Henry Porter



Profile:
Full name: Henry Porter

Area of interest: Politics

Journals: The Observer, Vanity Fair

Email: [mailto:porter@bluehome.demon.co.uk porter@bluehome.demon.co.uk]

Website: Guardian.co | On Liberty

Blog: Henry Porter & Afua Hirch

Agent:

Networks:



Biography:
Education: Wellington School; University of Manchester: art history

Career: The Sunday Times: reporter, interviewer, editor of the "Atticus" column (1982/1985); Illustrated London News: editor in chief 1987/1989; The Sunday Correspondent magazine: editor in chief; The Independent on Sunday: two years as executive editor; joined Vanity Fair as London editor, 1992- Current position/role: Vanity Fair magazine: London editor; The Observer: Columnist


 * also writes/has written for: Evening Standard, The Sunday Telegraph

Other roles: Author

Other activities: Co-founder of The Convention on Modern Liberty with Anthony Barnett

Disclosures:

Viewpoints/Insight:
 * Interview by Max Hastings: A Brandenburg concerto for our times, The Guardian, 26th June 2005
 * The limits of liberty: We're all suspects now The Independent, 19th October 2006

TV/Radio:
 * Channel 4 documentary: Suspect Nation on the issue of the paring down of civil liberties, November 2006 (view the TV trailer)

Controversy/Criticism:

Awards/Honours:

Other: Married to Liz Elliot, features editor of House & Garden



Books & Debate:

 * Lies, damned lies and some exclusives OCLC 11927028, 1984
 * Remembrance Day OCLC 43245934, 1999
 * A spy's life OCLC 156781939, 2001
 * Empire State OCLC 52458674, 2003
 * Brandenburg Gate OCLC 62381603 – winner of the Crime Writers' Association Ian Fleming Steel Dagger award for best thriller, 2005
 * The master of the fallen chairs OCLC 174131065, 2008
 * The dying light OCLC 488635460, 2009

Latest work: The bell ringers, Orion, August 2009

Speaking/Appearances: [http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/jessica-mann/what-price-liberty-discussion-in-truro-this-saturday What price liberty? Discussion in Truro] - The speakers are demonstrating their own concern about Civil Liberties, some by travelling 300 miles each way, in midwinter, to address our gathering. They include Katharine Whitehorn, Henry Porter, the Chief Constable for Devon & Cornwall, Ursula Owen and the historian Frederick Taylor. Proceedings will be chaired by Kate Adie. 18th January 2010

Debate: Britain's liberties: The great debate 'Over the past few months Henry Porter has written a series of articles in The Observer criticising what he sees as a sustained government assault on fundamental freedoms. He attacked a range of measures, including legislation on identity cards, new police powers and anti-terror laws. Porter's critique has generated a huge response from the public - and now from the Prime Minister. Here, in this extraordinary email exchange, Tony Blair rejects the criticism - and announces plans to go further' - The Observer, April 23, 2006

Current debate: Against the motion - Are free markets a necessary and sufficient condition for free minds, or do they leave us prey to over-powerful corporations? - Centre for Policy Studies debate on Rupert Murdoch's Inaugural Margaret Thatcher Lecture October 2010 

The Observer:
Column remit: Politics

Section: Comment

Role: Columnist

Pen-name:

Email:

Website: Guardian.co / Henry Porter

Commissioning editor:

Day published: Sunday

Regularity:

Column format:

Average length:



Articles:

