Martin Daubney

{{short description|British commentator and journalist (born 1970)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Martin Daubney

| honorific_suffix =

| image = Martin Daubney MEP.jpg

| caption = Daubney in 2019

| order =

| office1 = Member of the European Parliament
for West Midlands

| term_start1 = 2 July 2019

| term_end1 = 31 January 2020

| predecessor1 = Jill Seymour

| successor1 = Constituency abolished

| birth_name = Martin Edward Daubney

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1970|06|22}}

| birth_place = Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = British

| party = Reclaim Party (2021–2022)

| otherparty = Brexit Party (2019)
Labour (until 2010)

| spouse =

| partner =

| relations =

| children = 2

| residence =

| alma_mater = University of Manchester

| occupation =

| religion =

| signature =

| website =

| footnotes =

|education=Carlton le Willows School}}

Martin Edward Daubney (born 22 June 1970) is a British commentator, journalist and former politician who was the deputy leader of the Reclaim Party from 2021 until August 2022.{{cite news |last1=Marlow |first1=Ben |title=Incredibly, the Tories have squandered another year of Brexit |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/11/23/incredibly-tories-have-squandered-another-year-brexit/ |access-date=26 November 2022 |work=Daily Telegraph |date=23 November 2022}} Daubney was a Brexit Party Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the West Midlands from 2019 to 2020. He was the longest-serving editor of the men's lifestyle magazine Loaded.

Early life

Daubney was born on 22 June 1970 in Nottingham.{{cite web|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197760/MARTIN+EDWARD_DAUBNEY/home|publisher=European Parliament|accessdate=30 August 2019|title=Martin Edward Daubney|date=22 June 1970 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830112902/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197760/MARTIN%2BEDWARD_DAUBNEY/home|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live}} He grew up in Gedling, Nottinghamshire. His father was a coal miner and his mother was a teacher. He has one sister.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2008/08/01/loaded_martin_daubney_feature.shtml|title=Nottingham man is Loaded's editor|website=BBC Nottingham|date=5 August 2008|accessdate=30 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830112905/http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2008/08/01/loaded_martin_daubney_feature.shtml|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/are-men-the-new-women-how-martin-daubney-went-from-lads-mag-editor-to-stayathome-dad-a3367261.html|work=London Evening Standard|title=Are men the new women? How Martin Daubney went from Lads' Mag editor to stay-at-home dad|date=13 October 2016|accessdate=30 August 2019|last=Daubney|first=Martin|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531172929/https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/esmagazine/are-men-the-new-women-how-martin-daubney-went-from-lads-mag-editor-to-stayathome-dad-a3367261.html|archive-date=31 May 2019|url-status=live}} He studied geography at the University of Manchester, and was the first man in his family to graduate from university. He graduated with a third class degree.

Magazine and television career

Daubney's first job in journalism was as a researcher for the women's magazine Bella in 1995.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/martin-daubney-my-life-in-media-419246.html|work=The Independent|date=9 October 2006|title=Martin Daubney: My Life In Media|accessdate=31 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202083505/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/martin-daubney-my-life-in-media-419246.html|archive-date=2 February 2012|url-status=live}}
- {{cite news|url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/martin-daubney-i-set-fire-to-writers-and-blew-them-up-with-napalm/|work=Press Gazette|date=1 November 2010|accessdate=30 August 2019|last=Luft|first=Oliver|title=Martin Daubney: I set fire to writers and blew them up with napalm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830112907/https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/martin-daubney-i-set-fire-to-writers-and-blew-them-up-with-napalm/|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live}} Two years later, he was promoted to commissioning editor. Daubney then became the features editor for the men's lifestyle magazine, FHM in the late 1990s. After this, he was the editor of page3.com for the tabloid newspaper The Sun. He then wrote articles for the sports section of the tabloid newspaper News of the World before becoming the deputy editor of the men's lifestyle magazine Loaded in February 2003. In September that year, he was promoted to editor.{{cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/loaded-editor-promises-resurrect-iconic-lads-mag/189003|work=Campaign|date=4 September 2003|accessdate=30 August 2019|title=Loaded editor promises to resurrect iconic lads' mag|last=Griffiths|first=Anna|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830112907/https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/loaded-editor-promises-resurrect-iconic-lads-mag/189003|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live}}
- {{cite web|publisher=Media Life|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920125740/http://www.medialifemagazine.com:8080/news2004/mar04/mar15/5_fri/news3friday.html|archivedate=20 September 2012|url-status=dead|url=http://www.medialifemagazine.com:8080/news2004/mar04/mar15/5_fri/news3friday.html|date=19 March 2004|title=Loaded, first laddie, seeks a new youth|last=Dawley|first=Heidi}}
- {{cite news|url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/daubney-answers-loaded-call-of-wild/|title=Daubney answers Loaded 'call of wild'|work=Press Gazette|date=23 January 2003|last=Addicott|first=Ruth|accessdate=30 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830112906/https://pressgazette.co.uk/daubney-answers-loaded-call-of-wild/|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live}} In 2007, he organised a straight pride march as he felt that heterosexuality was being "undermined" and becoming "unfashionable".{{cite news|url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/loaded-editor-gets-straight-to-the-point/|work=Press Gazette|title=Loaded editor gets straight to the point|date=16 July 2007|accessdate=30 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830150534/https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/loaded-editor-gets-straight-to-the-point/|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/25/brexit-party-opera-singer-ex-loaded-editor-eu-elections-candidates|title=Brexit party: opera singer and ex-Loaded editor on candidate list|last=Halliday|first=Josh|date=25 April 2019|work=The Guardian|accessdate=30 May 2019|issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706220309/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/25/brexit-party-opera-singer-ex-loaded-editor-eu-elections-candidates|archive-date=6 July 2019|url-status=live}}

