James Blitz



Profile:
Full name: James Blitz

Area of interest: Politics and Government Journals: Financial Times

Email: [mailto:james.blitz@ft.com james.blitz@ft.com]

Website/blog: FT.Com / James Blitz

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Biography:
Education: City of London School; St Andrew's University: Modern History (1st class hons); Oxford University: St Antony’s College: Masters degree in Soviet and Eastern European Studies

Career: BBC news trainee. Moscow correspondent for the Sunday Times, 1989-1992. Joined the FT in 1992, became economics reporter and then political correspondent. Rome bureau chief, 1997-2002. Now FT's political editor

Current postion: Political editor


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Awards/Honours: David Watt Prize, 2004 - awarded for outstanding political commentary. Shortlisted for political journalist of the year award, British Press Awards 2004

Scoops: Helped reveal David Kelly as the source of information for reporter Andrew Gilligan in his Today report about the "sexing up" of the government dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction
 * The Hutton inquiry, key players - George Wright, The Guardian, 26th August 2003
 * The Hutton inquiry website (Ministry of Justice archive)

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Financial Times:
Column remit: Comment and Analysis on Politics

Section:

Role: Political Editor

Pen-name:

Email: [mailto:james.blitz@ft.com james.blitz@ft.com]

Website: FT.Com / James Blitz

Commissioning editor:

Days published: Various

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Column format:

Average length: Varies



Articles: 2011

 * Libya: No line in the sand'' - With protesters under ferocious attack from Tripoli, awkward questions are being asked about the seven-year UK enthusiasm for doing business with the Gaddafi regime - 26th February



Articles: 2010

 * Into the dust'' - While David Petraeus may not explicitly change allied strategy, his arrival comes as Taliban attacks grow and western support is on the wane - 29th June
 * government: Can coalition go the distance?'' - Despite the shared pragmatism behind the outbreak of harmony brokered by former rivals David Cameron and Nick Clegg, sceptics ask whether their coalition can go the distance - 15th May



Articles: 2009

 * threat transformed'' - After a decade of assaults on Osama bin Laden’s core followers, few believe his group can pull off a second 9/11. But recent attacks show the brand continues to inspire jihad - 19th January
 * nuclear options'' - Uranium enrichment: World powers are stepping up efforts to manage a dangerous moment as Iran moves ever closer to developing a bomb - 23rd September (with Roula Khalaf and Daniel Dombey)
 * on the atom'' - Energy: In the fight to secure fuel supplies and cut carbon emissions, nuclear power looks increasingly attractive – but is also generating concern over proliferation - 9th September (with Ed Crooks)
 * fractured front in Afghanistan'' - Afghanistan: The deadliest days yet for British troops have exposed deep rifts between the prime minister and the head of the army – and triggered fierce debate over the future of the war - 18th July
 * purpose'' - Disarmament: The Obama-Medvedev summit will open the way to renewed talks on nuclear arms control that, though limited in scope, could lead to wider co-operation - 6th July (with Stefan Wagstyl)
 * waters ahead'' - UK defence: The dire state of its public finances means Britain may be forced to recast its military strategy, downgrade its role on the world stage – and ultimately reduce its influence - 21st May



Articles:

 * Miliband sets up change of tack on Iraq - David Miliband, the foreign secretary, has taken an important step this week towards defining Britain’s future approach to the conflict in Iraq - 31st August 2007
 * Brown builds electoral momentum - Gordon Brown and his cabinet will meet at Chequers next Thursday to plot Labour’s strategy into the autumn. After the events of the last 24 hours they will meet in jubilant mood - 20th July 2007
 * The mystery of the Ashdown offer - Gordon Brown stunned the political world this week with his offer to bring Liberal Democrats into his government - 22nd June 2007
 * Schools row spells danger for Cameron - David Cameron is entering the most difficult and, in many ways, most decisive phase of his leadership - 23th May 2007
 * Brown fancied in one-man race - Gordon Brown has had a good week. He needed one. When he returned to Westminster on Monday after the Easter recess, a number of storm clouds swirled around his candidacy for the Labour leadership - 19th April 2007
 * Die Kanzlerin lies at the heart of Blair's positive legacy in Europe - Tony Blair will spend much of today in the company of Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, at the European Council in Brussels. Although the Blair premiership is drawing to a close, the rapport between these two repays study - 9th March 2007
 * The odds start to look seriously attractive on Straw for Number 11 - Gordon Brown will deliver his last Budget on March 21. But who will deliver the Budget after that? If we assume that nothing can stop Mr Brown entering Number 10, then the next most interesting question in politics is who will enter Number 11? - 23rd February 2007
 * Blair's rush for achievements is criticised as 'legacy shopping' - Tony Blair is determined to end his days in Downing Street by notching up a solid record of achievement as prime minister - 16th February 2007
 * This damaging cash-for-honours inquiry has gone on long enough - John Yates, the man leading the inquiry into "cash for honours", should put up or shut up. That is the growing view of Labour MPs following news that Tony Blair has been reinterviewed by police investigating the affair - 2nd February 2007

