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Alastair Brian Walden (8 July 1932 – 9 May 2019) was a British journalist and broadcaster who spent over a decade as a Labour politician and Member of Parliament (MP). He was considered one of the finest political interviewers in the history of British broadcasting, tenacious and ruthless. He won awards for broadcasting including the
BAFTA The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...
Richard Dimbleby Award for television in 1986, and in 1991 was named ITV Personality of the Year. He was known for interviews of politicians, especially
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...
. He was said to be her favourite interviewer, although he gave her tough interviews.


Early life

Born in
West Bromwich West Bromwich ( ), commonly known as West Brom, is a market town in the borough of Sandwell, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically part of Staffordshire, it is northwes ...
, Walden was the son of a glassworker and attended West Bromwich Grammar School. He won an open scholarship to study history at
The Queen's College, Oxford The Queen's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, England. The college was founded in 1341 by Robert de Eglesfield in honour of Philippa of Hainault, queen of England. It is distinguished by its predominantly neoclassi ...
. In 1957 he was elected president of the
Oxford Union The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, England, whose membership is drawn primarily from the University of Oxford. Founded in 1823, it is one of Britain's oldest unive ...
. After Sir Oswald Mosley was invited to speak at a debate held on 24 October 1957, Walden was asked by a fellow undergraduate why Mosley had been invited. He replied, "This society was founded many years ago to enshrine a very great principle, that of free speech. The society has had to fight against many authorities to ensure that minority points of view shall be put". Walden apparently "narrowly missed a first" in history in his finals. The following year he undertook a speaking tour of the United States with Stuart Griffiths, during which he took part in 47 debates. Walden began a doctorate at
Nuffield College, Oxford Nuffield College () is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is a graduate college specialising in the social sciences, particularly economics, politics and sociology. N ...
about
Lord Randolph Churchill Lord Randolph Henry Spencer-Churchill (13 February 1849 – 24 January 1895) was a British aristocrat and politician. Churchill was a Tory radical who coined the term "One-nation conservatism, Tory democracy". He participated in the creation ...
; however, he never finished it.


