Iain Dale Keynote Speaker

Radio Presenter of the Year, Arqiva Awards 2013 & 2016
Sony Gold Award – Interview of the Year 2014
Editor of The Taoiseach (2025), exploring Irish political leadership

Iain Dale's Biography

Iain Dale is one of Britain’s most influential broadcasters and political commentators, renowned for his listener-first approach and incisive analysis. As host of LBC’s week-night Evening Show (Mon–Thu, 7–10 pm) and the debate programme Cross Question, he has anchored the station’s coverage of four UK general elections, three US presidential races, and both the Scottish and Brexit referendums. His on-air excellence has earned multiple honours, including two Arqiva Radio Presenter of the Year awards and a Sony Gold for Interview of the Year, while the Broadcasting Press Guild shortlisted him for Audio Presenter of the Year in 2022.

A prolific writer and publisher, Dale has written or edited more than fifty books that distil three centuries of leadership, among them Why Can’t We All Get Along, The Prime Ministers, The Presidents, On This Day in Politics, and The Dictators. In 2025, he released Margaret Thatcher, a concise biography praised for its balanced portrayal, and an updated edition of Memories of Margaret Thatcher, marking her centenary with over 30 new essays. He also edited British By-Elections: The 88 By-Elections That Shook British Politics and The Taoiseach, a comprehensive study of Irish political leadership featuring contributions from leading historians and journalists.

Beyond the page and the studio, Dale co-hosts the podcast Where Politics Meets History with historian Dr Tessa Dunlop and has recorded hundreds of episodes of the award-winning For the Many with Jacqui Smith. His live shows, Iain Dale All Talk and For the Many Live!, continue to tour theatres and festivals across the UK, including a return to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2025. Regular appearances on Newsnight, Good Morning Britain, CNN International, and Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine Show complement his columns for The Telegraph, Evening Standard, and the i paper.

Dale is Visiting Professor of Politics and Broadcasting at the University of East Anglia (BA German & Linguistics, 1985), a Non-Executive Director of the Lending Standards Board, and an ambassador for Diabetes UK and the Royal Osteoporosis Society. Drawing on frontline campaign experience (North Norfolk, 2005) and decades inside Westminster’s corridors, he equips audiences worldwide with practical strategies for navigating today’s polarised media and political landscapes.

Margaret Thatcher

Iain is an expert on the life and career of Margaret Thatcher and has recently published a short biography of her looking at her career, premiership, successes and failures

State of Politics

Using his 45 years of being active in the political world Iain talks about the state of Westminster politics and how the UK fits into the world. He talks about the strengths and weaknesses of prime ministers going back to Harold Wilson and Ted Heath and what needs to be done to mend our broken political system.

State of the Media

As a commentator and broadcaster for 25 years, Iain uses his experience in political radio, TV, punditry and being a blogging and social media pioneer, Iain talks about the changes in the political media over the last quarter of a century, based on his 2020 book WHY CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG: SHOUT LESS, LISTEN MORE. He is concerned about the state of our public discourse and examines what can be done about it.

State of the Conservative Party

Iain has 45 years experience in the Conservative Party as an activist, party agent, parliamentary candidate, adviser and analyst. No one is better placed to talk about how the Conservative Party rose to be the dominant force in British politics for two separate lengthy periods, and how it now faces a battle for survival in the face of a challenge from the Right from Reform UK

He anchors national political debate as host of LBC’s weeknight Evening Show and Cross Question, translating elections, referendums and Westminster drama into clear, usable insight for leaders.
He brings proven interview authority recognised with major broadcasting honours, helping audiences understand how to question, persuade and stay credible under pressure.
He has written and edited more than 50 books on leadership and political power, giving organisations historical perspective that sharpens judgement in today’s volatile landscape.
He connects politics, media and public sentiment through podcasts, live touring shows and regular TV appearances, equipping teams to communicate with clarity in a polarised, always-on environment.
He brings institutional credibility as a Visiting Professor of Politics and Broadcasting and a Non-Executive Director of the Lending Standards Board, linking frontline commentary to governance, standards and decision-making.

Videos of Iain Dale

Cross Question with Iain Dale 09/03: Christine Jardine, Michael Crick, Alicia Kearns, Afua Hagan

Iain Dale speaks to Jon Craig | Iain Dale All Talk

Books by Iain Dale

Margaret Thatcher: The Prime Ministers Series

Kings and Queens: 1200 Years of English and British Monarchs

The Prime Ministers: Winner of the PARLIAMENTARY BOOK AWARDS 2020

The Dictators

Comments & Testimonials

Iain skillfully hosted our fireside chat, balancing challenging questions with warmth and humour that kept our guests engaged. His professionalism and adherence to our brief made him the perfect intermediary with our senior executives.

Daniel Munden Global Head of External Communications, BAT.

“We are a multi-million pound comms agency working across the UK. Our client base comprises CEOs and senior executives with a thirst for top level political and media insight. Iain Dale has undertaken a number of events for us a panellist and speaker to invited audiences. He has consistently delivered engaging and relevant content and left audiences wanting more. We will absolutely be using him again.”

Kevin Craig Managing Director, PLMR

"Iain expertly and deftly handled multiple back-to-back panel sessions across a broad range of subject matters. His acute sensitivity to tonal shifts, panellists’ personalities, and the underlying issues meant every conversation felt focused, well-paced, and rich with insight."

Kieran Jones Head of Communications & Advocacy – NACFB