James Delingpole
Encyclopedia
James Delingpole is an English columnist and novelist. A self-described libertarian conservative, he writes for The Times
, The Daily Telegraph
, and The Spectator
. He has published several novels and four political books, most recently Watermelons: The Green Movement's True Colors [2011]. He is the recipient of the 2010 Bastiat Prize
for online journalism
.
, Worcestershire, the son of a successful factory owner. He was educated at Malvern College
and Christ Church, Oxford
, where he studied English Literature. Delingpole describes himself as having been "reasonably good friends" with David Cameron
and Boris Johnson
while at Oxford.
, The Daily Telegraph
, and The Spectator
, Delingpole has authored three political books: How to be Right: The Essential Guide to Making Lefty Liberals History, Welcome to Obamaland: I Have Seen Your Future and It Doesn't Work, and 365 Ways to Drive a Liberal Crazy.
Delingpole is also the author of various novels including Fin and Thinly Disguised Autobiography. In August 2007, Bloomsbury published his first novel of the "Coward" series, Coward on the Beach. It tells the story of a man's reluctant quest for military glory and is set on the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day landings. In June 2009, the second novel of the series was published. Coward at the Bridge is set during Operation Market Garden
in September 1944.
Delingpole hosted the BBC Four
documentary The British Upper Class in 2005.
is not as extensive as is widely asserted, and links mainstream scientific projections
with "the atavistic impulse which leads generation after generation to believe it is the chosen one: the generation so special that it and it alone will be the one privileged to experience the end of the world; and the generation so egotistical that it imagines itself largely responsible for that imminent destruction". In a BBC
Horizon documentary, Delingpole responds to the argument offered by Paul Nurse
that there is a scientific consensus
about global warming
by asserting that the very idea of a consensus is unscientific. In response to the criticism that he has no background in the sciences he maintained that as a journalist "it is not my job" to read peer review
ed papers, his role is to be "an interpreter of interpretations".
, a free-market pressure group, awarded the 2010 Bastiat Prize
for Online Journalism to Delingpole for his Telegraph blog.
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, and The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
. He has published several novels and four political books, most recently Watermelons: The Green Movement's True Colors [2011]. He is the recipient of the 2010 Bastiat Prize
Bastiat Prize
The Bastiat Prize is a journalism award given annually by the International Policy Network. The Bastiat Prize recognizes journalists whose published works "explain, promote and defend the principles of the free society." The award comes with US$15,000....
for online journalism
Online journalism
Online journalism is defined as the reporting of facts when produced and distributed via the Internet.As of 2009, audiences for online journalism continue to grow...
.
Early life
Delingpole was born and raised in AlvechurchAlvechurch
Alvechurch is a large village and civil parish of Bromsgrove district, in the northeast of the county of Worcestershire, England. Lying in the valley of the River Arrow, the nearest city is Birmingham, 17 km / 11 miles to the north, with the closest towns being Redditch, 8 km / 5 miles...
, Worcestershire, the son of a successful factory owner. He was educated at Malvern College
Malvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, where he studied English Literature. Delingpole describes himself as having been "reasonably good friends" with David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
and Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
while at Oxford.
Career
In addition to writing articles and commentary for The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, and The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
, Delingpole has authored three political books: How to be Right: The Essential Guide to Making Lefty Liberals History, Welcome to Obamaland: I Have Seen Your Future and It Doesn't Work, and 365 Ways to Drive a Liberal Crazy.
Delingpole is also the author of various novels including Fin and Thinly Disguised Autobiography. In August 2007, Bloomsbury published his first novel of the "Coward" series, Coward on the Beach. It tells the story of a man's reluctant quest for military glory and is set on the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day landings. In June 2009, the second novel of the series was published. Coward at the Bridge is set during Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
in September 1944.
Delingpole hosted the BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
documentary The British Upper Class in 2005.
Views on climate change
Delingpole maintains that man-made climate changeClimate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
is not as extensive as is widely asserted, and links mainstream scientific projections
Scientific opinion on climate change
The predominant scientific opinion on climate change is that the Earth is in an ongoing phase of global warming primarily caused by an enhanced greenhouse effect due to the anthropogenic release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases...
with "the atavistic impulse which leads generation after generation to believe it is the chosen one: the generation so special that it and it alone will be the one privileged to experience the end of the world; and the generation so egotistical that it imagines itself largely responsible for that imminent destruction". In a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Horizon documentary, Delingpole responds to the argument offered by Paul Nurse
Paul Nurse
Sir Paul Maxime Nurse, PRS is a British geneticist and cell biologist. He was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Leland H. Hartwell and R...
that there is a scientific consensus
Scientific consensus
Scientific consensus is the collective judgment, position, and opinion of the community of scientists in a particular field of study. Consensus implies general agreement, though not necessarily unanimity. Scientific consensus is not by itself a scientific argument, and it is not part of the...
about global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
by asserting that the very idea of a consensus is unscientific. In response to the criticism that he has no background in the sciences he maintained that as a journalist "it is not my job" to read peer review
Peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
ed papers, his role is to be "an interpreter of interpretations".
Awards and prizes
In 2005 Delingpole was awarded the Charles Douglas-Home Memorial Trust Award for his essay, "What are museums for?" The International Policy NetworkInternational Policy Network
The International Policy Network is a global think tank headquartered in the City of London. It defines itself as a non-partisan, non-profit organization, but has also been described as a "corporate-funded campaigning group"...
, a free-market pressure group, awarded the 2010 Bastiat Prize
Bastiat Prize
The Bastiat Prize is a journalism award given annually by the International Policy Network. The Bastiat Prize recognizes journalists whose published works "explain, promote and defend the principles of the free society." The award comes with US$15,000....
for Online Journalism to Delingpole for his Telegraph blog.