Amanda Platell

Infobox journalist


name = Amanda Platell
| birthname = Amanda Platell
birth_date = Birth date and age|1957|11|12|df=y
birth_place = Perth, Australia
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occupation = Journalist and television presenter
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gender = Female
status = Unmarried
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spouse = None
children = None
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ethnic = White
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Amanda Jane Platell (born 12 November 1957 in Perth, Western Australia) is a journalist, now based in London, and the former press secretary of William Hague, who was leader of the British Conservative Party from 1997 to 2001.

Described as 'poisonous' by one commentator over the The Fern Britton gastric band furore, [cite news | url=http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/2008/06/the_fern_britton_furore.html | publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited | work=The Guardian | title=The Fern Britton gastric band furore | date=2008-06-04] Platell has worked at the "Daily Mirror", where she was the superior of Labour party's former director of communications, Alastair Campbell. Later, she edited the "Sunday Express". She was sacked from this post following the publication of details of Peter Mandelson's relationship with a Brazilian man. Despite having previously claimed to be a supporter of the Labour Party she took the role of "spin doctor" to Hague in 1999. She sought to present Hague as a more mature and rounded character, even on one occasion writing one of his speeches with left-wing journalist Francis Wheen.

Michael Portillo returned to parliament in 1999 and was subsequently admitted into the shadow cabinet as shadow Chancellor in 2000. Portillo immediately asserted his authority on the post, reversing in an instant several years of Conservative opposition to the minimum wage and independence of the Bank of England. This move was the first step towards increasing acrimony between Hague and his shadow Chancellor and by the time of the 2001 general election Platell was fighting a bitter battle with Portillo's supporters and later (after Hague had resigned) publicly endorsed Iain Duncan Smith in opposition to Portillo.

Following the Labour party's second landslide victory in 2001 both Hague and Platell resigned from their posts. In July 2001 "Unspun - Amanda Platell's Secret Diary" was broadcast which had been recorded each night during the election campaign - the secret nature of this film meant she was attacked by many Tories for allegedly betraying the campaign.

Platell has continued her media career, appearing both as a commentator and presenter on the short-lived Sky News programme "Littlejohn", and co-hosting a series on Channel 4 with Piers Morgan. She also contributed a column to the "New Statesman" magazine, mainly about the media. "Private Eye" repeatedly saw this as being a regular attempt at a job application.

She now writes a column, 'Platell's People', for the "Daily Mail" on Saturdays, and contributes other comment articles to the paper.

On 31 May 2007 she wrote a piece that appeared to be critical of the McCann family—who were appealing for the return of their missing 3 year old girl. [cite news | url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=458831&in_page_id=1770 | publisher=Associated Newspapers | work=Daily Mail | title=For Madeleine's sake, beware the juggernaut of publicity | date=2007-05-31] Amanda Platell is unmarried and without children.

Television

*"Unspin: Amanda Platell's Secret Video Diary – Channel 4, 2001,
*"Loose Women - Guest Panellist, 2002
*"Morgan & Platell" - Channel 4, 2004-2005
*"Prime Ministers Spouses" – Channel 4, 2005
*"" - BBC, 2004
*"Bee in Your Bonnet" - BBC Two, 2004
*"How Euro Are You?" - BBC, 2005
*"Richard & Judy" - Channel 4
*"The Daily Politics" – BBC Two
*"Question Time" - BBC One, 27th September 2007
*"The apprentice You're fired- a guest panellist" - BBC2 2008

References

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1440066.stm "Amanda Platell: Nobody's fool"] profile at BBC
* [http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/2008/06/the_fern_britton_furore.html "The Fern Britton gastric band furore"] The Fern Britton gastric band furore