Political career

Walden unsuccessfully contested the safe Conservative constituency of
Oswestry Oswestry ( ; ) is a market town, civil parish and historic railway town in Shropshire, England, close to the England–Wales border, Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5 road (Great Britain), A5, A483 road, A483 and A495 road, A495 ro ...
in the 1961 by-election, coming third for Labour. At a debate at the Oxford Union held on 11 June 1964, Walden caused uproar by calling
Lord Beaverbrook William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook (25 May 1879 – 9 June 1964), was a Canadian-British newspaper publisher and backstage politician who was an influential figure in British media and politics of the first half of the 20th century ...
, who had died two days previously, "evil and repellent" and for attacking the "evil and despicable influence" of his ''Express'' group of newspapers. At the 1964 general election Walden was elected MP for Birmingham All Saints in an election where race dominated the Birmingham campaign. He was re-elected in the general elections of
1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...
and
1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 1970 Tonghai earthquake, Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli ...
. When All Saints was abolished, Walden sought and gained the Labour nomination for
Birmingham Ladywood Birmingham Ladywood is a United Kingdom constituencies, constituency in the city of Birmingham that was created in 1918. The seat has been represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons of the Parliament of the Unit ...
, and was elected there in February 1974 and October 1974. In the aftermath of
Enoch Powell John Enoch Powell (16 June 19128 February 1998) was a British politician, scholar and writer. He served as Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Wolverhampton South West for the Conservative Party (UK), Conserv ...
's November 1968
Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. It is also a non-metropolitan district, local government district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, bor ...
speech advocating the repatriation of immigrants, Walden urged Prime Minister
Harold Wilson James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx (11 March 1916 – 23 May 1995) was a British statesman and Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from 1964 to 1970 and again from 197 ...
not to waver in his opposition to Powell's proposals: "If the Government did waver and harass and bully some of Her Majesty's subjects towards the boats, British politics would sink to the gutter". In January 1970, Walden introduced his unsuccessful
private member's bill A private member's bill is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch. The designation "private member's bill" is used in most Westminster system jurisdictions, in wh ...
, the Right of Privacy Bill, which was designed to protect people's
right to privacy The right to privacy is an element of various legal traditions that intends to restrain governmental and private actions that threaten the privacy of individuals. Over 185 national constitutions mention the right to privacy. Since the globa ...
from the press. In October 1971, Walden told an anti-
EEC The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organisation created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957,Today the largely rewritten treaty continues in force as the ''Treaty on the functioning of the European Union'', as renamed by the Lisbo ...
meeting in
Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
that
Roy Jenkins Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead (11 November 1920 – 5 January 2003) was a British politician and writer who served as the sixth President of the European Commission from 1977 to 1981. At various times a Member of Parliamen ...
and others in the
Labour movement The labour movement is the collective organisation of working people to further their shared political and economic interests. It consists of the trade union or labour union movement, as well as political parties of labour. It can be considere ...
favoured Britain joining because they despaired of their country: "They have grown sick of crisis after crisis and they do not believe that Britain, as an independent country, can solve her own problems.... But they are wrong". After Jenkins resigned from the deputy leadership in April 1972, Wilson appointed Walden to a junior position on Labour's shadow treasury team. In October 1972, Walden attacked Dick Taverne's "apostasy" for leaving the Labour Party: "Of course an MP must have strong opinions of his own, and I have defied the Labour Party whip more than Dick Taverne has. We owe the Labour Party an unpayable debt and Dick has ratted on a lifetime of obligation". At a December 1973 meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on the party's state, Walden doubted whether party unity and getting policies across to the public would alone suffice. The party's failure lay in not answering the questions ordinary people were asking. After
Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 ...
called the February 1974 general election, Walden called it a "fraudulent and rather ridiculous election": "The fault lies with the Prime Minister. I have as yet read no explanation of why the national interest requires that there should be a strike and an election before miners can be paid money they could be given without either taking place". Walden lamented that "the nation has been invited to nourish its fear and express class malice... I am living through the death of all my hopes of what this country could be". He called Heath's belief that the election was called to ensure moderation "the most staggering misjudgment of my political lifetime". After Labour's return to office after the election, Walden declined the office of Minister of State for Industry by citing "personal reasons". The Selly Oak
Constituency Labour Party A constituency Labour Party (CLP) is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular parliamentary constituency. In England and Wales, CLP boundaries coincide with those for UK parliamentary constituencies. In Sc ...
passed a resolution criticising his "massive consultancy fees", which Walden earned as a parliamentary consultant to, among others, the Business Equipment Trades Association, the Amusement Trades Association and the Amusement Caterers Association. The Birmingham pub bombings of 21 November 1974 occurred in Walden's constituency. The Commons soon debated whether the death penalty should be restored for terrorist murderers. Walden opened the debate by opposing capital punishment and declaring it to be "judicial execution" and "a cold-blooded act of the state to take a life". During the 1975 referendum on Britain's membership of the EEC, Walden spoke in favour of Britain remaining a member. Walden told the Commons: "I think that the anti-Market campaign will in the end... degenerate into narrow nationalism, the plea for a siege economy, for Socialism in one country. I was never very enchanted by the rhapsodies of the Eurofanatics but I certainly prefer their version of the future to that grim and barren alternative which it seems to me the anti-Marketeers will end up with". Walden became disillusioned with the Labour Party by the rise of the left and in May 1975, after
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...
was elected Conservative leader, told Conservative Chief Whip Humphrey Atkins that he could bring six Labour MPs with him in
crossing the floor In some parliamentary systems (e.g., in Canada and the United Kingdom), politicians are said to cross the floor if they formally change their political affiliation to a political party different from the one they were initially elected under. I ...
. According to a Thatcher biographer, Charles Moore, Walden was "considered the most eloquent of his generation of Labour MPs" and was "more clear-sighted than most in seeing that Mrs Thatcher stood for real change". He also wrote that "as a grammar school meritocrat who had originally looked for social progress from the Labour Party, Walden recognized her as offering what he sought". At a meeting of the Warley East Labour Party in February 1976, Walden defended the government's policy and the benefits of the
mixed economy A mixed economy is an economic system that includes both elements associated with capitalism, such as private businesses, and with socialism, such as nationalized government services. More specifically, a mixed economy may be variously de ...
against Stuart Holland's proposals for more socialist policies. In the Labour leadership election that was held after Harold Wilson announced his resignation, Walden voted for
Michael Foot Michael Mackintosh Foot (23 July 19133 March 2010) was a British politician who was Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Leader of the Opposition from 1980 to 1983. Foot beg ...
, rather than
James Callaghan Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff ( ; 27 March 191226 March 2005) was a British statesman and Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the L ...
, because he considered Foot "a man of principle". After the first 100 days of Callaghan's premiership, Walden remarked: "If I had thought he was going to be as good as this I would have voted for him". In November 1976, Walden joined the fellow right-wing Labour MP John Mackintosh in abstaining on the vote for the government's Dock Works Regulation Bill and thereby wrecked its passage through Parliament. The Bill would have ensured that dock workers within five miles of any port or important inland waterway belonged to the
Transport and General Workers' Union The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU or T&G) was one of the largest general union, general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland—where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU)—with 900 ...
. The executive committee of Walden's constituency Labour Party supported his stance although left-wing demonstrators criticised him. After the 1977 Budget, Walden said, "Our level of direct taxation—income tax—is ludicrously high, and our rate of indirect taxation is not taking enough of the burden". He campaigned for the liberalisation of
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae that is widely accepted as being indigenous to and originating from the continent of Asia. However, the number of species is disputed, with as many as three species be ...
and
gambling Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of Value (economics), value ("the stakes") on a Event (probability theory), random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy (ga ...
laws. He was nicknamed by some "the bookies' MP" when he was revealed to be receiving more from the National Association of Bookmakers than his parliamentary salary. On 16 June 1977, Walden resigned from the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
by taking the
Chiltern Hundreds The Chiltern Hundreds is an ancient administrative area in Buckinghamshire, England, composed of three hundred (county division), ancient hundreds and lying partially within the Chiltern Hills. "Taking the Chiltern Hundreds" refers to one of the ...
to become a full-time journalist and broadcaster. Walden said, "I am not leaving because of any disenchantment with the Government. I have gone for positive, not negative reasons".


