Danny Finkelstein Keynote Speaker

Lord Danny Finkelstein OBE joined The Times in 2001 and is now an associate editor. He writes and comments on UK and international politics, and the interplay between politics and culture. In 2011 he became Chairman of Policy Exchange, Britain’s leading centre-right think tank.    Before joining The Times in 2001, he was adviser to both Prime Minister John Major and Conservative leader William Hague.

A former Social Democrat, Daniel was a close adviser to party leader David Owen. After David Owen announced his resignation from politics, Daniel led a group of young SDP members into the Conservative Party. He went on to work as Director of the Conservative Research Department (1995-97), and then – working alongside George Osborne – as political adviser to the Leader of the Opposition William Hague. He has also written speeches for William Hague and George Osborne.

Daniel is a regular guest on BBC Newsnight and the Politics Show. He also blogs for The Times at Comment Central and is a regular columnist in The Jewish Chronicle. His weekly football statistics column, the Fink Tank, began in 2002 and runs in The Times on Saturdays.  In 2023, he launched a podcast called ‘How to win an election’ with Lord Peter Mandelson and Polly Mackenzie.

Daniel was awarded the OBE in the 1997 honours list, and was created Baron Finkelstein, of Pinner in the County of Middlesex in 2013. In 2011 he was awarded the “PSA 2011 Journalist of the Year Award”.