Fraser was the guest for the MHP Media Network’s latest In Conversation, and his views on politics, domestic and global, the art of editing and what makes good journalism were fascinating. Here are the seven key points he made during our conversation.
1. Life is better than ever
“By any measurable datapoint, life as a 20 year old today is infinitely better today than it was in 1990. Quality of life, technology, connectivity, tolerance, even the price of the clothes you buy are infinitely improved.” We really have never had it so good, he argues.
The former Spectator editor said that, as a journalist, he thinks it is important to step back from the daily negatives and point to the incredible successes Britain has achieved.
2. Mass migration is important
Fraser also revealed he believes, contrary to Nigel Farage and the polarised right wing new media, that there is still an important case to make for continued mass migration – providing the right people who can fill vacancies on short term visas and provide skills to boost Britain’s economy.
MHP’s Polarisation Tracker recently revealed immigration is the most divisive issue in Britain today, and Fraser described what it felt like to be a punchbag for critics of mass immigration. But he argued: “Mass migration has been a good thing – but not many columnists will admit to it. With a net zero population we need mass migration to grow the economy.”
3. British peacekeepers are unlikely to be deployed to Ukraine
Despite Donald Trump’s decision to keep President Zelensky out of the White House and halt military supplies to Ukraine, Fraser believes Sir Kier Starmer’s offer of boots on the ground is unlikely to materialise, but will still be used as “it is the best leverage Europe has to keep Donald Trump negotiating.”
4. Fraser rates key some Cabinet Ministers, but not others
Fraser had high praise for Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall as they seek to tackle what he sees as the greatest twin challenges the government faces – taking control of the NHS and cutting the £40 billion cost to the UK economy of those on long term sickness benefits.
But he warned that he believes Britain’s debt ceiling means Chancellor Rachel Reeves will not be able to borrow to grow the economy and may even be out of a job within the year.
5. Kemi Badenoch is already running out of time
Fraser worked with the Conservative leader when she was digital supremo at The Spectator and confirmed she could start a fight in an empty room. “Sometimes I’d ask her if she needed to go in so hard on someone but she would just laugh and say she was only playing with them. She provokes people as a form of relaxation. But being argumentative is a strength in an Opposition leader.”
Fraser warned that Ms Badenoch’s plan – two years of policy reviews then a year to build a team and a new policy platform – was too slow. “She needs to go after Starmer now and build her reputation with the public.”
6. Traditional media is in decline, but more vital than ever.
Fraser warned that traditional media’s decline is worsening. The Washington Post is losing a million dollars a week and would have folded without Jeff Bezos’ billions. Newspaper readership is plummeting but the appetite for news if still there, being taken over by “the insanity of extremist digital news”.
Fraser warned of what he believes are the dangers of right-wing channels on YouTube – now most likely to be watched on television. But he insisted traditional media still has a vital tole to play “leading the conversation” and providing objectivity and news you can trust. “Opinions don’t change anyone else’s opinion, but facts do,” he said.
7. His new column is an opportunity to set the agenda
I worked with Fraser over a decade ago as political editor of the News of the World. He was the only columnist I knew who regularly came up with his own story ideas instead of telling people what to think about others’ work.
When he was appointed columnist at the News of the World, he revealed that then editor Andy Coulson told him: “You’re about to become the most widely-read political columnist in the Western-world. But don’t expect to change anyone’s opinion. All you can do is make sure that the truth is out there.”
As he finds his feet at the newspaper where he began his career as a dogsbody in the Business department, Fraser hopes his new column will break new stories, help people make sense of the big stories of the week by looking at them from a fresh perspective and use data to dive deeper in to subjects to uncover facts that have been obscured in the heat and smoke of online debate. The early signs are that it definitely will.