Journalistic career

Walden went on to present television programmes, mostly for
London Weekend Television London Weekend Television (LWT; now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV (TV network), ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00&nbs ...
, such as '' Weekend World'', ''The Walden Interview'' and ''Walden''. He was also a member of the board of Central Television between 1981 and 1984. In 1978, Walden told Conservative MP
Bernard Weatherill Bruce Bernard Weatherill, Baron Weatherill, (25 November 1920 – 6 May 2007) was a British Conservative Party politician. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons between 1983 and 1992. Background Born in Sunningdale in 1920, he was the ...
that "the only way the Tories can lose the next general election is if they are not Conservative enough". By 1979, Walden passionately believed that trade union power should be broken, telling Margaret Thatcher that "the trade unions have become an estate of the realm, above the law".Moore, ''Volume One'', p. 509, n. The week after this conversation, Walden's programme focused on the necessity of legislation against secondary action by trade unions. In 1981, Geoffrey Wansell claimed that ''Weekend World'' had become "the flagship of national current affairs shows, quietly stealing the title from its more august rival at the BBC, Panorama":
The secret of Weekend World's success, I suspect, lies in the character of its presenter and interviewer. Lacking the suave public school confidence of his predecessor in the job, Peter Jay, Walden runs on adrenalin and a determination to wring a bit of political revelation and a slice of history out of whichever politician happens to be in the studio with him. In spite of his voice, which vibrates on eardrums like a buzz-saw, Walden has become the second best political interviewer on television—only Sir Robin Day is better. ... Explaining his success, Walden simply says: "I know I understand politicians, but even more I detest ambiguity. It's always my instinct to ask people exactly what they mean".
During an interview with Thatcher in 1983, Walden coined the term "Victorian values" to describe her beliefs, which she accepted and repeated on numerous occasions. Walden wrote Thatcher's speech to the Wembley rally during the 1983 general election campaign. In 1988, he called Thatcher "a unique politician...the master spirit of our age". After
Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian - American retired business magnate, investor, and media mogul. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of List of assets owned by News Corp, local, national, a ...
moved the production of ''
The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...
'' from Fleet Street to a new plant in
Wapping Wapping () is an area in the borough of Tower Hamlets in London, England. It is in East London and part of the East End. Wapping is on the north bank of the River Thames between Tower Bridge to the west, and Shadwell to the east. This posit ...
in January 1986, the print unions voted to
strike Strike may refer to: People *Strike (surname) * Hobart Huson, author of several drug related books Physical confrontation or removal *Strike (attack), attack with an inanimate object or a part of the human body intended to cause harm * Airstrike, ...
in protest. Many journalists deserted the paper, but Walden lent it his support by becoming one of its senior columnists. He wrote to the paper's editor, Andrew Neil: "I don't ''need'' to write for ''The Sunday Times''. I ''want'' to". In April 1988, Walden joined
Norman Tebbit Norman Beresford Tebbit, Baron Tebbit, (born 29 March 1931) is a British retired politician. A member of the Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet from 1981 to 1987 as Secretary of State for Employment (1981–1 ...
, Lord Chapple and Lord Marsh in founding the Radical Society, designed to combat "privilege, hierarchy, bureaucracy and collectivism" and to put in their place individualist solutions. On 26 October 1989, the Chancellor,
Nigel Lawson Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby, (11 March 1932 – 3 April 2023) was a British politician and journalist. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as Member of Parliament for Blaby in Leicestershire from 1974 to 1992, and served ...
, resigned because Thatcher was unwilling to sack her economics adviser, Sir
Alan Walters Sir Alan Arthur Walters (17 June 1926 – 3 January 2009) was a British economist who was best known as the Chief Economic Adviser to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher from 1981 to 1983 and (after his return from the United States) again for fi ...
. Although the interview had been planned months in advance, Walden interviewed Thatcher for the 29 October edition of ''The Walden Interview''. Walden told Thatcher's confidante
Woodrow Wyatt Woodrow Lyle Wyatt, Baron Wyatt of Weeford (4 July 1918 – 7 December 1997) was a British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster, close to the Queen Mother, Margaret Thatcher and Rupert Murdoch. For the last twenty years of his life, he ...
on the day Lawson resigned that he wanted Wyatt to ask Thatcher what questions he should put to her so that he could phrase them in a helpful way. However, as John Campbell notes, Walden's "journalistic instinct and her lack of candour made for a devastating exposé, watched by three million people with their Sunday lunch".Campbell, p. 692. Although Thatcher repeatedly claimed that Lawson's position was "unassailable", she floundered when Walden asked what Campbell calls "the killer question":
Later in the interview, Walden put to her:
Though Thatcher and Walden were described as "old friends", and Walden was on the record confirming that Thatcher was his favourite interviewee, the pair reportedly never spoke again after this interview. The following Sunday, Walden interviewed Lawson. In his memoirs, Lawson said that Walden was "at that time probably the most formidable and serious political interviewer in the business". Upon leaving ''Weekend World'' as presenter in 1986, Walden was succeeded by
Matthew Parris Matthew Francis Parris (born 7 August 1949) is a British political writer, broadcaster, and former politician. He served as Member of Parliament for West Derbyshire from 1979 to 1986. Ideologically a liberal conservative, he is a member of t ...
, formerly
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
MP for West Derbyshire; the series came to an end two years later. The programme was axed by LWT director of programmes Greg Dyke, who needed to save money. In his autobiography, Dyke noted that the Walden one-on-one interview was the most popular part of the programme, and was also the cheapest to make. As a result, Walden was brought back to LWT to host the Sunday lunchtime programme ''The Walden Interview'' in 1988–89, which was renamed ''Walden'' and ran between 1990 and 1994 in the same slot. In 1998 Brian Walden presented a series of essays on prominent figures, giving his own take, uninterrupted and directly to camera, on
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
,
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...
,
Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...
, John F. Kennedy,
Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...
and
Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
. In 2005, Walden presented 10-minute programmes, ''A Point of View'', on
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...
, in a spot formerly occupied by Alistair Cooke's ''Letter From America''.


