The David Watt Prize, 2008

This prize for journalism is awarded for outstanding contributions towards the clarification of political issues, whether national, international or global, and the promotion of their greater understanding.

It was established in 1988 in memory of David Watt, widely regarded as an outstanding writer, thinker and political commentator.

Entries are shortlisted and then examined by an eminent panel of judges chaired by the Chairman of Rio Tinto.  The winner is announced at the presentation lunch in the City in mid summer.  This lunch is attended by an invited audience of around 100 senior people in the worlds of journalism, business and the City, and politics.

The 2007 winner was Richard Tomkins of the Financial Times, pictured below with left-right Guy Elliott, Rio Tinto's Chief Financial Officer, Susan Watt, widow of David Watt, and Philip Stephens, Associate Editor of the Financial Times and former winner of the David Watt Prize, who was the guest speaker at lunch.

In his acceptance speech, Richard Tomkins said: "A degree of humility is necessary in the face of David Watt's achievement.  I mean I think I just got lucky, but David Watt produced outstanding journalism week in, week out during the whole of his tragically shortened career.  The award that carries his name is rightly regarded as one of the highest that British journalism has to offer and I feel incredibly honoured to be standing here today and receiving it".

The 2008 shortlisted entrants and the winner will be announced in early July 2008. 

Previous winners

2007  Richard Tomkins: "Profits of doom" 
            published in the Financial Times

2006  Sophie Pedder: "Spot the difference" 
            published in The Economist

2005  Hamish McRae: "To tackle poverty, look to India and China" 
            published in The Independent

2004  James Blitz: "The Believer" 
            published in the Financial Times

2003  David Gardner: "Democracy is just a mirage" 
            published in the Financial Times

2002  Philip Stephens: "Vulnerability of a superpower" 
            published in the Financial Times

2001  Robert Fisk: "Dead reckoning"   
            published in The Independent

2000  Edward Said: "Unoccupied Territory" 
            published in London Review of Books

1999  Charles Leadbeater: "Goodbye Inland Revenue" 
            published in the New Statesman

1998  Simon Jenkins: "Missionary Diplomacy" 
            published in The Times

1997  John Lloyd: "Right and Left to Right and Wrong"  
            published in New Statesman

1996  Maire Nic Suibhne: "A paler shade of orange?" 
            published in The Guardian

1995  Martin Wolf: "If you go down to the woods today" 
            published in the Financial Times

1994  David Rose: "Silent Revolution" 
            published in The Observer

1993  Martin Woollacott: "Grail or bitter cup?" 
            published in The Guardian

1992  Avi Shlaim: "Israel and the Gulf" 
            published in London Review of Books

1991  Neal Ascherson: "A Breath of Foul Air" 
            published in The Independent on Sunday

1990  Ian  Davidson: "Uncertainties that follow an end of an era" 
            published in the Financial Times

1989  Timothy Garton-Ash: "Mourning becomes Europa" 
            published in The Spectator

1988  Edward Mortimer : "Decline of an intellectual empire" 
            published in the Financial Times