Hugo Young facts for kids
Hugo John Smelter Young (born October 13, 1938 – died September 22, 2003) was a famous British journalist and writer. He was a senior political expert for The Guardian newspaper. He was known for his strong opinions and his ability to explain complex political ideas clearly.
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Early Life and School
Hugo Young was born in Sheffield, England. His family had a long history of being Roman Catholics who kept their faith even when it was difficult. When he was young, he attended Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, a well-known school, where he was the head boy.
Later, he studied law at Balliol College, Oxford, a famous university. After college, he started his journalism career in 1961, working for the Yorkshire Post newspaper in Leeds. In 1963, he spent a year in the United States as a Harkness Fellow, which is like a special scholarship. He then spent another year working with politicians in the US government.
A Career in Journalism
In 1965, Hugo Young came back to the United Kingdom. He was hired by Denis Hamilton to work at The Sunday Times newspaper. Just one year later, he became the chief leader writer, which meant he wrote the main opinion pieces for the newspaper. He held this important job until 1977.
From 1973 to 1984, he was also the political editor for The Sunday Times. This meant he was in charge of all the news and stories about politics. He started a popular Sunday column called "Inside Politics," which made him very well-known. From 1981, he also worked as a joint deputy editor, helping to run the whole newspaper.
However, things changed when Rupert Murdoch took over The Sunday Times in 1981. Hugo Young didn't always agree with the new owner and the new editor, Andrew Neil. They had disagreements, especially about the US invasion of Grenada in 1983. Because of these differences, Hugo Young decided to leave The Sunday Times and joined The Guardian newspaper in 1984.
At The Guardian, Hugo Young continued to write his political column twice a week until he passed away. He strongly believed that European countries should work closely together. He often wrote in his columns about his disappointment when the British government seemed to be against closer ties with Europe. For example, he disagreed with Prime Minister Tony Blair's decision to support George W. Bush in the 2003 invasion of Iraq instead of working with European partners.
Even with his strong opinions, Hugo Young remained on good terms with important politicians like Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher. He wrote a book about Margaret Thatcher called One of Us (published in 1989), which looked closely at her life and career. He also wrote other books, including This Blessed Plot: Britain and Europe from Churchill to Blair, which came out in 1998.
From 1989 onwards, Hugo Young was the chairman of the Scott Trust. This trust owns The Guardian and other news companies. He helped the newspaper through big changes, like when it bought The Observer newspaper. His writings and papers are kept safe at the Guardian News & Media Archive in London.
His Legacy: The Hugo Young Lecture
To remember Hugo Young, The Guardian newspaper now organizes an annual event called the Hugo Young Lecture. Important people give speeches at this lecture. Some of the famous speakers have included David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband, Marjorie Scardino, and Alex Salmond.
Family and Later Life
Hugo Young was married two times. His first wife, Helen Mason, passed away in 1989 from lung cancer. They had three daughters, including the film director Emily Young, and one son.
He married again in 1990 to an American artist named Lucy Waring. Hugo Young died at the age of 64 from colon cancer. He was buried in the western part of Highgate Cemetery in London.
