David Cracknell

Cracknell attended Forest School in London and later went on to Pembroke College, Oxford. While at Oxford, his short story Alternative Medicine was published by Margaret Drabble in the first series of The Mays.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BUihhFUDEpn/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/mayanthology/1522927032987306599 |archive-date=26 December 2021 |url-access=registration|title=The very first #themays #mayanthology with contents 1992|author=mayanthology|date=26 May 2017}}{{cbignore}}

Prior to launching his own consultancy in 2008, he covered politics for newspapers for over 15 years, including stints at The Sunday Telegraph, Press Association and finally being political editor at The Sunday Times. He also helped found Sunday Business with Jeff Randall in 1998.

During his seven years as political editor of The Sunday Times, Cracknell contributed to "an extraordinary run of Whitehall scoops" which exposed Tony Blair's government.{{Cite web |url=http://www.spectator.co.uk/comic/who-is-behind-the-extraordinary-run-of-whitehall-scoops-in-the-sunday-times/ |title=Who is behind the extraordinary run of Whitehall scoops in the Sunday Times? | the Spectator |access-date=31 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410015654/http://www.spectator.co.uk/comic/who-is-behind-the-extraordinary-run-of-whitehall-scoops-in-the-sunday-times/ |archive-date=10 April 2016 |url-status=dead }}

On 23 May 2004, he revealed the doubts of Foreign Secretary Jack Straw that tactics in Iraq were "heavy handed".{{cite web |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2761-1120343,00.html |title=British fears on US tactics are leaked - Times Online |website=The Times |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006200718/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2761-1120343,00.html |archive-date=6 October 2008 |url-status=dead}}

Another big story came in April 2004 when he revealed a series of leaked cabinet papers on David Blunkett's plan to introduce compulsory ID cards.{{cite web |url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/article223044.ece |title=Straw leads bid to wreck Blunkett ID card scheme | the Sunday Times |website=www.thesundaytimes.co.uk |access-date=22 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410011124/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/article223044.ece |archive-date=10 April 2016 |url-status=dead}}

On 8 August 2004, it was revealed that Sir David Omand, the UK's intelligence and security coordinator, had told a meeting of the British cabinet he was launching a major leak inquiry, which ended up costing an estimated £1 million.{{Cite news|url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/article233909.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529131511/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/article233909.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 May 2015|title=No 10 hunt for Sunday Times leaker is leaked|work=The Sunday Times|date=8 August 2004|last1=Winnett|first1=Robert|last2=Leppard|first2=David|last3=Cracknell|first3=David}}

Cracknell obtained a leaked document written by Alastair Campbell shortly before the 2005 general election which claimed that the Labour Party was "home and dry".{{Cite web|url=http://www.prweek.com/article/475544/news-analysis-no-winners-negative-election|title=News analysis: No winners in the negative election|work=PR Week|last=Cracknell|first=David|date=13 May 2005}}

Following his departure from The Sunday Times, he was a managing director at PR firm FD, formerly Financial Dynamics, as well as being chairman of its public affairs division, where he advised Northern Rock on its recovery plan following the bank being taken into public ownership.

He left in August 2008 to found his own communications firm, Big Tent Communications, of which he is managing director.

Cracknell lives in London and Rye, East Sussex and is married with three children.

In 2007 Cracknell played piano on a single by Gabrielle and Paul Weller called "Why".{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/jul/22/business.theobserver | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=Media Diary | date=22 July 2007}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081004075621/http://www.bigtentcommunications.com/ Big Tent Communications]

{{s-start}}

{{s-media}}

{{succession box

| before = ?

| title = Political Editor of The Sunday Times

| years = ?–2007

| after = Jonathan Oliver

}}

{{s-end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cracknell, David}}

Category:British male journalists

Category:The Sunday Times people

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of Pembroke College, Oxford

Category:People educated at Forest School, Walthamstow

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)