Fraser Nelson | |
|---|---|
 Nelson in 2012 | |
| Born | Fraser Andrew Nelson 14 May 1973 |
| Education | Nairn Academy, Dollar Academy |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow City University |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist Editor of The Spectator |
| Spouse | Linda Nelson (m. 2006) |
| Children | 3 |
Fraser Andrew Nelson (born 14 May 1973) [1] [2] is a British political journalist who was editor of The Spectator magazine from 2009 to 2024.
Nelson was born in Truro, Cornwall, England [1] and raised in Nairn, Highland, Scotland. He attended Nairn Academy before boarding at Dollar Academy while his father, who was in the Royal Air Force, was posted to Cyprus. [3] He described himself as "one of a handful of Catholics at a Protestant school." [4] He went on to study History and Politics at the University of Glasgow where he was editor of the university's student newspaper Glasgow University Guardian . [5] He went on to gain a diploma in Journalism at City, University of London. [6]
Nelson began his journalistic career as a business reporter with The Times in 1997, followed by a short spell as Scottish political correspondent. [6] At a party he met Andrew Neil, then editor of The Scotsman who recruited him as its political editor in 2001. [6] In 2003 he moved to The Business , a sister title of The Scotsman in the Barclay brothers' Press Holdings group.
In July 2004 the brothers bought the Telegraph Group, which included The Spectator and in December 2005 they sold The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Neil had been appointed Chief Executive of The Spectator after the Barclays bought it, and in 2006 he brought in Nelson as associate editor and then political editor of the magazine. [6] He replaced Matthew d'Ancona as editor of The Spectator when the latter left in August 2009. [7] Under his editorship, the magazine reached a record high in print circulation. [8]
In September 2024, Nelson was replaced as editor of The Spectator by Michael Gove, after its acquisition by Paul Marshall. [9] The New Statesman reported that Spectator staff were shocked at Nelson being replaced, after Nelson had written an article praising Marshall when the acquisition was announced. [10] One week earlier, Nelson had told the British Society of Magazine Editors that he expected to have little contact with Marshall, and that editors should "actively ignore" suggestions from owners, adding: "If you get sacked for it, you get sacked for it – but you hold the line. Famous last words." [11]
Nelson was named Political Columnist of the Year in the 2009 Comment Awards. [12] In 2013, the Evening Standard named Nelson as one of the most influential journalists working in London. [13] The British Society of Magazine Editors named Nelson the 2013 Editors' Editor of the Year. [14] In the same year he won the British Press Award as Political Journalist of the Year. [15]
In 2023, the New Statesman named Nelson the 27th most powerful person in right-wing British politics. [16]
Nelson is a board director of the Centre for Policy Studies think tank. [17]
Nelson is a supporter of the Conservative Party. In 2013, he said The Spectator magazine under his editorship was "right of centre, but not strongly right of centre". [6] During the 2010–2015 coalition government, he was generally supportive of David Cameron's leadership and praised Cameron's Liberal Democrat coalition partner from 2010 to 2015, Nick Clegg. [18] Since 2015, he has since been described as including more strongly right wing pundits in The Spectator's line up, [19] [20] and described the magazine's political stance as "centre right" in 2023. [21]
In May 2018 he was heavily criticised for publishing a defence of German troops by Taki Theodoracopulos titled "In praise of the Wehrmacht " which said readers should feel sorry for Wehrmacht soldiers at Normandy. [22] [23] [24]
In several articles in the mid 2010s, Nelson outlined his view of the relative success of immigration to the UK due to the country's liberalism. [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] By 2023, however, Nelson was a critic of mass migration describing migration placing pressure on housing, services, and wages. [30]
Nelson's other views have included supporting religious freedom in relation to gay marriage [27] [31] and concern over the impact on children of rising rates of divorce and illegitimacy. [27]
Married with two sons and a daughter, [1] Nelson and his family live in southwest London. [32] He is married to Linda, a Swede, and said in 2014, "I am a soppy Europhile who speaks a second language at home. The idea of a united Europe was one that really excited me when I was younger, and which I love now." [33]
Speaking on a panel for the British Society of Magazine Editors less than a week ago, Nelson said the relationship between editor and proprietor should be "no relationship at all". "The editor is backed or sacked but never second guessed, never steered," he said, adding that Marshall "obviously likes us, he paid £100m for us – but I should be having no contact with him. In the same way I had no contact with the Barclays when they owned The Spectator. I think in 15 years they spoke to me about ten times." Nelson added that editors should "actively ignore" suggestions from proprietors and that: "If you get sacked for it, you get sacked for it – but you hold the line. Famous last words."