was sincere or you take a pessimistic view and conclude that it was cynical. It's interesting that the cynical are the ones hurling insults of 'Tory toff' and the like; the ones expressing vicarious outrage on behalf of the 'Poor, Little Person' (incidentally, most mentioned that Stuart Holmes was 'elderly' but he doesn't seem to me to be that elderly). So, those who themselves have a cyncal outlook accuse others of treating people cynically, without respect!

(A LOL moment when one commenter suggested that Iain Dale should be punished for causing distress to the dog).