Ian Birrell Explained

Ian Birrell
Nationality:British
Alma Mater:University of Aberdeen
Occupation:Journalist

Ian Birrell is a British journalist and former speechwriter to Prime Minister David Cameron.[1] He has been a columnist at several newspapers including the i and UnHerd.[2] [3] From 1998 to 2010, Birrell was deputy editor-in-chief of The Independent.

Education

Birrell was educated at Ampleforth College,[4] a Roman Catholic boarding independent school for boys (now coeducational), in the village of Ampleforth in North Yorkshire, followed by the University of Aberdeen.[4]

Journalism

Birrell has reported as a foreign correspondent for British newspapers from Egypt, Haiti, Iraq, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Syria, and others.[5] [6] [7]

Birrell is a campaigner for the rights of people with learning disabilities and autism who are locked up in British psychiatric institutions. He has investigated and written extensively on this issue and has received several awards for this work.[8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

Birrell reported on the case of 12-year-old Billy Caldwell from Northern Ireland who needed medical cannabis for his epilepsy and was forced to go overseas to get it as it was illegal in Britain. The report created a scandal that forced the British government to change the law and legalize medical cannabis.[13] [14]

Television and radio

Birrell presented the BBC Panorama programme Tough Justice that featured Michael Gove[15]

Sky News All Out Politics podcast What Next for Global Britain, hosted by Adam Boulton[16]

The Andrew Marr Show[17]

Music

Birrell co-founded the charity Africa Express with musician Damon Albarn to encourage collaboration between African, Middle Eastern and Western musicians Birrell was executive producer of the Africa Express albums Presents (2009) and Terry's in C Mali (2015).

Awards

Personal life

Birrell has a daughter, Ione, who suffers from severe epilepsy.[26]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ian Birrell . The Guardian. en. 21 May 2020.
  2. Web site: Ian Birrell - inews.co.uk. inews.co.uk. en. 21 May 2020.
  3. Web site: Ian Birrell, a writer for UnHerd. UnHerd. en-GB. 21 May 2020.
  4. Web site: The hell I share with David Cameron. The Spectator (political magazine). Ian . Birrell. 22 October 2005. 24 April 2021.
  5. Web site: The Arab Spring is still unfurling . Ian . Birrell. 21 May 2020. Unherd. 11 April 2019 .
  6. Web site: 13 February 2011. We help the dictators to steal . Ian . Birrell. 22 February 2021. The Guardian. en.
  7. Web site: 26 August 2012. Our image of Africa is hopelessly obsolete . Ian . Birrell. 22 February 2021. The Guardian. en.
  8. Web site: 29 November 2020. 'It is devastating to see how hopeless she is': Detaining people with special needs is inhumane. 22 February 2021. inews.co.uk. en.
  9. Web site: 12 July 2020. 'They are making people worse': The scandal of imprisoning patients with autism. Ian. Birrell. 22 February 2021. inews.co.uk. en.
  10. News: Birrell. Ian. 15 January 2021. Lockdown has exposed Britain's callous indifference towards disabled people. en-GB. The Telegraph. 22 February 2021. 0307-1235.
  11. Web site: 21 October 2019. A teenager with autism was caged like a dangerous creature. When will the Government act?. Ian. Birrell. 22 February 2021. inews.co.uk. en.
  12. Web site: 12 February 2020. Matt Hancock facing legal challenge over 'repeated failures' in autism care. Ian. Birrell. 22 February 2021. inews.co.uk. en.
  13. Web site: 22 June 2018. How the government's cannabis policy went up in smoke. Finn. McRedmond. 22 February 2021. Reaction. en-US.
  14. Monaghan. Mark. Wincup. Emma. Hamilton. Ian. Scandalous decisions: explaining shifts in UK medicinal cannabis policy. Addiction. 2021. 116. 7. 1925–1933. en. 10.1111/add.15350. 33404120. 230784833. 1360-0443.
  15. Web site: Panorama, Season 63, Episode 39, Tough Justice: Texas Style Alexander Street, a ProQuest Company. 22 February 2021. search.alexanderstreet.com.
  16. Web site: All Out Politics podcast: What next for 'Global Britain?'. 22 February 2021. Sky News. en.
  17. News: Andrew Marr Show newspaper review. en-GB. BBC News. 22 February 2021.
  18. Web site: Ian Birrell. 22 February 2021. Human Rights Foundation. en-US.
  19. Web site: SoE Press Awards 2015 – the winners. 22 February 2021. www.inpublishing.co.uk.
  20. Web site: Guardian Staff. 23 March 2016. Press Awards for 2015: full list of winners. 22 February 2021. The Guardian. en.
  21. Web site: National Press Awards Winners – Society of Editors.
  22. Web site: Ian Birrell, Author at inews.co.uk. 22 February 2021. inews.co.uk. en.
  23. Web site: Freddy. Mayhew. 3 April 2019. Times titles win big at Society of Editors' Press Awards. 22 February 2021. Press Gazette. en-US.
  24. Web site: Amnesty Media Awards 2019 winners announced. 22 February 2021. www.amnesty.org.uk.
  25. Web site: Ian Birrell The Orwell Foundation. 22 February 2021. www.orwellfoundation.com. en-GB.
  26. Web site: How my daughter disrupted my politics. Ian. Birrell. 14 October 2019. UnHerd. en-GB. 21 May 2020.

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