Chris Deerin

Chris Deerin is one of Scotland’s most prominent political commentators. He is Director of Reform Scotland, the leading, Edinburgh-based independent think tank, and Scotland Editor of the New Statesman. He also writes for the Financial Times, the Economist, and the Press and Journal, and reviews books for the Big Issue. Chris was previously a partner at strategic communications firm Charlotte Street Partners, and worked at Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government. He teaches writing skills at many of the UK’s best-known institutions.

As a Scotsman Chris threw his lot behind the ‘No’ campaign during the run-up to the Scottish Independence referendum in 2014, but has since admitted that the ongoing crisis over Brexit and the radicalisation of politics at Westminster has left him open-minded about Scotland’s constitutional future. In 2014 and 2015 Chris was named Columnist of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards. He is also lead singer in the band Fat Cops, which released its debut album in 2019 and which includes the comedian Al Murray on drums and the legendary songwriter Bobby Bluebell on guitar.