Philip Webster
{{Short description|British journalist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Philip Webster
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|66|2016|01|16}}
| education = Wymondham College
Harlow College
| occupation = Journalist
| employer = Eastern Daily Press
The Times
}}
Philip Webster (born {{birth based on age as of date|66|2016|01|16|noage=1}}){{Cite news|url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/local-council/from-the-most-easterly-point-of-britain-to-westminster-philip-827810|title=From the most easterly point of Britain to Westminster - Philip Webster retires after esteemed political journalism career|work=Eastern Daily Press|date=10 October 2020|access-date=25 January 2021}} is a British journalist. He spent 18 years as political editor of The Times and has had many other roles at the newspaper.
Early and personal life
Webster was the son of a farmer in Norfolk. He was educated at Wymondham College. He entered a National Council for the Training of Journalists course run by Harlow College in 1968.{{Cite news|url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/impartiality-fairness-and-accuracy-key-philip-websters-40-year-career-times/|title=Impartiality, fairness and accuracy key to Philip Webster's 40-year career at The Times|work=Press Gazette|last=Ponsford|first=Dominic|date=16 December 2013|access-date=25 January 2021}}
Webster is a supporter of Norwich City Football Club.
Career
Webster began his career at the Eastern Daily Press in Norwich.{{Cite news|url=https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/press-gazettes-top-50-political-reporters/|title=Press Gazette's top 50 political reporters|work=Press Gazette|date=27 September 2012|access-date=25 January 2021}} After three years he joined The Times, of which he recalled:
{{cquote|I was helped when a senior staffer at The Times noticed that I could write shorthand pretty fast and hired me, virtually on the spot, to report in Parliament.}}
Webster was initially a press gallery reporter from February 1973.{{Cite podcast |url=https://shows.acast.com/timesredbox/episodes/the-press-gallery |title=The Press Gallery |work=Red Box Politics Podcast |publisher=Acast |date=4 February 2022 |last=Chorley |first=Matt |access-date=18 March 2022}} He wrote a book about Kevin Keelan, the goalkeeper for Norwich City F.C.{{cite podcast |url=https://play.acast.com/s/timesredbox/livespecialwithedballsandphilipwebster-part1 |title=Live special with Ed Balls and Philip Webster - part 1 |work=Red Box Politics Podcast |publisher=Acast |last=Chorley |first=Matt |date=6 December 2016 |access-date=17 March 2022}} He went on to join the Lobby as a political reporter in 1981. He became chief political correspondent of The Times in 1986. He wrote the newspaper's last splash from its headquarters in Gray's Inn Road (Leon Brittan, the secretary of state for trade and industry, under pressure to resign over the Westland affair) and its first splash from its headquarters in Wapping (Margaret Thatcher's fightback over the affair). Webster ran an "all-stars" football team.
Webster became political editor of The Times in 1992. He broke the story of John Major's affair with Edwina Currie. He stood down as political editor after the 2010 general election, having spent 18 years in the role. He was appointed Europe editor,{{Cite news|url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/new-political-editor-and-other-changes-at-the-times/|title=New political editor and other changes at The Times|work=Press Gazette|date=12 November 2009|access-date=25 January 2021}} and editor of thetimes.co.uk. In 2013 he was digital opinions editor and deputy head of news. He was later editor of The Times{{'}} Red Box political bulletin.{{Cite news|url=https://www.news.co.uk/2016/01/inspirational-figure-webster-retires/|title='Inspirational figure' Webster retires|work=News UK|date=13 January 2016|access-date=25 January 2021}}
Webster retired on 13 January 2016 after a 43-year career at The Times, though it was reported that he would continue to write for the paper "on a casual basis". Webster's book about his time in journalism, Inside Story: Politics, Intrigue and Treachery from Thatcher to Brexit, was released later that year.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/inside-story-politics-intrigue-and-treachery-from-thatcher-to-brexit-by-philip-webster-h7fhbq6w6|title=Inside Story: Politics, Intrigue and Treachery from Thatcher to Brexit by Philip Webster|work=The Times|last=Zeffman|first=Henry|date=12 November 2016|access-date=25 January 2021}}
Bibliography
- Keelan: The Story of a Goalkeeper (George Nobbs Publishing, 1979)
- Inside Story: Politics, Intrigue and Treachery from Thatcher to Brexit (Williams Collins, 2016) {{ISBN|978-0008201333}}
References
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{{s-bef|before=}}
{{s-ttl|title=Political Editor of The Times|years=1992–2010}}
{{s-aft|after=Roland Watson}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Webster, Philip}}
Category:People educated at Wymondham College
Category:Alumni of Harlow College
Category:British male journalists
Category:20th-century British journalists
Category:21st-century British journalists
Category:British newspaper journalists