Stephen puts Iain Dale in his place

Almost as exciting as Shumi being on Top Gear was the selection of local businesswoman April Pond as Liberal Democrat candidate for the Norwich North by-election.

It was clear from the start that April would be a fantastic MP given her strong record of campaigning in the area, helping small businesses and to working to save the local hospital, however it's always an added bonus if the opposition is wound up.

Tory blogger Iain Dale had a bit of a go at April on his site within hours of her being selected. I've tried to link to the exact story but for some reason Blogger is playing up so I can't, but you'll find it in the general direction of here.

Dale was swiftly put in his place by the indomitable Stephen who exposed its hypocrisy given the actions of Tory candidates in Scotland.

Dale should be ashamed at himself for using some really nasty sexist language in his piece and owes April a huge apology for effectively calling her a whore.

Nice work, Mr Glenn!

UPDATE 22 June: I commented to the effect of the above, and also pointing out that there's a fair chunk of Norwich North in the soon to be constituency of Broadlands, on Iain Dale's blog last night:

"I can almost get you wanting to make trouble, even if you don't have a case, given that as I understand it the sson to be formed Broadlands constituency and the Norwich North one share some territory.

However, to do so using such misogynistic, sexist terminology is appalling and if you do nothing else, you should withdraw that and apologise to April."

And look at the firestorm that followed from Iain:

"Get over yourself. There's nothing worse in politics than holier than thou, sanctimonious LibDems on the rampage. What else would you call it then?".

The comments, I would suggest, of a man who has seriously screwed up and he knows it.

In the end of the day, this is about Iain Dale calling a female political opponent a whore. Not a term, I suggest, that he would use about a man. I still think he owes April an apology for that. I backed him up when the odious Derek Draper called him racist but he has well overstepped the mark here.

LibDig This!