Alan Rhun Watkins (3 April 1933 – 8 May 2010)[1] was for over 50 years a British political columnist in various London-based magazines and newspapers. He also wrote about wine and rugby.
At the end of each year he wrote a piece called "Master Alan Watkins' Almanack", written in the style of a 17th-century seer and making tentative, and slightly tongue-in-cheek, predictions for the year ahead.[5][6]
Political languageedit
He coined and popularised a number of phrases that have passed into common journalistic parlance, including "chattering classes";[5] although he fleshed out the archetypal "young fogey" in The Spectator in 1984, Watkins noted that he had adopted the phrase from the journalist Terence Kilmartin, who had used it in reference to the academic John Casey, and Watkins stated that the phrase originated with Dornford Yates in 1928.[7]
He was noted for coining the political phrase "the men in grey suits", indicating a delegation of senior party figures (such as the Conservative Party's 1922 Committee)[8] who come to tell a party leader that it is time to go. But as he wrote in a footnote in A Conservative Coup:
The original phrase was 'the men in suits'. It was used, for example, by the present writer in the Observer, 6 May 1990. During and before the 39 hours it became transformed into 'the men in grey suits', which stuck. As Lord Whitelaw observed on television, it was an inaccurate phrase, because on the day in question, 21 November, his interviewer could see that he was wearing a blue suit. And, indeed, the typical Conservative grandee tends to wear a dark blue or black suit, with chalk- or pin-stripes, what may be called a White's Club suit. The original phrase 'the men in suits' is the more accurate.[9]
Watkins was in failing health for several weeks prior to his death at his London home on 8 May 2010 from renal failure, aged 77. He was buried on the eastern side of Highgate Cemetery.[10]
Bibliographyedit
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2020)
Booksedit
Watkins, Alan (1982). Brief lives. London: Hamish Hamilton.
Watkins, Alan (1990) A Slight Case of Libel: Meacher Versus Trelford and Others, London: Duckworth ISBN0-7156-2334-6
Watkins, Alan (1991) A Conservative Coup: The Fall of Margaret Thatcher, London: Duckworth ISBN0-7156-2386-9
Watkins, Alan (1998) The Road to Number 10: From Bonar Law to Tony Blair, London: Duckworth ISBN0-7156-2815-1
Watkins, Alan (2001) A Short Walk Down Fleet Street: From Beaverbrook to Boycott, London: Duckworth ISBN0-7156-3143-8
Articlesedit
Watkins, Alan (4 October 2008). . The Spectator. 308 (9397): 40–41. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2008.[11]
Referencesedit
^Michael White (9 May 2010). "Alan Watkins obituary: Political colunmnist with a bloody-minded independent streak". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
^ abcCiar Byrne (12 June 2006). , The Independent (London). Retrieved on 20 October 2008.
^Brief Lives with some memoirs, Alan Watkins, Elliot & Thompson, Ltd, 2004, pp 189-96
^"Master Alan Watkins' Almanack: Master Cameron may decide his". The Independent. 1 January 2006.
^Mount, Harry (13 September 2003). "The Young Fogey: An elegy". The Spectator.
^Eaton, George (11 October 2017). "The 1922 Committee: how the Tories' men in grey suits wield power". New Statesman.
^Alan Watkins, A Conservative Coup. The Fall of Margaret Thatcher (Duckworth, 1992), pp. 6–7, n. 5.
^David Connett (9 May 2010). "Alan Watkins, doyen of political commentators, dies at 77". The Independent. London. from the original on 10 May 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2010.
^Review of Donoughue, Bernard (2008). Downing Street diary : with James Callaghan in No.10. Cape..
