The Guardian columnist Suzanne Moore has won the Orwell prize for journalism for her “stubborn and brave commentary” on the aftermath of Brexit, #metoo and the politics of remembrance.
Moore won the prize for articles on attitudes to Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky in the wake of the #MeToo movement; why she was wrong to refuse to wear a poppy for remembrance; and why she did not take part in the march for a People’s Vote.
The prize is awarded for commentary or reporting which comes closest to the writer George Orwell’s ambition to “make political writing into an art”.
The judges were Tim Marshall, a former diplomatic editor at Sky, Sam Taylor, editor of the Lady magazine, and Vaughan Smith, the founder of the Frontline Club.
Moore was awarded the journalism prize jointly with the deputy editor of Prospect magazine, Steve Bloomfield, at a ceremony at Jeffery Hall in central London on Tuesday.
The judges said: “The journalism that has won these two prizes represents the best of the Orwell tradition, incisive, relevant and human. It also represents the two sides of his journalism: there is Suzanne Moore’s stubborn and brave commentary, and Steve Bloomfield’s forensic research and reporting.”
In their acceptance speeches both Moore and Bloomfield lamented the lack of diversity in the media.
Totally thrilled by this @TheOrwellPrize and sharing it with @bloomfieldSJ . It was a strange and wonderful synergy . we both talked about class . As an issue. A couple of people said well co-ordinated. Never met him before. Maybe good journalism is instinct about what matters x
— suzanne moore (@suzanne_moore) June 25, 2019
.@suzanne_moore @guardian and Steve Bloomfield @prospect_uk both win @TheOrwellPrize and both call out lack of diversity in media; class is a big issue in journalism #orwellprize pic.twitter.com/ygAQwWs4Bh
— Abigail Scott Paul (@AbigailSPaul) June 25, 2019
After the ceremony Moore said she planned to celebrate with the “biggest G and T you have ever seen”.
Tomorrow I will thank you properly. Especially the people who dont even agree with me cos thats really generous of you. NOW the biggest g and t you have ever seen xx
— suzanne moore (@suzanne_moore) June 25, 2019
Last year’s winner was the Observer’s Carole Cadwalladr for her investigation of the collapsed political consultancy Cambridge Analytica. Cadwalladr gave a presentation at Tuesday night’s ceremony on the legacy of Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, which was published 70 years ago this month.
The prize is awarded by the Orwell Foundation with the support of Orwell’s family.
Moore was presented with a folio edition of Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, signed by Richard Blair, George Orwell’s son. She also picked up a cheque for £3,000.
Two books about the Troubles in Northern Ireland were announced as winners of the Orwell prize for political writing and political fiction.
Anna Burns’s experimental novel Milkman won the inaugural prize for political fiction, while the prize for political writing was awarded to Patrick Radden Keefe for his book Say Nothing.
The Orwell prize for exposing Britain’s social evils went to Max Daly for his investigations for Vice linking missing children to county lines drug selling.
