Peter Preston
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For the Ontario politician see Peter L. Preston
Peter Preston is a British journalist and author. Born May 23, 1938 in Leicestershire, he was educated at Loughborough Grammar School and St John's College, Oxford. He has received honorary degrees from the City University, London and the University of Leicester (2003).
He joined The Guardian in 1963 and was editor for twenty years, from 1975 to 1995. He continues to write a weekly column. He was a member of the Scott Trust from 1979 to 2003, Chairman of the International Press Institute from 1995 to 1997, and Chairman of the Association of British Press Editors.
Mocked by The Spectator for his contorted writing style, he nevertheless is perhaps best known for the investigative reporting into Conservative MPs, including Jonathan Aitken and Neil Hamilton, begun while he was editor of The Guardian. These were the sleaze revelations ("cash for questions" and corruption in parliament) that contributed to the downfall of the Conservative government in 1997.
Bibliography
- Bess (Viking, 1999) ISBN 067088765X
- 51st State (Viking, 1998) ISBN 0670881074
External links
- Guardian columns by Peter Preston (http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Archive/0,5673,-23,00.html)
- Guardian Unlimited Special Report: The Aitken Affair (http://www.guardian.co.uk/aitken)
- Guardian Unlimited Special Report: Hamilton, Al Fayed Libel Case (http://www.guardian.co.uk/hamilton)
- Open Directory Project - Peter Preston (http://dmoz.org/Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/News_and_Media/Journalists/Preston,_Peter/) directory category