Jon Craig
Encyclopedia
Jon Craig is the Chief Political Correspondent of Sky News
, the 24 hour television news service operated by Sky Television
, part of British Sky Broadcasting
. He has occupied this position since July 2006. He is a former Political Editor of two national newspapers, the Daily Express
and the Sunday Express, and of BBC London
, and has been a Lobby Correspondent at Westminster for nearly 30 years (as of November 2011).
, in North West England, on 9th August, 1957.
, an independent school
for boys (now co-educational) in the market town
of Macclesfield
in Cheshire, followed by Wetherby High School
(when it was still a Secondary Modern School), in the market town of Wetherby
, in the borough of the City of Leeds
in West Yorkshire
and at Tadcaster Grammar School
in the market town of Tadcaster
in North Yorkshire
, followed by the University of Southampton
, where he studied LLB, a Bachelor degree in Law. After graduation, he became President of the university's Student Union.
, a large town on the south bank of the River Tees
in North Yorkshire
, for which he became Parliamentary Correspondent and Senior Political Correspondent.
In 1992, Craig joined the Daily Express
newspaper, becoming its Political Editor. During this time, he became a regular newspaper reviewer and political pundit on a variety of radio and television channels, from BBC Radio Five Live
to Talk Sport, LBC
, BBC GLR,Yorkshire Television
, ITN and GMTV
.
In 1998, Craig joined the Sunday Express newspaper as Political Editor, remaining with the paper for three years.
In 2001, Craig joined BBC London
, and its new regional news programme, BBC London News
, the BBC's replacement news programme for the Crystal Palace
transmitter coverage area of London, as its new Political Editor. The capital had previously been served by a programme called Newsroom South East
, covering a far wider region. Craig's job at BBC London entailed daily reporting on the London area TV bulletins on BBC1 and BBC London’s radio station, 94.9, and presenting the weekly regional political programme MetroPol on BBC2 (now part of The Politics Show on BBC1). He also wrote a weekly political column for BBC London’s website.
In 2003, Craig joined Sky News
as a member of its political team. In July 2006, he was appointed Chief Political Correspondent of Sky News.
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
, the 24 hour television news service operated by Sky Television
Sky Television
Sky Television may refer to:*British Sky Broadcasting in the United Kingdom**Sky Digital , the television network run by BSkyB...
, part of British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
. He has occupied this position since July 2006. He is a former Political Editor of two national newspapers, the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
and the Sunday Express, and of BBC London
BBC London
BBC London is the BBC English Region producing local radio, television, teletext and online services in London and parts of the surrounding area. Its output includes the daily BBC London News and the weekly Politics Show on television, the BBC London 94.9 radio station and local coverage of the...
, and has been a Lobby Correspondent at Westminster for nearly 30 years (as of November 2011).
Early life
Craig was born in the town of Eastham in CheshireCheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, in North West England, on 9th August, 1957.
Education
Craig was educated at the Junior School of The King's SchoolThe King's School, Macclesfield
-Notable former pupils:* Peter Moores, ex-England Cricket Coach* Rev. Thomas Taylor, priest and historian* Alan Beith, politician* Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent of Sky News...
, an independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
for boys (now co-educational) in the market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
of Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
in Cheshire, followed by Wetherby High School
Wetherby High School
Wetherby High School is a secondary school in the Hallfield area of Wetherby, West Yorkshire. It is run by the City of Leeds Local Education Authority. The school is situated on Hallfield Lane, on the Hallfields Estate in Wetherby...
(when it was still a Secondary Modern School), in the market town of Wetherby
Wetherby
Wetherby is a market town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Wharfe, and has been for centuries a crossing place and staging post on the Great North Road, being mid-way between London and Edinburgh...
, in the borough of the City of Leeds
City of Leeds
The City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Leeds City Council, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. The metropolitan district includes Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell,...
in West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
and at Tadcaster Grammar School
Tadcaster Grammar School
Tadcaster Grammar School is a secondary school near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England founded in 1557 by Owen Oglethorpe as an all boys school. The school is no longer situated in the brewery town of Tadcaster, rather in the hamlet of Toulston just outside the town...
in the market town of Tadcaster
Tadcaster
Tadcaster is a market town and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. Lying on the Great North Road approximately east of Leeds and west of York. It is the last town on the River Wharfe before it joins the River Ouse about downstream...
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, followed by the University of Southampton
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
, where he studied LLB, a Bachelor degree in Law. After graduation, he became President of the university's Student Union.
Life and career
After leaving university, Craig became a graduate trainee with Thomson Regional Newspapers working on the Evening Gazette newspaper in MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, a large town on the south bank of the River Tees
River Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, for which he became Parliamentary Correspondent and Senior Political Correspondent.
In 1992, Craig joined the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
newspaper, becoming its Political Editor. During this time, he became a regular newspaper reviewer and political pundit on a variety of radio and television channels, from BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio Five Live
BBC Radio 5 Live is the BBC's national radio service that specialises in live BBC News, phone-ins, and sports commentaries...
to Talk Sport, LBC
LBC
LBC Radio operates two London-based radio stations, with news and talk formats. LBC was Britain's first legal commercial Independent Local Radio station, providing a service of news and information to London. It began broadcasting on 8 October 1973, a week ahead of Capital Radio...
, BBC GLR,Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television
Yorkshire Television, now officially known as ITV Yorkshire and sometimes unofficially abbreviated to YTV, is a British television broadcaster and the contractor for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV network...
, ITN and GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
.
In 1998, Craig joined the Sunday Express newspaper as Political Editor, remaining with the paper for three years.
In 2001, Craig joined BBC London
BBC London
BBC London is the BBC English Region producing local radio, television, teletext and online services in London and parts of the surrounding area. Its output includes the daily BBC London News and the weekly Politics Show on television, the BBC London 94.9 radio station and local coverage of the...
, and its new regional news programme, BBC London News
BBC London News
For other uses of the BBC London brand, see BBC London .BBC London News is the BBC's regional television news programme for the English region encompassing London and surrounding suburbs...
, the BBC's replacement news programme for the Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace
- United Kingdom :* The Crystal Palace, an 1851 building in south London destroyed by fire in 1936** The Great Exhibition, the event the building was built for, sometimes also known as Crystal Palace...
transmitter coverage area of London, as its new Political Editor. The capital had previously been served by a programme called Newsroom South East
Newsroom South East
Newsroom South East was the name of the BBC's regional news programme for southeastern England. It was launched in March 1989 as the successor to London Plus, the South East's previous news programme...
, covering a far wider region. Craig's job at BBC London entailed daily reporting on the London area TV bulletins on BBC1 and BBC London’s radio station, 94.9, and presenting the weekly regional political programme MetroPol on BBC2 (now part of The Politics Show on BBC1). He also wrote a weekly political column for BBC London’s website.
In 2003, Craig joined Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
as a member of its political team. In July 2006, he was appointed Chief Political Correspondent of Sky News.