Philip Collins is the former chief speechwriter for Prime Minister Tony Blair. He was then a columnist on The Times. They let him go in 2020 allegedly for being ‘too left wing’. He wore that badge with pride. ‘I’ve always wanted to be thought too left wing but never thought I would achieve it’ he said in his farewell email. He is now a writer and contributing editor for the New Statesman and has his own company Draftwriters.