Delingpole – Free To Be Ignored

XCity magazine has brought us a fascinating insight into the strange and paranoid world of James “saviour of Western civilisation” Delingpole, in celebration of his leaving the bear pit that is Telegraph blogs and fetching up at Breitbart London, which is described, without a hint of irony, as a “right wing news site” (just exactly how Breitbart does “news”, I previously posted on HERE).

"Gay marriage" ... "Global warming" ... "Eco crucifixes" ... "Achingly right-on political correctness" ... "Lying scuzzballs" (continued air quotes #94)

Del Boy is clearly happy with his new berth: “I’ve joined Breitbart and I think it’s just amazing. I’m loving the fact that finally, I’m at a place where I’m free to be me. It’s good not just for me but it’s good for the world, because it means that people have finally woken up to the fact that there is an audience out there for this stuff. I’m not a freak, and I’m not marginalised and muzzled any more”.

He was “muzzled” at the Tel? Any comment from Damian Thompson, perchance? But let us consider his proposition: that there is “an audience out there for this stuff”. That is what the venture capitalists who Andrew Breitbart persuaded to part with their money are hoping. But if the endless succession of screaming click-bait fails to lure fans, the money men’s patience will not be limitless.

So who are the bad guys Del will be aiming for? Leveson, that’s who: “Leveson had nothing to do with Milly Dowler. It had everything to do with the left’s ongoing plan a) to try and shut down Rupert Murdoch and b) to rein in the kind of people they don’t believe should be writing journalism, i.e. people like me”. Yes, in the paranoid world of Delingpole, a judge-led Inquiry is part of “the left”.

And he doesn’t seem so sure of his ground, as witness “I believe in markets, I really do”, followed by “At Breitbart we’re obviously very dependent on people reading us. But I like that, I really do”. Why does he need to keep reassuring himself? Perhaps Del has realised that his new home requires that he churn out copy every day, and will keep him in what Stanley Unwin called “nosey grindstone” mode.

“I think the Breitbart business model is a good one, and I’m excited to be part of it” he enthuses. Perhaps he could tell us what that business model is, then? Otherwise, the only conclusion can be that some money has been staked on the site becoming self-financing within a given period of time, and that if this does not happen, the plug will be pulled and Delingpole will be left high and dry.

There is a little inability to realise that he is a figure of fun: “Obviously I also take great pleasure in causing misery to my enemies” (strange way of expressing the unintentional hilarity he causes across the political spectrum) before Del signs off by talking of people as “becoming these kind of drugged serfs that I think our society trains them to be”, rather than “they have better things to do”.

Still, it’s fascinating to know he still thinks his opinion matters. No change there.