Nick Robinson

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For other persons named Nick Robinson, see Nick Robinson (disambiguation).

Nick Robinson (right) interviewing Michael Portillo in July 2001.

Nicholas Anthony Robinson (born October 5, 1963) is the Political Editor of the BBC.^[1] He was previously the Political Editor of ITV News from November 2002 until August 2005, and Chief Political Correspondent of BBC News 24 before that.^[1] He is noted for his trademark spectacles.^[2]

1 Biography
2 References
3 External links

[edit] Biography

Born in Macclesfield, Cheshire, in 1963, Robinson attended Cheadle Hulme School before reading Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at University College, Oxford.^[1]

In 1982 he survived a car crash in France in which his friend Will, son of Brian Redhead and James Nelson were killed. Brian Redhead later encouraged his career in journalism.^[3] In 1986, he spent a year as national chairman of the Young Conservatives;^[4] he does not state this in his own blog biography.^[1]^[5]

[edit] Media career

Robinson joined the BBC as a production trainee in 1986 from Piccadilly Radio in Manchester, and worked extensively as a television and radio producer on Brass Tacks, This Week, Next Week, Newsround, Pamela Armstrong Show and Crimewatch UK. He joined On the Record as an assistant producer and worked his way up to become Deputy Editor, and then "Panorama" where he was deputy editor for three years.

In 1996 he moved in front of the camera to become a political correspondent, covering his first General Election for BBC Radio in 1997, before joining BBC Radio 5 Live where he presented Weekend Breakfast and Late Night Live. Robinson was BBC News 24's chief political correspondent from October 1999 to October 2002, and also presented Westminster Live on BBC Two. In the run-up to the 2001 general election, Robinson started keeping a daily diary of the campaign, called The Campaign Today, which latterly became Newslog, which ran until his departure to ITV.

[edit] ITV Chief Political Editor

In 2002, Robinson left the BBC for Independent Television News as Chief Political Editor, replacing . Robinson caused a major stir early in the 2005 election campaign at the unveiling of a Labour Party poster. The poster claimed the Conservative Party would initiate cuts of GBP £35 billion if elected; journalists, led by Robinson, attacked Prime Minister Tony Blair.^[6] Blair was forced to admit the £35 billion figure was a reduction in future spending rather than cuts of existing services. This confrontation was all the more notable for the wide grin which appeared on the face of Chancellor Gordon Brown as the questions to Blair became more and more hostile.

Other colourful moments include the reaction of Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to his line of questioning at the launch of Labour's 2005 manifesto. Robinson suggested that given the 2001 manifesto failed to mention tuition fees, tax rises and war with Iraq, some may doubt the honesty of the current one. Prescott was seen to mouth the words "fucking pillock".^[4]

[edit] Return to the BBC

Robinson returned to the BBC as Chief Political editor at the end of August 2005, replacing Andrew Marr^[7].

Robinson got a very hard stare from George W Bush when he asked him if he was in denial about the situation in Iraq (since the most Bush had said about the situation was that the increase in attacks was "unsettling"). Bush replied "It's bad in Iraq. Does that help?".^[8]

In the time-honoured tradition of BBC newsreaders and journalists such as Angela Rippon and Natasha Kaplinsky, Nick Robinson has begun to appear in light-hearted shows such as Children in Need and Have I Got News for You.^[9]

Robinson keeps a blog on the BBC website,^[10] where on 5 May 2006 he raised eyebrows with the revelation that when hearing of Charles Clarke's sacking in the 2006 Cabinet reshuffle, he was "naked in bed."^[11] He later apologised, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, saying he was "merely trying to add authenticity. That's the naked truth."^[12]

[edit] Personal life

Robinson is married with three children and lives in North London, close to the Arsenal stadium for a lifelong Manchester United fan. Robinson sails and enjoys the theatre.