Editor: "I'm delighted to report that Fraser Nelson is the new Political Editor of The Spectator. Fraser - who is a good friend - succeeds Peter Oborne who is leaving to do more at Associated Newspapers and to invest more time in writing books. Fraser is a great writer and has long been part of the editorial team at The Business (ConservativeHome's favourite British newspaper). My warmest congratulations to Fraser."
I'll have to renew my subscription now...
Posted by: Ted | April 24, 2006 at 23:44
I agree- one might almost say a step in the right direction
Posted by: Wat Tyler | April 25, 2006 at 08:37
I first met Fraser when I was a 14 y-o. He's a skillful writer an will do well at the Spectator. I wish him the best of luck.
Posted by: Justin Hinchcliffe | April 25, 2006 at 09:43
I'm pleased but quite suprised at this as I would think that Nelson and D'ancona have very differing views on the Conservative leadership.Good for the Spectator in continuing its tradition of encouraging diversity of Conservative opinion.
I'm sorry 'though to see the departure of Oborne,I've enjoyed much of his work.
Posted by: malcolm | April 25, 2006 at 09:44
Oborne has been good. He has not shrunk away from explaining the evil goings on in British politics so far as he can. His book The Rise of Political Lying is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what has happened to Britain since 1991.
My worry would be that the frankness of Oborne will be replaced with someone unwilling to tell it like it is. The penalty for telling the truth is very high for a journalist these days, and thee are few like Oborne willing and able to stand up and be counted.
The Economist used to try and at least give hints as to what was really happening. But has since become part of the system, which merely replicates the government news narratives. I say 'government' news narratives. In fact many are imported from narratives pleasing to either Bush or the EU.
It will be a tragedy if the Spectator goes the same way, but given the pressures exerted on people in the media to conform, it would not surprise me.
Posted by: William | April 25, 2006 at 09:48
Good news on Fraser Nelson, bad news on Oborne, Spectator is still very dull without Mark Steyn and frankly a little too parochial
Posted by: Rick | April 25, 2006 at 10:17
Oborne was one of the very best at the Spectator. This is a net loss.
Posted by: Goldie | April 25, 2006 at 14:47
Oborne was a really good writer and exhibited the correct moral response to New Labour: outrage, without ever spilling over into too much Hefferesque ranting (instead he investigated their lying process and showed us all just how ghastly the Labour party is). Nelson: I saw him at a Dave C thing in the city. It's my loss I know, but my marxist class dislike thing started twitching. His columns have been antiCam too, which suits most folk here I know but only means for me that the Spectator, now without Boris, Mark Steyn and Peter Oborne (but STILL with Taki and Paul "Shut Up You Old Fool" Johnson), won't be as pleasurable as it used to be.
Posted by: Graeme Archer | April 25, 2006 at 16:12
I'm delighted by this - having seconded Fraser Nelson yesterday in the Writer's thread, it's good to see him getting this platform.
I agree it would be great to see Mark Steyn back with a regular slot to comment on the UK - he's sorely missed at the moment.
I assume Oborne won't be a total loss to the Spectator & that we will be seeing him there from time to time.
Boris, bless him, had allowed the Spectator to lose some of its sharpness. D'Ancona seems to be correcting this & I might, too, renew my subscription which lapsed a couple of years ago after about 10 years. I haven't felt the gap that keenly yet - but hope that it will soon become a required read again.
Posted by: Simon C | April 25, 2006 at 17:22
What's wrong with Taki?
Posted by: John Hustings | April 25, 2006 at 18:35
"Boris, bless him, had allowed the Spectator to lose some of its sharpness."
Nevertheless he did manage to increase its circulation.
Posted by: Richard | April 25, 2006 at 19:33
Very sad to see Obourne go. Unlike many journalists his rage against New Labour had nothing to do with partisan politics and everything to do with principled outrage. His description of the Blair-Cameron stich up on state funding "the most sordid event I have reported on in British politics" should be repeated over and over again.
That being said Nelson is a good replacement.
Posted by: Richard Allen | April 25, 2006 at 20:17
Boris can put words together and charm an audience when he wants to. But his reporting of the Conservative leadership contest was lamentable. No one else existed except Cameron. 'This is Cameron country,' he wrote.
OK it guaranteed Boris a new job, but surely using the Spectator as a tool for personal promotion, and abandoning any attempt at balanced coverage of such a key political event was shocking.
Posted by: William | April 26, 2006 at 07:19
FRASER NELSON IS AN EXCELLENT WRITER AND I WILL DEFINATELY BE RENEWING MY SPECTATOR SUBSCRPITION
Posted by: KIRSTY | November 01, 2007 at 19:51