Francis Elliott
Alma materUniversity of Oxford
OccupationJournalist
EmployerThe Times

Francis Elliott is a British journalist. He was political editor of The Times from 2013 to 2021.

Elliott read politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) at the University of Oxford. He worked for the New Statesman before stepping back to regional papers in Carlisle and Edinburgh. He was named Westminster editor for Scotland on Sunday in 1999,[1] before spending two years at The Sunday Telegraph,[2] including as deputy political editor.[1]

After joining the Independent on Sunday politics team in 2003,[2] Elliott moved to the position of Whitehall editor. In 2005 he was shortlisted by What the Papers Say for its 'Scoop of the Year' award in recognition of his work on Labour Party politician David Blunkett's business interests.[1]

Elliott joined The Times as chief political correspondent in May 2007.[3] As deputy political editor of the paper in 2010, Press Gazette named him the fifteenth highest-rated political reporter working in the UK.[4] In September 2010, Elliott succeeded Jeremy Page as India correspondent for The Times. Based in Delhi,[5][6] the role also involved Elliott reporting in countries such as Pakistan in wider South Asia.[3]

Elliott wrote Cameron: Practically a Conservative,[7] a biography of Prime Minister David Cameron co-authored with Independent on Sunday deputy editor James Hanning. In June 2013, he replaced Roland Watson as political editor of The Times.[8] He handed over to Steven Swinford in 2021.[9] After leaving The Times he began working as director of advocacy at the Engage Britain organisation[10] and writing fortnightly political interviews for the i.[11]

Elliott lives in East London with his wife and two children.[1]

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Francis Elliott". 4th Estate. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Elliott jumps ship for Independent on Sunday". The Guardian. 2 December 2003. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Francis Elliott". News UK. Archived from the original on 26 July 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Press Gazette's top 50 political reporters". British Journalism Awards. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Francis Elliott heads for India in big Times editorial reshuffle". Press Gazette. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  6. ^ Dowell, Ben (7 September 2010). "The Times newsroom shake-up includes new deputy home editor". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Francis Elliott". The Times & The Sunday Times. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  8. ^ Hollander, Gavriel (20 June 2013). "Francis Elliott replaces Roland Watson as Times political editor". Press Gazette. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  9. ^ Elliott, Francis [@elliotttimes] (6 February 2021). "Last effort as pol ed before handing over to the great @Steven_Swinford fun nuggets include Whitty on the commentariat, Johnson and black swans Sunak and the NHS and the extraordinary power of a policy that literally touches every adult in the land" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ^ "Engage Britain appoints Francis Elliott as Director of Advocacy". engagebritain.org. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  11. ^ Duff, Oly [@olyduff] (24 February 2021). "@elliottengage, Political Editor of The Times for the past eight years, joins i to write fortnightly political interviews with Britain's power players" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
Media offices Preceded byRoland Watson Political Editor of The Times 2013–2021 Succeeded bySteven Swinford
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