Daubney left Loaded in November 2010, after sales that peaked in the second half of 1998 to an average of 457,318 copies a month, had fallen to just a monthly average of 53,591.{{cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/magazines/2010/09/loaded-editor-magazine-daubney|last=Luft|first=Oliver|date=3 September 2010|accessdate=30 August 2019|title=Loaded editor Martin Daubney leaves amid sale talks|work=New Statesman|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724140400/https://www.newstatesman.com/magazines/2010/09/loaded-editor-magazine-daubney|archive-date=24 July 2019|url-status=live}}
- {{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/sep/02/loaded-editor-martin-daubney-quits|title=Loaded editor steps down|work=The Guardian|date=2 September 2010|accessdate=30 August 2019|last=Plunkett|first=John|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830112906/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/sep/02/loaded-editor-martin-daubney-quits|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live}} He was the longest serving editor of the magazine.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/martin-daubney/|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=25 August 2019|title=Martin Daubney|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423051857/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/martin-daubney/|archive-date=23 April 2019|url-status=dead}} After leaving the magazine, he became a "stay-at-home dad", amid reports that he had postnatal depression following the birth of his first child.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/68d922ef-b69f-4ee2-b26d-e60e4b03727b|title=Why we need to talk about postnatal depression in men|publisher=BBC Three|accessdate=30 August 2019|date=8 May 2017|last=Daubney|first=Martin|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830112902/https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/68d922ef-b69f-4ee2-b26d-e60e4b03727b|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=dead}}

In 2013, Daubney spent six months making a documentary for Channel 4 on pornography addiction called Porn on the Brain.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2013/sep/30/neuroscience-psychology|work=The Guardian|title=Porn on the Brain – TV review|date=30 September 2013|accessdate=30 August 2019|last=Chambers|first=Chris|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830150533/https://www.theguardian.com/science/head-quarters/2013/sep/30/neuroscience-psychology|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live}}
- {{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/26/wanker-porn-epidemic-editor-loaded-sex-consent|work=The Guardian|title=Here's how to talk to young men about porn|last=Daubney|first=Martin|date=26 November 2015|accessdate=30 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830150533/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/26/wanker-porn-epidemic-editor-loaded-sex-consent|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live}} He supports the men's rights movement.{{cite news|url=https://www.indy100.com/article/brexit-party-candidate-mep-european-elections-racist-homophobic-8887686|work=The Independent|title=Brexit Party candidate 'sick and tired' of Leave voters being branded 'racist' and 'homophobic'|date=26 April 2019|accessdate=30 August 2019|last=Waters|first=Lowenna|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830150532/https://www.indy100.com/article/brexit-party-candidate-mep-european-elections-racist-homophobic-8887686|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live}}

