This evening Isabel Hardman was named Journalist of the Year by the Political Studies Association, becoming the youngest winner in the history of the awards. The judges had this to say:
‘Hardman’s contribution to political journalism over the past five years has been truly impressive. The breadth of her work across both a wide range of topics and a diversity of media is complemented by a remarkable talent for providing a depth of analysis that is, without fail, clear, engaging and insightful. There can be few journalists who have made such a sustained impact, at such a young age, and in such a short space of time.’
As Coffee Housers will know, she has turned this site into the most-read and most-influential political blog in the land – as well as writing for the magazine, presenting Radio 4’s Week in Westminster and writing a fortnightly column for the Times. She has more than trebled the traffic of Coffee House, set up the Evening Blend emails (you can subscribe to them here) and established herself as one of the best-informed journalists on Fleet St. And recently signed a major book deal. While it’s true that she’s young, that’s the least of it: how many journalists, of any age, do so much at such a consistently high quality?
I should say something about the awards too: they’re real ones. The calibre of previous winners (listed below) is perhaps the biggest tribute to Isabel.
Michael Crick (2014)
Andrew Neil (2013)
David Aaronovitch (2012)
Danny Finkelstein (2011)
Chris Moncrieff (2010)
Robert Peston (2009)
Steve Richards (2008)
Nick Robinson (2007)
Matthew D’Ancona (2006)
Philip Stephens (2005)
Trevor Kavanagh (2004)
Polly Toynbee (2003)
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