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Not to be confused with Allan Watkins or Henry Watkins Allen Alan Rhun Watkins 3 April 1933 8 May 2010 1 was for over 50 years a British political columnist in various London based magazines and newspapers He also wrote about wine and rugby Contents 1 Life and career 1 1 Political language 2 Death 3 Bibliography 3 1 Books 3 2 Articles 4 References 5 External linksLife and career editAlan Watkins was born in Tycroes Carmarthenshire to David John Watkins 1894 1980 a teacher sometime headmaster at Llanedi School near Tycroes from a mining family and Violet also a teacher daughter of Dr Edwin Harris a GP 2 3 He was educated at Tycroes Primary School and Amman Valley Grammar School before studying law at Queens College Cambridge 4 After National Service he was called to the Bar 2 Much of his long career as a commentator on politics was spent at The Observer newspaper 1976 93 but he also wrote for The Sunday Express 1959 64 2 The Spectator 1964 67 the New Statesman 1967 76 the Sunday Mirror and the London Evening Standard At the end of each year he wrote a piece called Master Alan Watkins Almanack written in the style of a 17th century seer and making tentative and slightly tongue in cheek predictions for the year ahead 5 6 Political language edit He coined and popularised a number of phrases that have passed into common journalistic parlance including chattering classes 5 although he fleshed out the archetypal young fogey in The Spectator in 1984 Watkins noted that he had adopted the phrase from the journalist Terence Kilmartin who had used it in reference to the academic John Casey and Watkins stated that the phrase originated with Dornford Yates in 1928 7 He was noted for coining the political phrase the men in grey suits indicating a delegation of senior party figures such as the Conservative Party s 1922 Committee 8 who come to tell a party leader that it is time to go But as he wrote in a footnote in A Conservative Coup The original phrase was the men in suits It was used for example by the present writer in the Observer 6 May 1990 During and before the 39 hours it became transformed into the men in grey suits which stuck As Lord Whitelaw observed on television it was an inaccurate phrase because on the day in question 21 November his interviewer could see that he was wearing a blue suit And indeed the typical Conservative grandee tends to wear a dark blue or black suit with chalk or pin stripes what may be called a White s Club suit The original phrase the men in suits is the more accurate 9 nbsp Grave of Alan Watkins in Highgate CemeteryDeath editWatkins was in failing health for several weeks prior to his death at his London home on 8 May 2010 from renal failure aged 77 He was buried on the eastern side of Highgate Cemetery 10 Bibliography editThis list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items August 2020 Books edit Watkins Alan 1982 Brief lives London Hamish Hamilton Watkins Alan 1990 A Slight Case of Libel Meacher Versus Trelford and Others London Duckworth ISBN 0 7156 2334 6 Watkins Alan 1991 A Conservative Coup The Fall of Margaret Thatcher London Duckworth ISBN 0 7156 2386 9 Watkins Alan 1998 The Road to Number 10 From Bonar Law to Tony Blair London Duckworth ISBN 0 7156 2815 1 Watkins Alan 2001 A Short Walk Down Fleet Street From Beaverbrook to Boycott London Duckworth ISBN 0 7156 3143 8Articles edit Watkins Alan 4 October 2008 The end of old Labour The Spectator 308 9397 40 41 Archived from the original on 4 December 2008 Retrieved 23 December 2008 11 References edit Michael White 9 May 2010 Alan Watkins obituary Political colunmnist with a bloody minded independent streak The Guardian London Retrieved 9 May 2010 a b c Ciar Byrne 12 June 2006 The Indestructible Journos The Independent London Retrieved on 20 October 2008 Brief Lives with some memoirs Alan Watkins Elliot amp Thompson Ltd 2004 pp 189 96 Ammanford Carmarthenshire web site a b Alan Watkins obituary TheGuardian com 9 May 2010 Master Alan Watkins Almanack Master Cameron may decide his The Independent 1 January 2006 Mount Harry 13 September 2003 The Young Fogey An elegy The Spectator Eaton George 11 October 2017 The 1922 Committee how the Tories men in grey suits wield power New Statesman Alan Watkins A Conservative Coup The Fall of Margaret Thatcher Duckworth 1992 pp 6 7 n 5 David Connett 9 May 2010 Alan Watkins doyen of political commentators dies at 77 The Independent London Archived from the original on 10 May 2010 Retrieved 9 May 2010 Review of Donoughue Bernard 2008 Downing Street diary with James Callaghan in No 10 Cape External links editMaster Alan Watkins Almanack Jan 2006 Master Cameron may decide his Interest is best serv d if Master Blair stays put Master Alan Watkins Almanack Dec 2006 Master Blair has a clever Scheam He is desirous to make Peace with Mr Brown Portraits of Alan Watkins at the National Portrait Gallery London Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alan Watkins amp oldid 1097166354, 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