Lance Price
Encyclopedia
Lance Price is a British
writer, journalist and political commentator. He was a journalist for the BBC from 1981 to 1998, then became special advisor to Prime Minister
Tony Blair
. In 2011, Price founded The Kaleidoscope Trust
, an LGBT rights organisation. The Trust was launched in September 2011 with a reception held by the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt. Hon. John Bercow
MP.
Price was educated at Blackwell Primary School and Sackville Comprehensive School, and received a First Class degree in Philiosophy, Politics and Economics at Hertford College, Oxford
.
journalist he joined Tony Blair
's staff at 10 Downing Street
in 1998 where he was deputy to the Communications Director, Alastair Campbell
. He was the Labour Party
's Director of Communications from 2000 until the General Election of 2001
. His published diary of his work with Tony Blair caused considerable controversy after the UK government tried to block its publication.He also stated that Mr Rupert Murdoch was the 24th member of Tony Blair cabinet.
Lance Price was called to give evidence to a Select Committee of the House of Commons
in January 2006. Comments in the book also led to an investigation by the North Wales Police
into whether former Prime Minister Tony Blair had committed an offence under the Public Order Act
by referring to "the fucking Welsh". The investigation was dropped without any charges being brought.
Since leaving the employment of the Labour Party, Lance Price became an observer of British politics and world affairs, retaining his membership of the Labour Party, as he confirmed during an interview on BBC Radio 5 with Richard Bacon on 11 February 2010.
, and Time and Fate, a novel published by Polperro Press in 2005. Price was also the co-author and principal photographer for the Berlitz Guide to Iceland, published in 2003. In 2010, he published Where the Power Lies, analysing the relationship between past governments and the media. The book was published before the phone-hacking scandal of 2010, and argued that successive British governments had been too close to powerful media interests, including Rupert Murdoch
’s News Corporation
. Price called for greater transparency about relationships between journalists and politicians.
' London Comment. He writes for newspapers and magazines including The Guardian
and The Independent
. He is an occasional contributor to the Australian Financial Review.
Price was a panellist during the 2010 general election campaign for the BBC News Channel and The World Tonight
on BBC Radio 4
. He has taken an increasingly independent line on political affairs and was one of the first to call for Gordon Brown to step down as Prime Minister after Labour’s election defeat in May 2010.
rights overseas. The Trust aims to work with existing LGBT rights groups in order to advance their respective campaigns. The launch was hosted by Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow MP, who acknowledged the "global challenge" with regard to advancing LGBT rights outside of the UK. Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband
described the Trust as "an incredibly important initiative".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
writer, journalist and political commentator. He was a journalist for the BBC from 1981 to 1998, then became special advisor to Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
. In 2011, Price founded The Kaleidoscope Trust
The Kaleidoscope Trust
The Kaleidoscope International Diversity Trust is a nonprofit organisation that campaigns for equality for LGBT people around the world.-History:...
, an LGBT rights organisation. The Trust was launched in September 2011 with a reception held by the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt. Hon. John Bercow
John Bercow
John Simon Bercow is a British politician who has been the Speaker of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom since June 2009. Prior to his election to Speaker he was a member of the Conservative party....
MP.
Price was educated at Blackwell Primary School and Sackville Comprehensive School, and received a First Class degree in Philiosophy, Politics and Economics at Hertford College, Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Labour Party
After seventeen years as a BBCBBC
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...
journalist he joined Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
's staff at 10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
in 1998 where he was deputy to the Communications Director, Alastair Campbell
Alastair Campbell
Alastair John Campbell is a British journalist, broadcaster, political aide and author, best known for his work as Director of Communications and Strategy for Prime Minister Tony Blair between 1997 and 2003, having first started working for Blair in 1994...
. He was the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
's Director of Communications from 2000 until the General Election of 2001
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
. His published diary of his work with Tony Blair caused considerable controversy after the UK government tried to block its publication.He also stated that Mr Rupert Murdoch was the 24th member of Tony Blair cabinet.
Lance Price was called to give evidence to a Select Committee of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in January 2006. Comments in the book also led to an investigation by the North Wales Police
North Wales Police
North Wales Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing North Wales. The headquarters are in Colwyn Bay, with divisional headquarters in St Asaph, Caernarfon and Wrexham....
into whether former Prime Minister Tony Blair had committed an offence under the Public Order Act
Public Order Act 1986
The Public Order Act 1986 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It creates a number of public order offences. They replace similar common law offences and parts of the Public Order Act 1936...
by referring to "the fucking Welsh". The investigation was dropped without any charges being brought.
Since leaving the employment of the Labour Party, Lance Price became an observer of British politics and world affairs, retaining his membership of the Labour Party, as he confirmed during an interview on BBC Radio 5 with Richard Bacon on 11 February 2010.
Author
He is the author of The Spin Doctor's Diary published in 2005 by Hodder & StoughtonHodder & Stoughton
Hodder & Stoughton is a British publishing house, now an imprint of Hachette.-History:The firm has its origins in the 1840s, with Matthew Hodder's employment, aged fourteen, with Messrs Jackson and Walford, the official publisher for the Congregational Union...
, and Time and Fate, a novel published by Polperro Press in 2005. Price was also the co-author and principal photographer for the Berlitz Guide to Iceland, published in 2003. In 2010, he published Where the Power Lies, analysing the relationship between past governments and the media. The book was published before the phone-hacking scandal of 2010, and argued that successive British governments had been too close to powerful media interests, including Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
’s News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
. Price called for greater transparency about relationships between journalists and politicians.
Broadcaster
He broadcasts regularly on the BBC and other British TV and radio outlets, and is a regular contributor to CBS NewsCBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
' London Comment. He writes for newspapers and magazines including The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
. He is an occasional contributor to the Australian Financial Review.
Price was a panellist during the 2010 general election campaign for the BBC News Channel and The World Tonight
The World Tonight
The World Tonight is a British current affairs radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4, every weekday evening, which started out as an extension of the 10pm news. It features news, analysis and comment on domestic and world issues...
on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
. He has taken an increasingly independent line on political affairs and was one of the first to call for Gordon Brown to step down as Prime Minister after Labour’s election defeat in May 2010.
The Kaleidoscope Trust
In September 2011, Price launched The Kaleidoscope Trust, a UK-based organisation that aims to improve LGBTLGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
rights overseas. The Trust aims to work with existing LGBT rights groups in order to advance their respective campaigns. The launch was hosted by Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow MP, who acknowledged the "global challenge" with regard to advancing LGBT rights outside of the UK. Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
described the Trust as "an incredibly important initiative".