Isabel Oakeshott
INTERVIEW WITH KWASI KWARTENG
About Isabel
Award-winning journalist, author and commentator
I am a political journalist and broadcaster, and am International Editor at Talk TV. I specialise in breaking big stories, from explosive revelations about the coronavirus pandemic and Prince Andrew’s finances to the leaked diplomatic cables that led to the resignation of the UK’s ambassador to the US, Sir Kim Darroch. As Political Editor of the Sunday Times, I uncovered a scandal that led to the jailing of a cabinet minister.
Over the last ten years, I have co-authored or ghost written some ten political books and biographies, all of which have attracted extensive media coverage. I am particularly interested in defence, the state of the health service, and the true cost of cheap meat
.
I am known as a right-of-centre commentator, regularly appearing on the biggest political panel shows in the UK, including the BBC’s Question Time and Radio 4’s Any Questions.
NEWSPAPERS
My background is in print journalism. I regularly write stories and opinion pieces for the UK’s best selling newspapers, including the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday, the Spectator magazine and the Sun on Sunday. Until February 2016, I was Political-Editor-at-Large on the Daily Mail. Before that, I was Political Editor of the Sunday Times (the first woman to have held that post.)
I have had staff jobs on many other newspapers, including the London Evening Standard (as a health correspondent and then political reporter); the Scottish Daily Mail (as Scottish Political Reporter); the Sunday Mirror; the Daily Record, and the Edinburgh Evening News.
I left newspapers to write books but I have never stopped breaking big stories. My 2019 expose of top secret diplomatic telegrams about Donald Trump, a scoop which attracted global publicity and led to the resignation of the UK’s ambassador to Washington Sir Kim Darroch, is one example of my work. That year, I also exposed HRH Prince Andrew’s murky business dealings after being passed a cache of his emails.
Over the years, I’ve been short-listed for - and won - many journalism awards. My 2010 story about cabinet minister Chris Huhne passing penalty points for speeding on to his wife led to a sensational criminal trial and his imprisonment and was awarded Scoop of the Year.
Top Scoops
THE HANCOCK DIARIES
THE HANCOCK DIARIES,
The Daily Mail, 2022
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BROADCASTING
I am International Editor at Talk TV and sometimes stand in for Piers Morgan as a presenter on his global show, Piers Morgan Uncensored. I was previously a presenter on GB News. I have been a political commentator since 2012, when I joined Andrew Neil’s Sunday Politics Show on BBC1 as a weekly panellist. Since then, I have appeared on all the big political shows, including BBC 1’s Question Time (twelve times!); BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show; Radio 4’s Today programme and Radio 4’s Any Questions; BBC2 Newsnight; Radio 4 Women’s Hour; Radio 5 Live and many foreign TV stations. I regularly pop up on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and Sky News, where I contribute to the Press Preview.
I particularly enjoyed taking part in this programme, on the value of referendums, with the journalist Matthew Parris.
BEHIND THE SCENES
BOOKS
I am a prolific ghost writer, working for high profile individuals with something important to say. I co-wrote former health secretary Matt Hancock’s account of the coronavirus pandemic, exclusively serialised over four days in the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. I am not a standard ghost writer….clients and causes.
I am not a standard ghost writer: I combine my journalistic skills with unrivalled knowledge of how the media works and contacts in the industry to produce works that make a real impact. I aim for maximum publicity for clients and causes.
Farmageddon, on the true cost of cheap meat, has been translated into six languages. I particularly enjoyed writing White Flag? on the state of the UK Armed Forces, with Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC.
I am most interested in UK politics; defence and foreign policy, and in the environment and animal welfare, but I can write on any subject.
Available to order here
Interviewing Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson at the launch of White Flag?
An absolutely gripping,
sit-up-and-listen,
no-holds-barred investigation
of British military clout.
- The Sunday Times
Public speaking
I regularly give talks on political events to companies and organisations, including theHarvard Kennedy School in the USA; the Consilium conference of the Centre for Independent Studies in Australia; KPMG and multiple schools.
I try to make my speeches entertaining as well as informative: people have often sat through enough Power Point presentations by the time I get to the microphone.
For inquiries about public speaking, please contact JLA Speaker Bureau.
REVIEWS
"What an inspiring speaker and role model."
"I found the presentation extremely interesting and felt she fielded questions expertly. Superb!"
"Great presentation - personal opinion to get everyone thinking. One of the very best, on every level."
"Good to have a speaker who was straight talking and offered challenge to the sector!"
"She was an absolute star. She knew her audience."
"I thought her straight forward approach and honest answers were great."