Bill Deedes

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William Francis Deedes, Baron Deedes, KBE, MC, DL, PC (born 1 June 1913) is a veteran British journalist and a former politician. He has been both a member of the British cabinet and the editor of a major daily newspaper.

Brought up in the family home of Saltwood Castle and educated at Harrow, he was denied a university career after his father suffered heavy financial losses from the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Deedes began his career as a reporter on the Morning Post in 1931, joining the Daily Telegraph when it took over the Post in 1937. Deedes fought in the Second World War, gaining the Military Cross, and was elected Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Ashford, Kent in 1950. He served as a junior minister under Churchill for three years. He entered Harold Macmillan's Cabinet in 1962 as Minister without Portfolio. He left the Cabinet in 1964, as Minister of Information, and stood down as an MP 10 years later.

He served as editor of the Daily Telegraph from 1974 to 1986 and after he was replaced by Max Hastings he continued as a journalist. His tenure was noted for battles with the print unions.

Deedes was close to Margaret Thatcher and Denis Thatcher. The spoof letters "from" Mr. Thatcher which appeared in satirical magazine Private Eye throughout the Thatcher years in Downing Street were always addressed to Dear Bill - the "Bill" in question was usually assumed to be Deedes; however some instalments (e.g. 16th May and 28th November 1986) would suggest otherwise. The two men regularly played golf together, with Deedes claiming it was a public service to take the Prime Ministerial consort away from the stress of being married to the country's governmental head.

According to many sources, Deedes was also the journalist used by Evelyn Waugh as the model and inspiration for the hapless journalist William Boot in the novel Scoop, although Deedes himself denies this. Waugh and Deedes had reported together from Abyssinia in 1936.

Deedes was made a life peer in 1986, becoming Baron Deedes, of Aldington in the County of Kent, though has always preferred to be addressed as "Bill" rather than "Lord Deedes".

Married to Evelyn Branfort (d. May 2004), by whom he had two sons (one of whom died young) and three daughters; Deedes' son, Jeremy Deedes, is a director of the Telegraph Group of companies. His daughter, Lucy Whaley, is a Master of Foxhounds and was the first wife of the 9th Baron Latymer.

Lord Deedes continues to comment on social and political issues through his newspaper columns. He has recently gained a new, cult fanbase after two memorable appearances on Have I Got News For You and is the oldest guest ever to have appeared on the programme. He is also a stalwart member of the Carlton Club and has been an ambassador for UNICEF since 1998, running high-profile campaigns against landmines. In 2006 he wrote an opinion piece for The Daily Telegraph saying that Islam "is the only faith on Earth that persuades its followers to seek political power and impose a law — sharia — which shapes everyone's style of life" adding that Islam "forbids" Muslims from conforming with British society.[1]

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  1. ^ Muslims can never conform to 'our' ways - Daily Telegraph. 20 October 2006
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Edward Percy Smith		 Member of Parliament for Ashford
1950–October 1974		 Succeeded by
Keith Speed
Media Offices
Preceded by
Maurice Green		 Editor of The Daily Telegraph
1974–1986		 Succeeded by
Max Hastings
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