Cameron crashes as Popplewell asks about Conservative Gay Rights record

As we near the General Election it is not only the political parties setting out their stalls to the voters of the UK, but also the Party Leaders as well setting out their pitch to be the next Prime Minister.

Let's face it for months many journalists and pundits all over the land thought David Cameron and the Conservatives had it all sown up, those of us within the political bubble perhaps thought differently, especially dependent on which party you happen to be a member of.

Well, as we know if Gordon Brown or Nick Clegg trip up or have a complete awful day or interview, Cameron's Conservatives are screaming from every blog, tweet and facebook status update within seconds.

However, when David Cameron himself does it, then they go on the proverbial attack as seen here on Iain Dale's blog. I normally have a lot of respect for Iain's musings, despite his politics and choice of football team, but on this occasion Iain has fallen into the trap that many of us are tempted to do when our leader or Party cocks up and just run for the battlements to pour boiling oil over the oncoming online attackers.

Yesterday, David Cameron was doing a joint interview, where as he was being asked questions for Gay Times as he was also being filmed by Channel Four , this is fairly commonplace now.  However, Dave just completely lost the plot and went into a serious meltdown.

The interview seemed to start well with the interviewer Martin Popplewell asking David Cameron about equality and then moving onto a key vote in the European Parliament about Lithuania introducing it's own version of Section 28.

I blogged about this very vote back in September 2009, you can read it here - Conservatives are complete hypocrites on LGBT issues as Section 28 raises its ugly head again - well Cameron just got tongue tied and although was being honest and saying I don't know about this particular vote just got himself worked up.

Now, Iain Dale said in his blog post that hardly anyone within the LGBT community knew about this vote - Pink News which is good at covering LGBT issues political and not so covered it back in September 2009, when the vote was first discussed, then December 2009 when it reared it's head again and then in February this year when the law was introduced.

Oh yes, and that small lobbying group, Amnesty International were on the case as well.  Apart from that and many thousands of people across the world Iain, no one noticed it.

Camerons team let him down yesterday, he should have been better briefed, if someone had asked me what does Nick Clegg need to know about for an interview with Gay Times, that vote would have been on my list!

Anyway, watch it for yourselves and see what you think?

Sequins and lycra back on the screen

As one reality show comes to a finale another is about to start. Big Brother is only 8 or 9 days away from finishing, I have to admit there have been some points in it I have really enjoyed and then others where I did think why on earth am I watching this drivel.

And today Channel 4 has announced that it will not be renewing the rights deal after 2010, so next year is the last one on Channel 4, whether it emerges elsewhere we will have to see.

Now we are eagerly awaiting the start of Strictly come dancing, the couples have all been announced, see them all here, there is a hunk, a clown, the battle of the soap stars, the battle of the sports stars and the unknowns, yes really, there are some people who I have no idea who they are.

This series will be different, because we don't have the wonderful Arlene Phillips on the judging panel, although she will be on the One Show as the expert - I still think this is a major mistake, the four judges were professionals and experts, Alesha Dixon is a pop star and a former contestant, that does not make her an expert, she has very, very large shoes to try to fill.

And then Darcey Bussell will appear as a guest judge towards the end of the series.

So, my favourites to watch will be Lynda Bellingham and Rav Wilding and Ian Waite from the professional dancers. It will be interesting to see how Tuffers does, he is bound to be the class clown this year.

Following the random draw done by last year's champion Camilla Dallerup (who isn't dancing this year), the following eight couples will now dance in week 1: Ali Bastian & Brian Fortuna, Loose woman Lynda Bellingham & Darren Bennett, boxer Joe Calzaghe & Kristina Rihanoff, Eastender Ricky Groves & Erin Boag, Martina Hingis & Matthew Cutler, BBC's Chris Hollins & Ola Jordan, Jade Johnson & Ian Waite and last but not least hunky crime stopper Rav Wilding & Aliona Vilani.

So, all my faves are in on the first show!

Friday 18th September will be Ballroom night, where the first eight of the celebrity contestants and their professional partners will be put through their paces dancing either a waltz or a tango.

Saturday 19th September will be Latin night where things will hot-up even more as the same couples perform a cha-cha or a rumba. At the end of the Saturday show, one of the above eight couples will be eliminated and will leave the show for good.

This is set to be a great series but let us hope the producers haven't cocked up by getting rid of Arlene.