Spectator/Threadneedle Parliamentarian Awards

9:05am As promised, here is the video footage from yesterday's awards ceremony at Claridge's. Politicians, journalists, legendary broadcasters and the Spectator's most prestigious writers attended. You can watch Fraser Nelson's speech and each of the winners' acceptance speeches, including James Purnell's very dry observation that his career has nose-dived ever since this magazine started to back him. Anyway, we hope you enjoy it.

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Why Harman won

Fraser Nelson 7:00pm

Harriet Harman as the Spectator/Threadneedle parliamentarian of the year? When the judging panel started our deliberations, we had no idea we’d end up giving the top laurels to Harperson and Mandelson. Well, Mandelson as politician of the year was a no-brainer: you don’t need an explanation. He just is. He took over a government single-handedly. But Harman? I bow to no one (except Rod Liddle) in my hostility to her equalities agenda. But her critics must admit that a) she actually has an agenda, unlike so many of her colleagues b) she advances her...

Continue reading...

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The Spectator/Threadneedle Parliamentarian Awards

3:20pm

The Spectator/Threadneedle Parliamentarian Awards ceremony has just taken place. Here's a full list of the winners:

Newcomer of the Year: Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP
Inquisitor of the Year: Paul Farrelly MP
Peer of the Year: Baroness Warsi
Speech of the Year: Daniel Hannan MEP
Resignation of the Year: Rt Hon James Purnell MP
Minister to Watch: Lord Adonis
Campaigner of the Year: Joanna Lumley and the Gurkhas
Readers’ Representative: Douglas Carswell MP
Survivor of the Year: Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP
Backbencher of the Year: Andrew Tyrie MPContinue reading...

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