Thursday 15 April 2010
The shortlists for the Orwell Prize 2010, Britain’s most prestigious prize for political writing, were announced at the annual shortlist debate at Thomson Reuters, Canary Wharf, this evening, Thursday 15th April at 7pm. Director of the Prize, Jean Seaton, revealed the 6 books, 7 journalists (instead of the usual 6) and 6 bloggers still in contention for the £3000 prizes ahead of a debate on the question, ‘has the political class been fatally weakened?’ and a screening of the First Election Debate.
Book Prize
The Book Prize shortlist comprises: De Bellaigue, Christopher Rebel Land: Among Turkey’s Forgotten Peoples Bloomsbury Gappah, Petina An Elegy for Easterly Faber; Farrar, Straus & Giroux Gillies, Andrea Keeper Short Books Kampfner, John Freedom For Sale: How We Made Money and Lost Our Liberty Simon & Schuster Malik, Kenan From Fatwa to Jihad: The Rushdie Affair and Its Legacy Atlantic Books Wrong, Michela It’s Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle Blower Fourth Estate This year’s Book Prize judges are Jonathan Heawood (Director, English PEN), Andrew Holgate (Literary Editor, Sunday Times) and Francine Stock (writer and broadcaster). 212 books were entered, and 18 were longlisted.
Journalism Prize
The Journalism Prize shortlist consists of 7 journalists, rather than the traditional 6: John Arlidge Sunday Times (Magazine, News Review) Amelia Gentleman The Guardian (G2) Peter Hitchens Mail on Sunday Paul Lewis The Guardian Anthony Loyd The Times; Standpoint Hamish McRae The Independent David Reynolds BBC (Radio 4, News online) This year’s Journalism Prize judges are Roger Graef (writer, filmmaker, criminologist) and Peter Kellner (journalist, President of YouGov). 85 journalism entries were received, with 14 (rather than the usual 12) being longlisted. The pieces for which each journalist was shortlisted can be found on the Orwell Prize website.
Blog Prize
The Blog Prize judges shortlisted 6 bloggers: Hopi Sen Hopi Sen (http://hopisen.wordpress.com) Jack of Kent Jack of Kent (http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/) Laurie Penny Penny Red and others (http://pennyred.blogspot.com) Madam Miaow Madam Miaow Says (http://madammiaow.blogspot.com/) Tim Marshall Foreign Matters (http://blogs.news.sky.com/foreignmatters) Winston Smith Working with the Underclass (http://winstonsmith33.blogspot.com) This year’s Blog Prize judges are Richard Horton (‘Jack Night’, winner of the Orwell Prize for Blogs 2009) and Oona King (head of diversity for Channel 4, former MP for Bethnal Green and Bow). 164 bloggers entered, with 14 (rather than the usual 12) being longlisted. The shortlisted blogposts are all linked to from the Orwell Prize website.
Shortlist debate and winners
Those taking part in the shortlist debate on ‘has the political class been fatally weakened?, chaired by Jodie Ginsberg (UK and Ireland Bureau Chief, Thomson Reuters), were David Halpern (research director of the Institute for Government, former chief analyst at the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit), Helena Kennedy QC (lawyer, broadcaster and writer), Cristina Odone (journalist, novelist and broadcaster) and Meg Russell (deputy director of the UCL Constitution Unit, adviser to the Wright Committee on parliamentary reform). This year’s winners will be announced at a ceremony at Church House, Westminster on 19th May.