Bruce Anderson (born 1949) is a British political columnist, currently working as a freelancer. Formerly a political editor at ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...

'' and contributor to the '' Daily Mail'', he wrote for ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...

'' from 2003 to September 2010, and

ConservativeHome ConservativeHome is a British right-wing blog which supports, but is independent of, the Conservative Party. It was first established by Tim Montgomerie in 2005 with the aim of arguing for a broad conservative spectrum, which is serious about bo ...

until 2012.

Early life and education

Anderson was born in Orkney, and was educated at

Campbell College Campbell College located in Belfast, Northern Ireland and founded in 1894 comprises a preparatory school department (junior age) and a senior Northern Ireland 'Voluntary Grammar' school, the latter meaning, in terms of provision of education, a ...

, Belfast, and Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he read History. He was a contemporary of the historian

Paul Bew Paul Anthony Elliott Bew, Baron Bew (born 22 January 1950), is a British historian from Northern Ireland and a life peer. He has worked at Queen's University Belfast since 1979, and is currently Professor of Irish Politics, a position he has ...

at both school and university.

Politics

In his youth he was a Marxist, and it was as a member of the radical organization People's Democracy (alongside Bew) that he first became involved in the

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life o ...

campaign in Northern Ireland. Anderson participated in the most "dramatic moment in the story of People's Democracy": a four-day 'freedom walk' from Belfast to Derry, which began on New Year's Day 1969. On 4 January he and his fellow marchers were attacked by approximately 200

loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...

at Burntollet Bridge, just outside Derry. He still writes regularly for ''The Spectator'', where his contributions are distinguished by their unstinting support for Britain's former Prime Minister David Cameron, whom he identified as a future Conservative Party leader in 2003.My hero
''

'', 26 July 2003 Following the outcome of the

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

on Britain's membership of the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...

in June 2016, Anderson commented that:

References

External links

Independent Home page

Articles
in ''

''. 1949 births Living people British political journalists The Independent people The Spectator people Alumni of Emmanuel College, Cambridge {{UK-journalist-stub