Birth of Journalist and BBC Political Editor, John Cole

John Morrison Cole (23 November 1927 – 7 November 2013) was a Northern Irish journalist and broadcaster, best known for his work with the BBC. Cole was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in 1927 to George Cole, an electrical engineer, and his wife Alice. The family were Ulster Protestants, and Cole identified himself as British.

Cole served as deputy editor of The Guardian and The Observer and, from 1981 to 1992, was the BBC’s political editor.

Donald Macintyre, in an obituary in The Independent, described him as “the most recognisable and respected broadcast political journalist since World War II.”

John Cole worked for the BBC for many years, and he gained a reputation for his astute political analysis and reporting. He covered major political events, including general elections, and became a familiar face to audiences through his television appearances.

Throughout his career, John Cole received various awards for his contributions to journalism, and he became a trusted figure in political reporting. His career spanned several decades, and he made a lasting impact on the field of political journalism.

Cole suffered health problems in retirement including heart problems and two minor strokes. In 2009 he was diagnosed with cancer. He subsequently developed aphasia. Cole died at his home at Claygate in the county of Surrey on 7 November 2013