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When were UK political leaders first mentioned in the Guardian? When were UK political leaders first mentioned in the Guardian?
(2 days later)
On 2 April it will be 23 years since the UK prime minister, David Cameron, first appeared in the Guardian. Described as a 25-year-old “suave Old Etonian”, Cameron, the then prime minister John Major’s personal adviser, was one of several young staff showing potential during what looked like a farcical election campaign.On 2 April it will be 23 years since the UK prime minister, David Cameron, first appeared in the Guardian. Described as a 25-year-old “suave Old Etonian”, Cameron, the then prime minister John Major’s personal adviser, was one of several young staff showing potential during what looked like a farcical election campaign.
Michael White, David Hencke, Alan Travis and Patrick Wintour wrote that the rise of the “unblooded brat pack” in 1992, which also included 22-year-old Steve Hilton, was causing concern among senior party members such as Michael Heseltine and Michael Portillo.Michael White, David Hencke, Alan Travis and Patrick Wintour wrote that the rise of the “unblooded brat pack” in 1992, which also included 22-year-old Steve Hilton, was causing concern among senior party members such as Michael Heseltine and Michael Portillo.
The full article is an uncanny read. Conservatives were failing to push ahead in the polls, and just like Cameron today, John Major had recently ruled out TV debates.The full article is an uncanny read. Conservatives were failing to push ahead in the polls, and just like Cameron today, John Major had recently ruled out TV debates.
When did Britain’s other party leaders and prime ministers first appear in the Guardian?When did Britain’s other party leaders and prime ministers first appear in the Guardian?
Ed Miliband: 25 July 1994Ed Miliband: 25 July 1994
According to our archives, Ed Miliband first appears as “his younger brother, Ed” in an article about David in late July 1994. The older Miliband sibling had just been appointed to head the new Labour leader Tony Blair’s policy-making team.According to our archives, Ed Miliband first appears as “his younger brother, Ed” in an article about David in late July 1994. The older Miliband sibling had just been appointed to head the new Labour leader Tony Blair’s policy-making team.
The younger of the two brothers, meanwhile, was working for Harriet Harman, who is now his deputy. Ed certainly managed to turn things around.The younger of the two brothers, meanwhile, was working for Harriet Harman, who is now his deputy. Ed certainly managed to turn things around.
Nick Clegg: 21 August 1992Nick Clegg: 21 August 1992
Hungary could soon have the youngest government in European history, Nick Clegg and Nigel Gardner reported 22 years ago.Hungary could soon have the youngest government in European history, Nick Clegg and Nigel Gardner reported 22 years ago.
The Liberal Democrat leader first appeared not being reported on, but reporting himself on – wait for it – a surging student protest movement in Hungarian politics.The Liberal Democrat leader first appeared not being reported on, but reporting himself on – wait for it – a surging student protest movement in Hungarian politics.
The movement he was reporting on – Fidesz – is the country’s governing political party today, and two decades later, student protests are still very much part of the Clegg story.The movement he was reporting on – Fidesz – is the country’s governing political party today, and two decades later, student protests are still very much part of the Clegg story.
Tony Blair: 10 May 1982Tony Blair: 10 May 1982
The man who would become Labour leader 12 years after this date and prime minister three years after that made his first appearance when he was a 29-year-old barrister and parliamentary candidate “hoping at least to hold on to second position” in the Beaconsfield byelection.The man who would become Labour leader 12 years after this date and prime minister three years after that made his first appearance when he was a 29-year-old barrister and parliamentary candidate “hoping at least to hold on to second position” in the Beaconsfield byelection.
However, Blair clearly already had big plans and ideas. Possibly two most memorable aspects of his premiership – defining himself away from his party’s socialist traditions and unilateral military action – are present in the first quote he gave to this paper: Present in the first quotes from him that appeared in this paper is one the most memorable aspects of his premiership, his defining himself away from his party’s socialist traditions (here in connection with the Labour’s then policy of withdrawal from the European Economic Community), and also a reference to unilateral nuclear disarmament (a policy that the party backed in its 1983 and 1987 manifestos but had ditched by the time he became PM):
He is highly pragmatic on the common market – ‘come out if we must, but not as an article of socialist faith’ – but firm on unilateralism. He says the older generation, accustomed to conventional warfare, has not yet awoken to the real nature of the threat, the ‘warfare of the end game’.He is highly pragmatic on the common market – ‘come out if we must, but not as an article of socialist faith’ – but firm on unilateralism. He says the older generation, accustomed to conventional warfare, has not yet awoken to the real nature of the threat, the ‘warfare of the end game’.
The signs of things to come were already there.The signs of things to come were already there.
Gordon Brown: 26 October 1972Gordon Brown: 26 October 1972
Blair’s chancellor and successor was also running for election when he first appeared in the Guardian about a decade before his predecessor. The piece was a note about his campaign to become the second active student to be elected as Edinburgh University’s rector – something that had been achieved for the first time a year earlier.Blair’s chancellor and successor was also running for election when he first appeared in the Guardian about a decade before his predecessor. The piece was a note about his campaign to become the second active student to be elected as Edinburgh University’s rector – something that had been achieved for the first time a year earlier.
Despite only being 21 at the time, Brown managed to beat his more experienced rival, Sir Frederick Catherwood. Catherwood would go on to become an MEP and vice president of the European parliament from 1989 to 1992.Despite only being 21 at the time, Brown managed to beat his more experienced rival, Sir Frederick Catherwood. Catherwood would go on to become an MEP and vice president of the European parliament from 1989 to 1992.
