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September 24, 2013

McBride publisher Iain Dale gets into a seaside scrap with protestor

By Axegrinder

Iain Dale looks like he’s been learning a thing or two from his new best mate Damian McBride.

Dale, a political blogger, radio presenter and now the publisher of McBride’s new book, has been escorting his charge from interview to interview down on the seaside at the Labour Party conference this week.

But his role as McBride’s minder went a step further this morning when Dale got into a fracas with a protestor who had wandered into shot during an interview with ITV’s Daybreak.

When the man, who was protesting against nuclear power, refused to budge, Dale wrestled him to the ground, withstanding a further attack from the man’s canine companion. A video of the set-to can be seen here.

On his blog, Dale later admitted that he had “committed the cardinal sin of becoming the story” but said he had no regrets about protecting his author. “I knew I shouldn’t have had three Weetabix this morning,” added the publisher.

But not everyone was impressed by Dale’s hardman act. Renowned political pugilist John Prescott said on Twitter: “I’ve just seen that incident. Was it a scuffle or are you auditioning for Strictly?”

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