Iain Dale Have I Said Too Much?: My Life in Politics & the Media

About

Award-winning broadcaster Iain Dale has led an extraordinary life, full of success, controversy, memorable encounters and some very public failures. In this entertaining and revealing talk, based on his refreshingly candid and often hilarious memoir, Have I Said Too Much?, he shares the untold stories of his careers in business, politics and broadcasting.From driving a combine harvester at the age of eight to becoming one of Britain's best-known political broadcasters, Dale has encountered everyone from Queen Elizabeth II and Margaret Thatcher to Kylie Minogue, Joan Rivers and twelve British prime ministers. Along the way, he has nearly thrown up on Margaret Thatcher, clashed with senior politicians and made some spectacular gaffes on live radio, including an unfortunate remark about the Archbishop of Canterbury.But behind the humour and political revelations lies a more personal story. Dale reflects movingly on coming out as gay at forty, his thwarted ambitions to become an MP, and the emotional encounters with listeners that have made him a trusted voice for hundreds of thousands of people. Having spoken to an estimated 300,000 callers during his broadcasting career, he also reflects on how those conversations have challenged his assumptions and sometimes changed his political views.Described by Rachel Johnson as "Frank, funny and fierce", and by Gyles Brandreth as "Funny, touching, unflinching", Dale's autobiography has attracted praise from across the political spectrum. Former Prime Minister David Cameron calls him "one of the sharpest and best-informed commentators", while Yasmin Alibhai-Brown declares: "Serious, funny and real. What a life!"In this entertaining and often hilarious talk, Dale takes us behind the scenes of Westminster and the broadcasting studio, sharing extraordinary anecdotes, reflecting on the personalities who have shaped modern Britain, and exploring the triumphs, disappointments and unexpected turns of a remarkable career. What has a lifetime spent interviewing politicians taught him about power, ambition and human nature? And after decades of speaking his mind, has he really said too much?Iain Dale is one of Britain's leading political broadcasters, commentators and authors. He presents the evening programme on LBC and is a regular contributor to Question Time, Newsnight and Good Morning Britain. His podcasts include For the Many, Iain Dale All Talk and Where Politics Meets History. He has written or edited more than sixty books, including The Prime Ministers, Why Can't We All Just Get Along? and Margaret Thatcher, selling over a million copies.A former parliamentary candidate, political publisher and managing director of Biteback Publishing, he is also a visiting professor of politics and broadcasting at the University of East Anglia.A Q&A Session will follow.