Nigel Farage: 27 May 1994Nigel Farage: 27 May 1994
The Eastleigh byelection in 2013 was a signal of Ukip’s arrival on the national – rather than European – political stage. The party’s candidate, Diane James, finished a mere four percentage points behind the Liberal Democrat Mike Thornton, who was fighting to regain the seat after the resignation of the cabinet minister Chris Huhne.The Eastleigh byelection in 2013 was a signal of Ukip’s arrival on the national – rather than European – political stage. The party’s candidate, Diane James, finished a mere four percentage points behind the Liberal Democrat Mike Thornton, who was fighting to regain the seat after the resignation of the cabinet minister Chris Huhne.
Eastleigh also provided Nigel Farage’s first appearance in this newspaper when he was mentioned in an article previewing a 1994 byelection.Eastleigh also provided Nigel Farage’s first appearance in this newspaper when he was mentioned in an article previewing a 1994 byelection.
Farage was on a list of candidates fighting for the seat, which would go on to be won convincingly by Liberal Democrat David Chidgey. On the day, Farage won 1.7% of the vote and lost his deposit.Farage was on a list of candidates fighting for the seat, which would go on to be won convincingly by Liberal Democrat David Chidgey. On the day, Farage won 1.7% of the vote and lost his deposit.
Margaret Thatcher: 14 Feb 1950Margaret Thatcher: 14 Feb 1950
The figure who would define the Tory party in the latter third of the 20th century made a modest first appearance on these pages, as part of a list of candidates nominated to contest seats in the 1950 election. She was 24 when she ran for the safe Labour seat of Dartford against Norman Dodds, who won with 56.3% of the vote to Thatcher’s 36.2%.The figure who would define the Tory party in the latter third of the 20th century made a modest first appearance on these pages, as part of a list of candidates nominated to contest seats in the 1950 election. She was 24 when she ran for the safe Labour seat of Dartford against Norman Dodds, who won with 56.3% of the vote to Thatcher’s 36.2%.
Thatcher was not the only future party leader to be fighting a losing campaign when she was first mentioned in the Guardian. Her successor, John Major, is noted on 20 February 1974 as standing in St Pancras North, which he also lost. The Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, was the youngest parliamentary candidate in Scotland when she ran, and lost, in Glasgow Shettleston in 1992.Thatcher was not the only future party leader to be fighting a losing campaign when she was first mentioned in the Guardian. Her successor, John Major, is noted on 20 February 1974 as standing in St Pancras North, which he also lost. The Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, was the youngest parliamentary candidate in Scotland when she ran, and lost, in Glasgow Shettleston in 1992.
Natalie Bennett: 31 March 2006Natalie Bennett: 31 March 2006
The Green party leader used to work for this parish, editing Guardian Weekly, and our expectation was that one of her articles would be the first time she appeared in its pages. However, we were wrong. A Kira Cochrane article from 2006 mentions Bennett as a “blogger” and organiser of the twice-monthly Carnival of Feminists blog event:The Green party leader used to work for this parish, editing Guardian Weekly, and our expectation was that one of her articles would be the first time she appeared in its pages. However, we were wrong. A Kira Cochrane article from 2006 mentions Bennett as a “blogger” and organiser of the twice-monthly Carnival of Feminists blog event:
The Carnival of Feminists is trying to reach as many women as possible, with the most recent carnival held on the Indian blog, Indianwriting. ‘That was our fourth continent,’ says Bennett, ‘and I’m looking for an African blogger, so that we can reach our fifth.’The Carnival of Feminists is trying to reach as many women as possible, with the most recent carnival held on the Indian blog, Indianwriting. ‘That was our fourth continent,’ says Bennett, ‘and I’m looking for an African blogger, so that we can reach our fifth.’
Bennett had her first piece in the Guardian in July that year.Bennett had her first piece in the Guardian in July that year.
Leanne Wood: 29 May 2001Leanne Wood: 29 May 2001
Plaid Cymru leader Wood, who will appear in the upcoming election debate, pops up as a 29-year-old candidate for the seat of the Rhondda in the Welsh valleys against its (incumbent) MP Chris Bryant, of Labour. Her confrontational politics were already in full flow at the 2001 election:Plaid Cymru leader Wood, who will appear in the upcoming election debate, pops up as a 29-year-old candidate for the seat of the Rhondda in the Welsh valleys against its (incumbent) MP Chris Bryant, of Labour. Her confrontational politics were already in full flow at the 2001 election:
Ms Wood, sparky and combative, is running unashamedly on a socialist platform, claiming there is no point the Rhondda boosting the number of New Labour MPs and acting almost as if she’s the favourite. ‘I want to be the Rhondda’s voice in London, not London’s voice in the Rhondda,’ she proclaimed at a public meeting.Ms Wood, sparky and combative, is running unashamedly on a socialist platform, claiming there is no point the Rhondda boosting the number of New Labour MPs and acting almost as if she’s the favourite. ‘I want to be the Rhondda’s voice in London, not London’s voice in the Rhondda,’ she proclaimed at a public meeting.
Outside she says: “You know, I feel sorry for people in England – they only have a choice of three rightwing parties.”Outside she says: “You know, I feel sorry for people in England – they only have a choice of three rightwing parties.”
She will face off against all three of these parties on 2 April.She will face off against all three of these parties on 2 April.
We made our best effort at discovering the first time politicians have been mentioned in this paper. There is a chance that they could have been referenced earlier, but these were the first substantial namechecks in our archive.We made our best effort at discovering the first time politicians have been mentioned in this paper. There is a chance that they could have been referenced earlier, but these were the first substantial namechecks in our archive.
However, Blair clearly already had big plans and ideas. Possibly two most memorable aspects of his premiership – defining himself away from his party’s socialist traditions and unilateral military action – are present in the first quote he gave to this paper:
• This article was amended on 27 March 2015. An earlier version suggested that a quotation that included the phrase Blair was “firm about unilateralism” referred to unilateral military action when in fact it meant unilateral nuclear disarmament.