Author Profile: Peter Riddell

True politicos are weird people. Not only do they enjoy the prospect of BBC Parliament showing hour-after-hour of 1983 election coverage, but will do almost anything in politics simply for its own sake - even long into retirement. All of us who are, to put it rudely, weird enough to fall into this category are in good company. Amongst us are many famous faces, and amongst them is former Times Political commentator The Rt. Hon. Peter Riddell.

The two most significant gigs in the career of Peter Riddell have been big ones. From 1989 to 1991 he was U.S. Editor and Washington Bureau Chief for the Financial Times, observing the end of the Cold War from the Washington perspective. From there, he went to The Times where his contributions to the political debate were numerous and almost always insightful. Throughout this latter period, his voice was a familiar one to all of us who listen to Radio 4's Week in Westminster or ever turn on the Daily Politics.

Yet Peter's engagement in politics goes much beyond his journalistic career. In 1996, he got involved in the Hansard Society, which aims to make clear the work of Parliament and the role of representative democracy. He now chairs this organisation (and his latest book is full of facts from their annual reports on engagement with politics). More recently, he was made a Senior Fellow of the Institute for Government, one of the most important think tanks in the UK (and worth looking into).

Peter Riddell is a true politico. His engagement with politicians and political academics alike is of great service to his continued comments on the current state of politics and increasingly his interest in the structures of politics beyond the day-to-day debates. His departure from the Times in 2010 ought to be regretted - his continuing contribution to the world of political books ought to be welcomed.

Those lucky enough to be behind The Times paywall can read Peter's old work here.