Commenting on the Commentators of the 2017 General Election Commenting on the Commentators of the 2017 General Election
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Commenting on the Commentators of the 2017 General Election Commenting on the Commentators of the 2017 General Election In an era of accelerated mass media, targeted analysis and interpretation shapes politicians’ advertising and “fake news”, understanding the views of themselves and their opponents, in turn voices influencing the political agenda has never guiding the policies and proposals they present been more important. to the electorate. No one would dispute the national impact of In this guide, we have provided some Robert Peston or Laura Kuenssberg – the BBC’s background information and observations of a News at 10 alone averages around 4.6 million selection of the country’s key commentators in viewers every night. Both have a direct impact the 2017 General Election campaign. on the electorate, shaping our collective view While by no means exhaustive, it is sobering and understanding of contemporary politics. that any list of significant political commentators In contrast, less high-profile commentators shaping perceptions of the General Election have a more subtle, indirect impact upon contains so few women or people from non- the electorate. While the opinions of David white backgrounds. Aaronovitch or Quentin Letts may be relatively unknown outside of the Westminster bubble, within the beltway their views carry huge influence. Unlike broadcast journalists, they have more freedom to share their opinions. Their 2 David Aaronovitch The Times Columnist and Radio 4’s Briefing Room Presenter Politics: New Labour Media: National Print and Broadcast Twitter followers: 104,000 Notable election quote: “The best Labour MPs are, to since the departure of Tony Blair. He continues to be a my mind, the best MPs of any party. I want what they strong advocate for humanitarian intervention, notably want. Yet in so far as any of them might contribute to criticising then Labour leader Ed Miliband for opposing a majority for Mr Corbyn (or Mr McDonnell or anyone military action in Syria in 2013. remotely similar) I would vote against them.” He has been an outspoken critic of Jeremy Corbyn’s Son of the legendary communist, alternative economist leadership from the outset, particularly on foreign and working class intellectual Sam Aaronovitch, David policy, claiming in a recent column that he may be Aaronovitch has been an unabashed supporter of the pushed to vote for the Conservatives as a result. New Labour project for over 30 years. Aaronovitch has a deep personal antipathy with Aaronovitch was the founding editor of Radio 4’s Corbyn’s chief of political strategy and communication On the Record, while also appearing in print as a – Seumas Milne. Peter Wilby, reporting in a New columnist, leader and parliamentary sketch writer at Statesman article The Thin Controller, claimed that The Independent, The Observer and The Guardian. the latter refused to publish the former’s work while he His contributions strongly supported Blairism, arguing was Comment Editor at The Guardian. Aaronovitch’s that Labour needed to control the centre ground column found a home at The Times, now livened with to win elections and enact more socialist policies. A barbs for his erstwhile colleague. prominent left-wing media supporter of the invasion of Iraq, Aaronovitch has drifted from the Labour Party 3 Stephen Bush New Statesman Special Correspondent Politics: Centre-Left Media: Current Affairs and Politics Magazine Twitter followers: 40,200 Notable election quote: “The Liberal Democrats are Bush’s ascendancy in the world of journalism has looking for love in all the wrong places.” been down to his astute and extensive historical and political knowledge supporting meticulous reporting Despite still being in his 20s, Bush has been catapulted of the facts. to the political fore and has established himself as one of the most compelling and reliable commentators in A former writer for the New Labour pressure group the business. Progress, Bush is a left-leaning centrist. However, he has successfully forged a position as a fair, objective critic At the New Statesman he has made his name as one rather than a political partisan – earning the respect of of the leading lights of the British Left for his incisive the different factions within the Labour party, as well as analysis and foresight. He was the first commentator Conservative and Lib Dems insiders. to call Jeremy Corbyn’s victory in the first Labour leadership election and he also correctly predicted that Labour would fall short at the general election in 2015. In 2016 he was placed at number 76 on Iain Dale’s 100 Most Influential People on The Left, one of only six journalists on the list. 4 Philip Collins The Times Chief Leader Writer and Columnist Politics: Centrist Media: National Print Twitter followers: 38,500 Notable election quote: “The abject weakness of the of jargon and terminology in speeches to