In October 2023, the media regulator Ofcom ruled that a GB News programme hosted by Daubney breached impartiality and did not give "due weight" to a wide range of views on immigration and asylum policy.{{cite web | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/martin-daubney-gb-news-ofcom-brexit-english-b1115297.html | title=GB News show hosted by stand-in presenter Martin Daubney breached impartiality, Ofcom finds | work=Evening Standard | first=Ellie | last=Iorizzo | date=23 October 2023 | access-date=13 August 2024}}

Political career

Daubney was a Labour Party supporter until the election of Ed Miliband as party leader in 2010. He said that he has also voted for the Liberal Democrats and the Women's Equality Party in the past. He voted for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union in the 2016 membership referendum and supported a no-deal Brexit.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/27/martin-daubney-nigel-farage-brexit-party-radioactive-wolves|title=He shot radioactive wolves, dropped acid – and now he backs Nigel Farage|last=Anthony|first=Andrew|date=27 April 2019|work=The Guardian|accessdate=19 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818225337/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/27/martin-daubney-nigel-farage-brexit-party-radioactive-wolves|archive-date=18 August 2019|url-status=live}}

On 25 April 2019, it was announced that Daubney would stand for the Brexit Party in the European Parliament election on 23 May. He was second on his party's list in the West Midlands constituency{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48081683|title=2019 European elections: List of candidates for the West Midlands|work=BBC News|date=28 April 2019|accessdate=30 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611080831/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48081683|archive-date=11 June 2019|url-status=live}} and was elected as one of its three MEPs there.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-48417494|title=European election 2019: Brexit Party tops West Midlands polls|work=BBC News|date=27 May 2019|accessdate=30 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190624214340/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-48417494|archive-date=24 June 2019|url-status=live}} In the European Parliament, he was a member of the Committee on Regional Development and was part of the delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula.

Daubney was the Brexit Party candidate for Ashfield in the 2019 general election.{{cite news|url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/labour-names-general-election-candidate-3451535|work=Nottingham Post|date=21 October 2019|last=Sandeman|first=Kit|title=Labour names general election candidate for Ashfield after Gloria De Pierro stands down}} He finished fourth with 2,501 votes (saving his deposit, with 5.1% of the vote), behind the Conservative, Ashfield Independents and Labour candidates.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000535Z|title=Ashfield|website=BBC News|accessdate=14 December 2019}}

In August 2021, Daubney was appointed deputy leader of Laurence Fox's Reclaim Party.{{cite web |title=Martin Daubney appointed Deputy Leader of The Reclaim Party |url=https://reclaimparty.co.uk/news/martin-daubney-appointed-deputy-leader-of-the-reclaim-party/ |publisher=Reclaim Party |access-date=17 December 2021}}
- {{Cite tweet |last=Daubney |first=Martin |user=MartinDaubney |number=1424767660009697286 |title=Mightily chuffed to be announced as Deputy Leader of @thereclaimparty reporting to @LozzaFox There's much to do. And it starts today. Cheers all|date=9 August 2021|access-date=9 August 2021}} Daubney was the party's candidate in the 2021 North Shropshire by-election,{{cite web |title=North Shropshire by-election 2021: The candidates standing |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-59289032 |website=BBC News |access-date=19 November 2021 |date=19 November 2021}} finishing seventh with 375 votes (0.98 per cent).{{cite web |title=North Shropshire parliamentary by-election: The result |url=https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/elections-and-electoral-registration/election-results/north-shropshire-parliamentary-by-election/ |website=www.shropshire.gov.uk |publisher=Shropshire Council |access-date=17 December 2021 |ref=Yes}}

Personal life

Daubney has a partner and they have two children.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfOIfOcdM5Y|publisher=This Morning (YouTube)|date=4 April 2017|accessdate=10 September 2022|title=Would You Let Your Husband Take Out Another Woman to Dinner?}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/thismorning/hot-topics/couples-dreading-christmas|title=Couples dreading Christmas|publisher=ITV|date=17 December 2014|accessdate=30 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830112904/https://www.itv.com/thismorning/hot-topics/couples-dreading-christmas|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live}} They met while working together at The Sun.{{cite news|last=Turner|first=Janice|title=Dirty young men|url=https://www.theguardian.com/weekend/story/0,,1596384,00.html | work=The Guardian|date=22 October 2005|location=London}}
- {{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/royal-family/article/tabloid-week-78cllk7mkw8|work=The Times|title=Tabloid week|last=White|first=Roland|date=26 May 2013|access-date=30 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830112902/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tabloid-week-78cllk7mkw8|archive-date=30 August 2019|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}