16 Facts About Francis Beckett

Francis Beckett was born on 12 May 1945 and is an English author, journalist, biographer, playwright and contemporary historian.

Francis Beckett has written biographies of Aneurin Bevan, Clement Attlee, Harold Macmillan, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.

Francis Beckett has written on education for the New Statesman, The Guardian and The Independent and has been the editor of Third Age Matters, the national magazine published by the University of the Third Age.

Francis Beckett is the recipient of an Independent Radio Drama Productions Award for the Sons of Catholic Gentlemen and the Ted Wragg Award for lifetime achievement in education journalism.

Francis Beckett studied at Keele University, and co-led the late night review by the university's theatre company whilst there.

Francis Beckett is a former press officer of the National Union of Students.

Francis Beckett was elected president of the National Union of Journalists in 1980, and has worked as a Labour Party press officer.

Francis Beckett has written regularly on education for The Guardian, as well as other newspapers, and was education correspondent of the New Statesman for seven years.

Francis Beckett has written a biography of his own father, John Beckett, entitled The Rebel Who Lost His Cause: The Tragedy of John Beckett MP.

Francis Beckett's father was a Labour MP from 1925 to 1931 and whip of the Independent Labour Party group of MPs.

Francis Beckett was later chief propagandist for Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists and co-founder of the National Socialist League.

Francis Beckett was interned during the Second World War for his fascist activities.

Francis Beckett was editor of the twenty-book series Prime Ministers of the Twentieth Century.

Francis Beckett's co-authored 2004 biography of Tony Blair was considered hostile by Roy Hattersley.

Francis Beckett has been described as "an Old Labour romantic" by Guardian associate editor Michael White.

Francis Beckett edited Third Age Matters, the national magazine published by the University of the Third Age.