convey key Labour Party means that this election will produce the political ideas. According to Collins, Blair’s last conference largest majority for an empty political project in British speech as Labour Leader in Manchester in 2007 was the electoral history.” most challenging: “We spent 80 per cent of the time, doing 20 per cent of the speech.” Philip Collins is the chief leader writer and columnist at The Times. Prior to entering politics, he spent a number A critic of the turn that Labour have taken since 2010 of years in investment banking as an equity strategist. In through Ed Miliband and now Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, 2000, he was appointed Director of the Social Market Collins expects a large Tory majority in the upcoming Foundation (SMF), an independent public policy think tank election. He is sceptical about Theresa May, claiming the where it is said he was responsible for changing its image to Prime Minister has little to say, and has not articulated a “generator of ideas for New Labour”. clearly why she wanted the job at all. Collins is probably best known for his role as Chief Speech Collins is currently Chairman of the think tank Demos Writer to the then Prime Minister Tony Blair. When asked and visiting fellow at University College Oxford. about the qualities needed for his job by The Daily Telegraph, he said that you had to be able to think clearly and above all else resist “stale thoughts and soggy clichés”. Collins has been described as having an “earthy sense of pragmatism”. He clearly relished his time working with the former Prime Minister and has spoken about Blair’s dislike 5 Matthew D’Ancona Guardian Columnist and Bright Blue Chair Politics: Centre-Right Media: National Print Twitter followers: 31,500 D’Ancona’s chairmanship of the centre-right think tank As a columnist for The Guardian from 2010, D’Ancona Bright Blue made him an influential voice in centre-right has highlighted bullying within his own party and called politics during the Cameron and Osborne years. As a on Theresa May to take steps to address internal party former deputy editor of The Daily Telegraph and The culture and behaviour or face the perception that the Spectator, D’Ancona was an influential supporter of Tories are once again seen as the “nasty party”. Cameron’s “Compassionate Conservativism”. D’Ancona places the current shifts towards more Despite welcoming the current Conservative extreme right-left politics in the UK within a broader dominance of UK politics, D’Ancona has been narrative of “Post Truth”, suggesting in his book of vociferous in his criticism of the opposition under the same name that lies and untruths have become Jeremy Corbyn – quietly concerned that a Labour Party politically acceptable arguments. distracted by its own internal crises has provided the breathing room for a Conservative shift to the right. A supporter of the free-market and socially liberal, his influence has waned under the more interventionist brand of Conservativism heralded by Theresa May. However, he still holds considerable sway over surviving Cameroons. 6 Tom Newton Dunn The Sun Political Editor Politics: Populist Right Media: Tabloid Twitter followers: 66,100 As Political Editor of The Sun, Newton Dunn is one of The paper’s backing of Theresa May comes as no the most pivotal and influential figures in British politics. surprise, being overwhelmingly Conservative for some The Sun remains Britain’s top-selling paper, and his time now. It has been notable how Newton Dunn has influence extends wider than this, having established endorsed and espoused the rhetoric of Theresa May’s himself as a pundit on Sky News’ Paper Review and on Tory interventionism – echoing the need to help those Radio 4’s Week in Westminster and What the Papers ‘just about managing’. It is this populist and small-c Say. conservative messaging that has so successfully appealed to The Sun and its readers. From a political family, Newton Dunn’s father was a Conservative MEP who crossed the aisle to the Liberal Democrats. Tom Newton Dunn won the 2015 politics journalism prize for scooping the Plebgate scandal revelations. 7 Danny Finkelstein The Times Columnist, Conservative Peer Politics: Centre-Right Media: National Print Twitter followers: 352,000 A Conservative Peer since 2013 and a former advisor He has lamented the impact of the EU referendum on to William Hague and John Major, the witty and genial the Conservative Party. After the loss of his political ally Lord Finkelstein is known for his erudite political Cameron, Finkelstein gave a grim outlook for Theresa analysis and closeness with the more liberal wing of the May’s inheritance: “The new prime minister, like her Conservative Party. predecessor, will be hemmed in by a divided party, a tiny majority and economic woes.” A respected Conservative Peer and a close acolyte of David Cameron and George Osborne, Finkelstein’s Finkelstein’s mother was a Holocaust survivor and sharp analysis carries significant influence over the family friend of Anne Frank.