 * must be bliss to be alive, young and Arab in this dawn of revolution'' - Spend time in Tunisia or Egypt and it is clear that the protests are not driven by ideology but the search for equity - 6th March 2011
 * Murdoch's arrogant empire must be reined in'' - News International has become too influential for the good of British society - 24th January 2011
 * Chilcot is our finest inquisitor, thank heavens for WikiLeaks'' - Tony Blair's evasions at the Chilcot inquiry continue to be an insult to the British public - 23rd January 2011
 * can Murdoch be handed Sky while the stench of corruption lingers?'' - The phone-hacking was disgraceful, but the behaviour of News International is more scandalous still - 9th January 2011
 * Cable's idiocy leaves Britain at Murdoch's mercy'' - A newspaper sting and Vince Cable's hubris have handed the owner of the Sun yet more power - 26th December 2010
 * may make the powerful howl, but we are learning the truth'' - WikiLeaks has offered us glimpses of how the world works. And in most cases nothing but good can come of it - 12th December 2010
 * the 7/7 survivors and my friend Hitch tell us about courage'' - Bravery, whether performed in the public eye or in privacy, can take many forms - 28th November 2010
 * Corner tradition is under threat'' - It is troubling if an anti-war demonstration at Speakers' Corner can be blocked for fear of obstructing visitors to a festive event - 16th November 2010
 * freedom bill will mean nothing if we keep repressive measures like control orders'' - The forthcoming freedom bill will lose all its meaning if we keep repressive measures like control orders and 28-day detention without charge - 7th November 2010
 * of the madness of 7/7 emerge lessons in how to face terrorism'' - The modest stories of bravery deserve the respect of politicians passing laws purporting to protect us - 24th October 2010
 * Cable must be bold and break Murdoch's stranglehold'' - Unless the business secretary intervenes, the merger of BSkyB with News International could further threaten the wellbeing of British media - 10th October 2010
 * can't just leave it to the police – we must all tackle antisocial behaviour'' - Throwing more resources at the problem may help, but let's restore respect and self-restraint to our streets - 26th September 2010
 * Murdoch and the future of British media'' - As angry MPs agree witnesses should be called to account over the phone-hacking affair, Henry Porter and Will Hutton examine the wide influence of the media empire behind the scandal - 11th September 2010
 * have a scientific Olympiad as well as one devoted to the arts'' - The widespread ignorance of science reflects badly on a nation with a such a questing and inventive history - 29th August 2010
 * must come clean about Iraq and spurn its Blairite legacy'' - The leadership candidates need to come out and say what went wrong and why New Labour practised the great deceit on the British public - 25th July 2010
 * Tomlinson case should be aired in open court'' - The public needs to see justice done. Instead the DPP's decision sends a message that the police are immune from prosecution - 24th July 2010
 * Theresa May and the new spirit of freedom'' - The review of UK terrorism laws reveals a home secretary moving in the right direction on civil liberties - 14th July 2010
 * coalition is proving to be a champion of common sense'' - David Cameron and Nick Clegg share a view of the state which is fundamentally distinct from Labour's centralised authority - 11th July 2010
 * let's be beastly to the Germans'' - We believe Britain to be the superior democracy, but that unreconstructed attitude is far from the truth - 27th June 2010
 * the midst of horror, be amazed at the goodness of the survivors'' - An outrage such as that visited on Cumbria by Derrick Bird reveals just how far from a broken Britain we are - 6th June 2010
 * voices of liberty have triumphed and Britain is better for it'' - The pernicious laws of the last 13 years are to be swept away in a repeal act thanks to a chance electoral result - 16th May 2010
 * this really the end of Punch and Judy politics?'' - The adversarial system we have lived with for so long is outdated and a bar to true progress - 9th May 2010 (Cif at the polls)
 * little bit of religious bigotry is tolerable in a healthy society'' - The new secular orthodoxy comes laden with threats to traditional religious beliefs and freedoms - 2nd May 2010
 * of one nation's catastrophe comes a clarion call for honesty'' - Iceland's proposal to create a haven for investigative journalism should be welcomed by all who cherish freedom of expression - 11th April 2010
 * and passionate: how Obama sealed his place in history'' - After a bruising first year, the president has seen off the cynics by remembering what drew him to seek office - 28th March 2010
 * who say history will absolve the Iraq warmongers are deluded'' - If you argue that last week's election proved the war was right, you are stepping over 100,000 bodies - 14th March 2010
 * hunger for power is a looming threat to democracy'' - News International's dismissal of the parliamentary report on the News of the World phone scandal just shows their contempt for the law, MPs and other media - 28th February 2010
 * are fearing for their rights'' - The public has grown increasingly concerned about the rise of the state's surveillance culture, according to a new poll - 20th February 2010
 * hidden battle for parliament's soul'' - It was great last week to see MPs try to take back control of Westminster from the party machines - 14th February 2010
 * I start to write my latest book, I fear for the future of publishing'' - Retailing pressure and the emergence of the ebook are threatening the future of authors and their work - 7th February 2010
 * playing politics with our rights and freedoms. They're too valuable'' - What we need now is a great repeal bill that restores all that Labour has taken from us - 24th January 2010
 * snow has proved a real ice-breaker'' - At last, the cold snap has given us Brits an excuse to do what comes naturally: help each other - 10th January 2010
 * discovered the virtues of idleness'' - Doing nothing, a good view, no stress – the best way to start a new year. But I know it won't last - 3rd January 2010
 * horror of virtual courts is upon us'' - Jack Straw's video links to magistrates' courts threaten young and vulnerable defendants in jail - 20th December 2009
 * on class is madness when we search for leadership'' - Those sneering about background in parliament should take care. As a nation we've always been more interested in character - 6th December 2009
