Nominations for Best Writer

The fourth category in the Conservative Movement Awards 2007.

Your nominations and citations are sought for the columnist, journalist, politician or blogger (book authors were covered by yesterday's thread) who has made the biggest impression on you this year...

Comments

[Cernig]

Andrew Sullivan.

Peter Hitchens

[Editor]

We really need citations, Cernig, not just names.

[Paul Oakley]

Jeremy Clarkson. For his erudite column in the Sunday Times.

[David Cooper]

Jeff Randall, for his twice weekly Telegraph columns, his survey of the problems faced by small business in Brown's Britain, and his TV show on the pensions crisis earlier this year.

[Scotty]

It has to be Quentin Letts who always produces an entertaining political sketch which brings politics alive. He also single handedly stood up and criticised the shoddy behaviour of the political lobby over its media coverage of Cameron in Brown's first months.

[Malcolm Dunn]

Fraser Nelson should be in with a shout. He's by far the best writer on the Spectator. I don't always agree with him but he is always thought provoking and erudite.
I know Parris won last year but would like to nominate him again. He's consistently excellent.

[Sullivan fan]

Andrew Sullivan for his consistent advocacy of libertarian conservatism and principled opposition to the Bush administration's neo-conservative imperialism and trashing of civil libertiies.

[Andrew Woodman]

I'd second Randall and Letts for the reasons given.

[Cernig]

What the guy said about Sullivan.

Peter Hitchens for his excellent series of non-hyperbolic columns on Iran.

That better?

Regards, C

[Paul Oakley]

I've just been told that Jeremy Clarkson is a Europhile (allegedly). As such, I withdraw the nomination and propose Richard Littlejohn instead.

[john]

Mathew Pariss is the most thoughtful writer.
Quentin Letts is the most entertaining.

[Adam]

Fraser Nelson's writing and comment has been excellent in The Spectator and on the coffee house blog.

[The Edge]

John Redwood's output this year has been phenomenal. His economics report helped put tax cuts back on the agenda and so contributed to Brown's current wobble. He has taken to blogging with great ease and made many interesting contributions to the political debate. He has also attacked the government over a number of issues like Northern Rock without stepping on the toes of the shadow cabinet.

[pabw]

Agree, has to be Fraser Nelson. Consistently excellent articles and v good stuff on the coffee house posts too.

Is there a best new blog award coming? One clear winner - Ben Brogan. Excellent analysis and always seems a step ahead of competitors. He shows just how good that sort of a blog can be when a proper journalist puts his mind to blogging (the Coffee House blog a close second).

[Donal Blaney]

Daniel Hannan for his wit, intellect and cogent persuasion in the Telegraph.

[Sullivan fan]

Nelson and Brogan are lightwight hacks who depend upon titbits being fed to them by the Westminster village. Sullivan is a far more intelligent, thoughtful and courageous writer. The neo-con lackeys in the Weekly Standard (e.g. Kristol) and National Review (e.g. Frum) despise him. You can't get a better endorsement than that.

[Sub-Prime Minister Brown]

Certainly NOT Matthew D'Anconna or the Telegraph's Andrew Porter

They seem to be the only "Blue Brownites" left

[Ben L]

Graeme Archer, definitely. Deft, witty, often moving and incredibly humane. His column is at the top of my Sunday must-read list.

[John Ionides]

I'll second Graeme Archer. I very much enjoy his writing but, more importantly, my wife (who is a fairly non-political creature) loves it too. He makes Conservative thinking accessible to those who would not normally be receptive to it, and that is a tremendous achievement.

[Malcolm Dunn]

Yes I hadn't thought of one of CHs own columnists.Graeme is certainly a very talented writer who I suspect could write about much wider subjects than politics but I would certainly add my name to the list asking for his nomination.

[CCHQ Spy]

James Forsyth is very good at Coffee Shop... esp. on Foreign affairs.

If we're nominating CHome columnists I suggest Stephan Shakespeare. His Monday columns are always worthwhile although I didn't understand the barnowl one.

[Liam Roberts]

Nadine Dorries for the Scouser in her that allows her to tell it as it is. Something that is missing from most politicians

[Keith]

Please add my name to your very own Graeme Archer, he has a style that really suits a Sunday column – he can make you think, smile and even shed the odd tear. Reading the column is a great start to a Sunday

[Joe James Broughton]

I'm impressed by Nadine Dorries.
Clear, to the point,
and you feel she would actually do something.

I can't stand Ed Balls.

[Cameron Watt]

It has to be Fraser Nelson.

His articles have brilliantly exposed Labour's abject failure to tackle our most acute social problems, including welfare dependency and family breakdown.

[Simon Walters]

Graeme Archer, of course. He reflects uniquely, life, people and Conservative philosophies in the mirror of his own boundless humanity.

[TaxCutter]

My preference is for Jeff Randall. For his constant belief in small government, enterprise and spot-on attacks on Labour's incompetence.

Whilst I don't share his religious views, Archbishop Cranmer writes an often excellent and erudite blog, advocating the very best of tradtional Conservativsm.

Louise Bagshawe's columns are by some distance the best of the regular columnists on Conservative Home, and generally very well written.

[JESSICA LAWRENCE]

RICHARD LITTLEJOHN - VERY AMUSING AND ALWAYS GETS TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER. IN MY OPINION A VERY TALENTED WRITER.

[Kirsty]

Nominating Fraser Nelson. He is one of the best journalists around. He is able to write brilliantly for different readerships ie News of the World and the Spectator. Writes very insightful pieces and seems to want to genuninely inform the reader.

[Andrew Boff]

When I was younger I was addicted to 'The Times.' My ritual was to put it in the fridge for a while(a cold crisp paper is much better than a warm one) before opening it up and losing myself in the various columns. After this, I would find myself trying to engineer discussions so that I would, coincidentally, be able to reel off the facts and opinions, and very often new words, that I had learned.
Nowadays, I rarely retain any information a few seconds after the last sentence has been read and consequently don't even bother buying a daily or Sunday newspaper. They just seem like a completely ephemeral waste of time.
Graeme Archer's column takes me back to my youth. I can disagree with him, as I sometimes do, but respect the very erudite reasoning behind his opinions. I find myself thinking about his ideas days, if not weeks, after I've read them. He makes me laugh out loud and is one of the few writers who can make my spine tingle with a hopeful description of humanity. He's also taught me a lot of new words.

[UKIP]

As much as i like Jeremy Clarkson, he is a europhile, oddly. He criticizes all of it, yet openly says he likes it.

Richard Littlejohn is an open honest guy who calls a spade a spade.

Lastly, all you Conservatives, JOIN UKIP! QUIT THE EU, SAVE THE UK!