John Pienaar

A well-connected and respected figure at the heart of the Westminster scene for two decades, both on Radio 5 Live and BBC television, John combines sublime explanation of the key themes of politics with the authority of a seasoned insider. Described by the Radio 5 Live’s controller as 'a political heavyweight with huge credibility in the Westminster area’, John finds direction and meaning in the whirlwind of government spin, making him an ideal after-dinner and keynote political speaker.

John originally trained at the South London Press, making his name as a versatile wordsmith covering topics including urban crime, sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. His varied career even led to him writing an angling column without having ever held a fishing rod in his life. John went on to join The Independent in 1986 at its launch as a Political Correspondent – as part of the late Tony Bevin’s original team, he penned the cutting and often controversial parliamentary sketch The Westminster Diary.

In the early 1990s, he became the political correspondent for The Guardian in the Press Gallery of the House of Commons, before joining the BBC and remaining there until this day. John’s extensive career enables him to talk incisively about Westminster politics without pulling any punches, making him a highly respected and inspirational political speaker.