 * no problem voting Conservative, but I'm still not convinced by this lot'' - There is a lot of sense in Tory thinking but they must do more to close the gap between rich and poor - 22nd November 2009
 * love Europe, but I despair of the EU'' - Twenty years after I watched the Berlin Wall fall, I worry that the hope it inspired is being slowly crushed - 8th November 2009
 * Tony Blair the right man to be president of Europe?'' - with Charles Grant - 25th October 2009
 * are shockingly complacent about locking up 2,000 children a year'' - The plight of the children of asylum seekers represents a sadly unexceptional failure of public conscience - 18th October 2009
 * end of the world is nigh? No, things are getting better'' - It's easy to be pessimistic at the rate at which the world is changing for the worse, but good leadership could save us yet - 27th September 2009
 * there's a spy in my soup'' - Even when out for dinner in a restaurant, we are not free from snooping CCTV cameras - 20th September 2009
 * need to repeal 12 years of vile laws attacking our liberty'' - In its final gibbering months this government continues to wage its tyrannical war on freedom - 13th September 2009
 * Palio sums up civic pride'' - Beyond the exciting chaos of Siena's Palio lies a collective self-respect we would do well to copy - 23rd August 2009
 * one's fooled – we colluded in torture'' - The government must at last come clean about its complicity in this 'brutalising disease' - 2nd August 2009
 * toxic culture of suspicion is souring our children's lives'' - Adults will find it hard to interact with young people if hysterical paranoia means they are all viewed as potential abusers - 19th July 2009
 * of the hacked'' - If Murdoch's papers really believe in public interest they should disclose all details of illegal tapping - 9th July 2009
 * soldiers give all, while the politicians starve them of cash'' - Tony Blair still preaches the gospel of liberal interventionism, but in Afghanistan the lack of a well-resourced plan is fatal - 5th July 2009
 * radical action will end this lethal search for 'respect''' - Decriminalising drugs could be one weapon in the battle to rid Britain's inner-city streets of the menace of gang culture - 14th June 2009
 * is not radical enough. That is why we're in trouble'' - Orwell said that our national detachment could be seen as a form of wisdom - but indifference has landed us in the mess we're in - 31st May 2009
 * the use of secondary legislation'' - new politics: Statutory instruments greatly increase the power of the executive and allow ministers to avoid public and critical scrutiny - 20th May 2009
 * reform, responsibility - the three 'Rs' every MP needs to learn'' - The expenses scandal has made it very clear that we suffer not from a 'broken society' but from broken politics - 17th May 2009
 * mourn the death of local newspapers'' - Films about journalism can only hint at the vital, exciting and romantic work of the city reporter - 26th April 2008
 * crushing of eco-protest brings shame on our police'' - Labour appears to agree with those campaigning against climate change, so why the vindictive action against them? - 19th April 2009
 * is just an amoral menace'' - The ever-growing empire produces nothing but seems determined to control everything - 5th April 2009
 * off that sofa and start an argument'' - From Ullapool pubs to the Royal Geographical Society, a new enthusiasm for debate is lightening our dark days - 22nd March
 * saw the birth of a great movement for liberty'' - The standard has been raised against Straw and those who would destroy rights and liberties - 1st March 2009
 * fiddle while parliamentary democracy burns'' - It rarely seems to occur to both parties that the one institution that is really ripe for radical reform is the Commons - 15th February 2009
 * If I were 20 years younger I would take to the streets'' - The riots in Paris and the demonstrations against foreign work forces being used at British oil refineries and a power station seemed to be a presentiment of widespread civil disturbance, especially in this country - 1st February 2009
 * the war on hypocrisy begin'' - Next month, an extraordinary coalition will unite to fight for our liberties. I urge you to join us - 18th January 2009
 * did so many smart people get suckered by Bernard Madoff?'' - His gravity-defying streak looks like a piece of botched homework, like a lie - 21st December 2008 (Summary of Bernard Madoff news articles here)
 * pity of a child's dictionary that junks words of imagination'' - We have moved from a roaming childhood to one that is lived indoors and must wrestle with such dull concepts - 14th December 2008
 * week, a dear friend of freedom was laid to rest'' - The gentlemen's agreement that ensured our liberties has been destroyed by the Damian Green case. A Bill of Rights has therefore never been more needed - 7th December 2008
 * youthful brush with Baader Meinhof'' - No amount of romance should obscure the vanity of terrorists seduced by death and killing others - 23rd November 2008
 * involvement and a pursuit of the common good - that's the key'' - Obama needs to be kept up to the mark by the activists who brought him to power: only with that scrutiny will he serve the common good - 9th November 2008
 * hope that dare not speak its name'' - The Democrats know an Obama victory is probable, but they've been disappointed before - 2nd November 2008
 * 42 day victory hasn't won the war'' - But the government's attack on civil liberties is finally driving ordinary citizens to protest - 19th October 2008
 * should have stuck to being a policeman, not a politician'' - Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair's besetting sin was to forget that he was a servant of the public, not our master - 5th October 2008
 * City's greatest lie was to convince us we were all rich'' - 21st September 2008
 * obsession with crime is crushing our freedoms'' - Between talk of broken society and ever-increasing powers of police surveillance, there seems to be a competition between politicians to make us miserable - 7th September 2008
 * refuse to dismiss writers who inspired me, even if others do'' - Today, it is almost impossible to capture what Alexander Solzhenitsyn meant - 10th August 2008
 * Mosley's victory has a hollow ring for the rest of us'' - As a privacy law now seems inevitable, we must ensure it enshrines our freedoms, not erodes them still further - 27th July 2008

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Latest news & updates:

 * What price liberty? - Saturday's debate in Cornwall proved two things: senior police are intelligent people, and the public embraces open debate - Liberty Central Blog, The Guardian, 26th January 2010



Links:

 * Wikipedia bio