Political blogger shortlisted for Orwell Prize

Hackney resident Graeme Archer

Hackney blogger Graeme Archer has been shortlisted for the prestigious 2011 Orwell Prize for political writing. Archer blogs on a variety of themes for the Conservative Home website.

“Being shortlisted for the Orwell blogging prize is the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m gobsmacked, especially when I look at the list of other writers who are on the list. Orwell’s insistence that political writing should be clear and not mislead the reader is one that I try to obey, crude amateur though I am. I do wonder sometimes how that great man of the Left would feel about his hero status to Tories like me- I hope he’d smile. Most of the stuff I write is just my inner voice, writing down what I see about me in Hackney, and I’m always quite nervous about letting people see it, and amazed – and grateful! – when anyone likes to read it. I’m really grateful for anyone who uses my stuff – so thank you to the Hackney Citizen,” said Archer.

The shortlist of seven, which was whittled down from a longlist of 22, also includes Cath Elliott, Daniel Hannan, Duncan McLaren, ‘Heresiarch’, Molly Bennett and Paul Mason.

The annual Orwell Prizes comprises three awards, each with a value of £3,000, in categories which include books and journalism in addition to blogs. Entries must embody George Orwell’s ambition “to make political writing into an art”.

The Prize was founded by the late Professor Sir Bernard Crick in 1993. The Media Standards Trust, Political Quarterly and Orwell Trust are partners in running the Prize, through the Council of the Orwell Prize. Richard Blair (Orwell’s son), A. M. Heath and Thomson Reuters are sponsors.

This year’s prize, which marks the 75th anniversary of Orwell’s famous journey to Wigan Pier, has the theme of poverty.

There were a record number of entries to the 2011 competition, including 205 for the blog prize.

Director of the Prize, Jean Seaton, said: “Blogging is mutating faster than a fruit fly in a scientific experiment: now in its third year, the Blog Prize shows how this new vehicle for writing is both taking us into areas of private and unreported experience, but also finding new voices, magnanimous and distinct.”

The winner of the Orwell Prize is to be announced on 17 May.

Related: As good as it gets: is Hackney the future of Britain?