David Aaronovitch
David Aaronovitch | |
|---|---|
| Born | David Morris Aaronovitch July 8, 1954 United Kingdom |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, television host, writer |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | Columns for The Times, The Guardian; Orwell Prize winner |
| Notable work | Paddling to Jerusalem, Voodoo Histories, Party Animals |
David Morris Aaronovitch (born 8 July 1954) is a British journalist, television host, and writer. He regularly contributed columns to The Times and authored several books including Paddling to Jerusalem: An Aquatic Tour of Our Small Country (2000), Voodoo Histories: the role of Conspiracy Theory in Modern History (2009), and Party Animals: My Family and Other Communists (2016). His accolades include the Orwell Prize for political journalism in 2001 and the What the Papers Say award for "Columnist of the Year" in 2003. Earlier in his career, he wrote for The Independent and The Guardian.
Early life and education
Aaronovitch is the son of economist and communist thinker Sam Aaronovitch, and sibling to actor Owen Aaronovitch and writer-screenwriter Ben Aaronovitch. Raised by parents who were atheists with a strong commitment to Marxism, he has a mixed heritage of half Jewish and half Irish descent. He has reflected that his childhood encouraged a critical view of wealth.
His schooling took place in London at Gospel Oak Primary School, Holloway County Comprehensive (now known as Holloway School), and William Ellis School. He pursued modern history at Balliol College, Oxford, subsequently earning a 2:1 BA (Hons) degree in history from the Victoria University of Manchester in 1978.
During his time at Manchester, he participated in the 1975 University Challenge team that protested social inequalities by predominantly responding with names of Marxist figures. Initially aligned with Eurocommunism, he was active within the NUS, where he formed connections with then-president Charles Clarke, who later became Home Secretary. Aaronovitch succeeded Trevor Phillips as president of the NUS from 1980 to 1982, winning election on a Left Alliance platform.
Career in journalism
Aaronovitch’s media journey began in the early 1980s as a television researcher before advancing to producer on the ITV show Weekend World. In 1988, he joined the BBC as the inaugural editor of the political current affairs programme On the Record.
He moved into print journalism in 1995, taking roles at The Independent and The Independent on Sunday, serving as chief leader writer, television critic, parliamentary sketch writer, and columnist until 2002.
From 2003 onward, he contributed columns and features to The Guardian and The Observer, with his work appearing regularly in the G2 section of The Guardian. Although interested in writing for the main comment pages, this was reportedly blocked by the section editor. Beginning June 2005, Aaronovitch penned a regular column for The Times, which he announced his departure from in March 2023. Additionally, he has written for The Jewish Chronicle and contributed to prominent British outlets such as the New Statesman and New Humanist, holding an honorary associate position with its publisher, the Rationalist Association.
His broadcasting appearances include BBC programmes like Have I Got News for You and BBC News 24. In 2004, he presented a three-part documentary titled The Norman Way on BBC Radio 4, focusing on regime change during 1066.
He also hosted the BBC series The Blair Years in 2007, which explored Tony Blair’s time as Prime Minister; however, it garnered mixed reactions from critics.
Political views
Aaronovitch endorsed the 2003 Iraq invasion, arguing that the failure of "vigilant containment" did not benefit the Iraqi people. He continues to assert that the military action freed Iraq and minimizes the importance of the purported weapons of mass destruction. In 2003, he remarked that his trust in government declarations would wane if no such weapons were discovered. He remains a firm advocate for former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
In 2005, Aaronovitch co-signed a formal objection to The Guardian over its inaccurate portrayal of Noam Chomsky’s perspective on the Srebrenica massacre, a complaint later upheld by an independent ombudsman.
A 2013 article saw Aaronovitch criticize Labour leader Ed Miliband for failing to articulate a definitive stance on military involvement in Syria following chemical weapon attacks, describing Miliband as politically disengaged and ineffective.
Although he supported interventions in Iraq, Libya, and Syria, Aaronovitch took on the role of chairman at the human rights group Index on Censorship in 2013.
In May 2014, he condemned Glenn Greenwald’s reporting on the Edward Snowden NSA disclosures, branding Greenwald’s work as dishonest and repetitive. Greenwald countered by pointing to Aaronovitch’s backing of the Iraq war.
By August 2014, Aaronovitch was among 200 public figures advocating for Scotland to remain within the United Kingdom during the independence referendum.
He supported the UK’s continued membership in the European Union during the 2016 referendum and later forecasted that Brexit would be reversed as older voters who favored leaving gradually pass away.
On 1 July 2024, Aaronovitch ignited controversy with a satirical tweet suggesting that President Biden should have Donald Trump assassinated due to security concerns. Trump faced an assassination attempt eleven days afterward. Aaronovitch later clarified that his tweet was "plainly a satire."
Personal life
Residing in London, Aaronovitch lives with his wife and their three daughters.
In 2011, he survived a "medical accident" after routine surgery when sepsis developed but was successfully treated with antibiotics—a treatment unavailable to his grandmother who died from infection in 1930. This personal experience inspired him to support Antibiotic Research UK, an organization dedicated to promoting appropriate antibiotic use and encouraging new drug development.
Works
- Paddling to Jerusalem: An Aquatic Tour of Our Small Country (Fourth Estate, 2000)
- No Excuses for Terror, a 45-minute documentary analyzing far-left and far-right anti-Israel sentiments influencing mainstream media and politics.
- Blaming the Jews, a 45-minute documentary exploring anti-Semitism within Arab media and culture.
- God and the Politicians, a 2005 documentary examining religious impacts on UK politics.
- Voodoo Histories: The Role of Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History, Jonathan Cape, 2009, , with a US edition published by Riverhead Books in 2010,
- Party Animals: My Family and Other Communists, Jonathan Cape, 2016.