Laura Kuenssberg
 Laura Kuenssberg    (TV journalist) | ||||||||||
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 Kuenssberg hosting the Labour leadership debate on 17 June 2015 | ||||||||||
| Born | Laura Juliet Kuenssberg 1976 [[Italy|“Italy”]] | |||||||||
| Nationality | British | |||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh, Georgetown University | |||||||||
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Laura Kuenssberg (born 1976) is a Scottish TV journalist who hosted the televised Labour Party leadership debate on 17 June 2015.[1] She was appointed Political Editor of BBC News on 22 July 2015, the first woman to hold the position.[2][3]
On social media Laura Kuenssberg has been accused of conducting a series of politically-biased attacks on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.[4] Kuenssberg's extended interview with Corbyn on 16 November 2015 (three days after the terrorist attacks in Paris) is regarded as initiating her campaign.[5]
On 10 May 2016, an online petition with over 35,000 signatures calling for Laura Kuenssberg to be sacked from her role as BBC Political Editor was scrapped by 38 Degrees, reported by The Guardian as saying it had become a focal point for misogynist abuse.[6] At PMQs on 11 May 2016 David Cameron denounced the petition as "sexist".[7] When Craig Murray, one of the signatories, asked for evidence of this sexism he was refused. Murray said:
- "Laura Kuenssberg is I think the most openly biased journalist I have ever seen on the BBC, particularly in her very obvious vindictive hatred of Jeremy Corbyn and of Scottish Independence. Nobody seriously believes the BBC actually would remove her even if the petition reached a million. The continued process of stigmatisation of decent dissidents as 'antisemitic' or 'misogynist' is characteristic of a society in which deviating from the political line is rewarded with social stigma and exclusion."[8]
Early life
The daughter of Scottish businessman Nick Kuenssberg, OBE,[9] and his wife Sally Kuenssberg, CBE,[10] her paternal grandfather was German-born Dr Ekkehard von Kuenssberg, a founder and president of the Royal College of General Practitioners. Her maternal grandfather was Lord Robertson, a High Court of Justiciary judge. Her great-uncle was Sir James Robertson, the last colonial Governor-General of Nigeria.
Laura Kuenssberg was born in Italy, while her father was assigned there by Coats Viyella.[11] She grew up in Glasgow, with her brother and sister,[12] and attended Laurel Bank School, an independent girls' school.[13]
Kuenssberg studied history at the University of Edinburgh, followed by a journalism course at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., where she worked on an NBC News political programme.
Career
After returning to UK, she worked for local radio and then cable television in Glasgow, before joining BBC North East and Cumbria in March 2000. Kuenssberg won a regional Royal Television Society award for her work as home affairs correspondent, and produced segments for the social affairs editor Niall Dickson. Kuenssberg reported for Channel 4 News prior to moving to the BBC.
Appointed chief political correspondent for BBC News, Kuenssberg reported for BBC One bulletins, The Daily Politics and the BBC News Channel. In May 2010, her presence was so ubiquitous in the period between the general election and the formation of a coalition government under David Cameron that journalist David Aaronovitch coined the term "Kuenssbergovision."[14]
In September 2011 Kuenssberg took up the newly created role of business editor for ITV News and contributed towards business reporting on ITV's current affairs strand, Tonight.[15] On 27 August 2013 she made her debut co-newscasting ITV News at Ten alongside Alastair Stewart.
On 12 November 2013 it was announced that she would leave ITV to return to the BBC as chief correspondent and a presenter of Newsnight, replacing Gavin Esler in the latter role. She joined the Newsnight team in February 2014.[16][17]
In July 2015 she was appointed the BBC's political editor, the first woman to hold the position.[18]
Personal life
Laura Kuenssberg is married and lives in east London.[19]
References
- ↑ "Labour leadership hustings to be shown live on BBC's Newsnight"
- ↑
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{{URL|example.com|optional display text}} - ↑ "Bring back news to the BBC"
- ↑ "Jeremy Corbyn 'not happy' with shoot-to-kill policy"
- ↑ "Laura Kuenssberg petition taken down over sexist abuse"
- ↑ "David Cameron condemns 'sexist' petition against BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg"
- ↑ "The Establishment Rallies Around Kuenssberg"
- ↑ "Nick Kuenssberg". Debretts. Retrieved 2010-05-20.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
- ↑
{{URL|example.com|optional display text}} - ↑ "Nick Kuenssberg". caplus.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-05-20.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
- ↑ "Nick Kuenssberg". Frost's Scottish Who's Who. Retrieved 2010-05-20.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
- ↑
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{{URL|example.com|optional display text}} - ↑ "Is Labour facing Glasgow upset?" BBC News, 11 November 2009
- ↑
{{URL|example.com|optional display text}} - ↑ "Laura Kuenssberg has been appointed the BBC's new Political Editor". BBC Media Centre. BBC. Retrieved 24 July 2015.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
- ↑ "Laura Kuenssberg". BBC. Retrieved 2 July 2014.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
Further reading
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External links
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