Bill Deedes

William Francis Deedes, Baron Deedes, KBE, MC, DL, PC (born 1 June 1913) is a veteran British journalist and a former politician. He is the only man to have been both a member of the British cabinet and the editor of a major daily newspaper.

Brought up in a castle and educated at Harrow, he fought in the Second World War and was elected Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Ashford in 1950. He served as a junior minister under Churchill for three years. He entered Harold Macmillan's Cabinet in 1962 as Minister without Portfolio. He left the Cabinet in 1964, as Minister of Information, and stood down as an MP 10 years later.

He served as editor of the Daily Telegraph from 1974 to 1986 and after he was replaced by Max Hastings he continued as a journalist. His tenure was noted for battles with the print unions.

Deedes was close to Margaret Thatcher and Denis Thatcher. The spoof letters "from" Mr. Thatcher which appeared in satirical magazine Private Eye throughout the Thatcher years in Downing Street were always addressed to Dear Bill - the "Bill" in question being Deedes. The two men regularly played golf together, with Deedes claiming it was a public service to take the Prime Ministerial consort away from the stress of being married to the country's governmental head.

According to many sources, Deedes was also the journalist used by Evelyn Waugh as the model and inspiration for the war hack Boot in the novel Scoop. Waugh and Deedes had reported together from Abyssinia in 1936.

Deedes was made a life peer in 1986, becoming Baron Deedes, of Aldington in the County of Kent, though has always preferred to be addressed as "Bill" rather than "Lord Deedes".

Married to Evelyn Branfort (d. May 2004), by whom he had two sons (one of whom died young) and three daughters; Deedes' son, Jeremy Deedes, is a director of the Telegraph Group of companies. His daughter, Lucy Whaley, is a master of foxhounds and was the first wife of the 9th Baron Latymer.

Lord Deedes continues to comment on social and political issues through his newspaper columns. He has recently gained a new, cult fanbase after two memorable appearances on Have I Got News For You and is the oldest guest ever to have appeared on the programme. He is also a stalwart member of the Carlton Club and has been an ambassador for UNICEF since 1998, running high-profile campaigns against landmines.

Publications

• Deedes, WF, At War With Waugh: The Real Story of "Scoop", Macmillan, 2003 ISBN 1-4050-0573-4
• Deedes, WF, Brief Lives, Macmillan, 2004 ISBN 0-330-42639-7
• Deedes, WF, Dear Bill: A Memoir, Macmillan, 2005 ISBN 1-4050-5266-X