Political satire

As a well known public figure, Walden appeared in cameo as an interviewer for political comedy shows such as '' The New Statesman''. He was the subject of parody in '' Spitting Image'' as a puppet with a slight speech impediment, voiced by impressionist Steve Nallon.


Personal life and death

Walden lived in
Guernsey Guernsey ( ; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; ) is the second-largest island in the Channel Islands, located west of the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy. It is the largest island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, which includes five other inhabited isl ...
in retirement. He was married three times; to Sybil Blackstone, Jane McKerron, then Hazel Downes (for 43 years). He had four sons, including the actor Ben Walden. He opposed the ban on fox-hunting, and was a strong supporter of
Brexit Brexit (, a portmanteau of "Britain" and "Exit") was the Withdrawal from the European Union, withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). Brexit officially took place at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February ...
. Walden died on 9 May 2019 aged 86 at his home in Guernsey from complications connected to
emphysema Emphysema is any air-filled enlargement in the body's tissues. Most commonly emphysema refers to the permanent enlargement of air spaces (alveoli) in the lungs, and is also known as pulmonary emphysema. Emphysema is a lower respiratory tract di ...
. Following his death, colleagues paid tribute. Andrew Neil wrote: "... A wonderful interrogator of politicians, especially on ''Weekend World''. With Robin Day, he invented the British political interview style. Emulated but not matched to this day."


In popular culture

Walden's 1989 interview with Thatcher, and the years leading up to it, were dramatised in James Graham's 2025
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
series '' Brian and Maggie'', with
Steve Coogan Stephen John Coogan (; born 14 October 1965) is an English-Irish actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer. His accolades include four BAFTA Awards and three British Comedy Awards, and nominations for two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Aw ...
portraying Walden.


References


Further reading

*David Cox (ed.), ''The Walden Interviews'' (Boxtree, 1990).


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Walden, Brian 1932 births 2019 deaths Alumni of Nuffield College, Oxford Alumni of the Queen's College, Oxford British broadcaster-politicians British Eurosceptics British male journalists British reporters and correspondents British television talk show hosts Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies People from West Bromwich Presidents of the Oxford Union UK MPs 1964–1966 UK MPs 1966–1970 UK MPs 1970–1974 UK MPs 1974 UK MPs 1974–1979 Deaths from emphysema People educated at West Bromwich Grammar School