Margaret Gilmore
Encyclopedia
Margaret Gilmore is a journalist, broadcaster, writer and analyst. She frequently broadcasts, writes and lectures on security issues and is an Associate Fellow with the lead UK security think tank Royal United Services Institute
(RUSI).
Gilmore gained a degree in English from the University of London
(studying at Westfield College
, now part of Queen Mary, University of London
) and began her career as a journalist in 1977 reporting for local newspapers in London and then with Independent Radio News
.
She joined the BBC in 1985 as a reporter based in Northern Ireland. From there she moved to Breakfast News
, and then BBC 2's Newsnight
, where she specialised in Irish Affairs. Gilmore worked for Thames Television
's This Week
between 1989 and 1993 where she covered a wide range of subjects filming all over the world.
While with This Week Gilmore made the first western documentary on the Lebanon hostage crisis
while the hostages were still in captivity, and was the first western reporter allowed into East Germany after the resignation of Eric Honecker. She witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall
. Her two-part special on the American
mafia
reached record audiences of nearly nine million people.
Gilmore returned to the BBC as a reporter on Panorama
in 1993, where her programmes included "A Crime Unpunished" (on race and the law) and "Babies on Benefit". She has also travelled extensively for the BBC's Assignment. As a News Correspondent she covered the Newbury Bypass protests.
In 1997 she became the Environment Correspondent for BBC Television News, winning the top environment award - a BEMA, as Television Environment Journalist of the Year - for her work on global warming, and the developing BSE
and CJD
crisis.
Margaret Gilmore was appointed as Home and Legal Affairs Correspondent for BBC Television
News in January 2000. In her role as Home and Legal Affairs Correspondent for BBC Television News Margaret's brief includes terrorism and homeland security, policing, asylum, crime and race relations. Most recently, she has reported on the aftermath of the 7 July 2005 London bombings
, the new UK terrorism legislation and the proposed introduction of ID cards
. In this role, Gilmore co-wrote the book The Terrorist Hunters
whose release was blocked by an injunction sought by Baroness Scotland QC.
Royal United Services Institute
The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies , officially still known by its old name, the Royal United Services Institution, is a British defence and security think tank. It was founded in 1831 by The Duke of Wellington.RUSI describes itself asIt won Prospect Magazine's...
(RUSI).
Gilmore gained a degree in English from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
(studying at Westfield College
Westfield College
Westfield College was a small college situated in Kidderpore Avenue, Hampstead, London, and was a constituent college of the University of London from 1882 to 1989. The college originally admitted only women as students and became coeducational in 1964. In 1989, Westfield College merged with Queen...
, now part of Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
) and began her career as a journalist in 1977 reporting for local newspapers in London and then with Independent Radio News
Independent Radio News
Independent Radio News provides a service of news bulletins, audio and copy to commercial radio stations in the UK and beyond.The managing director of IRN is Tim Molloy, who succeeded long-term MD John Perkins in November 2009...
.
She joined the BBC in 1985 as a reporter based in Northern Ireland. From there she moved to Breakfast News
Breakfast News
Breakfast News was a breakfast news show which aired on BBC One from September 4, 1989 to September 15, 2000.The programme had been previously known as Breakfast Time....
, and then BBC 2's Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
, where she specialised in Irish Affairs. Gilmore worked for Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
's This Week
This Week (ITV TV series)
This Week was a weekly current affairs series first produced for ITV in January 1956 by Associated-Rediffusion , running until 1978, when it was replaced by TV Eye...
between 1989 and 1993 where she covered a wide range of subjects filming all over the world.
While with This Week Gilmore made the first western documentary on the Lebanon hostage crisis
Lebanon hostage crisis
The Lebanon hostage crisis refers to the systematic kidnapping in Lebanon of 96 foreign hostages of 21 national origins – mostly American and western European – between 1982 and 1992...
while the hostages were still in captivity, and was the first western reporter allowed into East Germany after the resignation of Eric Honecker. She witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
. Her two-part special on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
reached record audiences of nearly nine million people.
Gilmore returned to the BBC as a reporter on Panorama
Panorama (TV series)
Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
in 1993, where her programmes included "A Crime Unpunished" (on race and the law) and "Babies on Benefit". She has also travelled extensively for the BBC's Assignment. As a News Correspondent she covered the Newbury Bypass protests.
In 1997 she became the Environment Correspondent for BBC Television News, winning the top environment award - a BEMA, as Television Environment Journalist of the Year - for her work on global warming, and the developing BSE
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
and CJD
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease or CJD is a degenerative neurological disorder that is incurable and invariably fatal. CJD is at times called a human form of mad cow disease, given that bovine spongiform encephalopathy is believed to be the cause of variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease in humans.CJD...
crisis.
Margaret Gilmore was appointed as Home and Legal Affairs Correspondent for BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
News in January 2000. In her role as Home and Legal Affairs Correspondent for BBC Television News Margaret's brief includes terrorism and homeland security, policing, asylum, crime and race relations. Most recently, she has reported on the aftermath of the 7 July 2005 London bombings
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
, the new UK terrorism legislation and the proposed introduction of ID cards
British national identity card
The Identity Cards Act 2006 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It provided for National Identity Cards, a personal identification document and European Union travel document, linked to a database known as the National Identity Register .The introduction of the scheme was much...
. In this role, Gilmore co-wrote the book The Terrorist Hunters
The Terrorist Hunters
The Terrorist Hunters is a controversial non-fiction book by former senior police officer Andy Hayman, co-written by Margaret Gilmore, about Hayman's role as head of the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Operations Division. The British Attorney General, Baroness Scotland QC, sought, and initially...
whose release was blocked by an injunction sought by Baroness Scotland QC.