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Today presenter Evan Davis tops political journalism poll

By Rachael Gallagher

Today presenter Evan Davis has been voted the UK’s top political journalist in a poll conducted by blogger Iain Dale’s Total Politics magazine.

The poll asked MPs, Lobby journalists, Total Politics readers and members of the Total Politics Facebook group members who they rated the top political correspondent in six separate surveys, listing more than 200 for voters to choose from.

The survey found that Davis was the most popular, with BBC Newsnight’s Jeremy Paxman second, Times columnist Matthew Paris third and Davis’s fellow Today presenter John Humphrys at number four.

Breaking down the votes, journalists voted the BBC’s Nick Robinson first, followed by Paxman and then Davis.

Labour MPs voted Andrew Marr as their favourite, while Conservatives went for Davis.

Total Politics readers voted Paxman in first and London Mayor and Telegraph writer Boris Johnson in at six – with Johnson coming in at 41 overall.

Only five women made it into the top 50, with World at One presenter Martha Kearney the highest-ranking at number six.

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The magazine claimed that Davis would not have featured on the list had it been conducted a year earlier, saying it is his first year on the Today programme that has made his name.

Prior to Today, Davis was BBC economics editor for six years. Total Politics said he ‘brings his unique sense of humour to the programme without turning it into Five Live.”

The magazine said most politicians considered their first Jeremy Paxman interview as their ‘rite of passage into the big league politics”. The title also concluded that he was the favourite to succeed David Dimbleby as presenter on Question Time.

Total Politics is sent out free to Britain’s 22,000 elected politicians and is also available via the newsstand and subscription.

The top 10

1. Evan Davis, presenter, Today
2. Jeremy Paxman, presenter, BBC Newsnight
3. Matthew Parris, columnist, The Times
4. Nick Robinson, political editor, BBC News
5. John Humphrys, presenter, Today
6. Martha Kearney, presenter, World at One
7. Andrew Marr, presenter, The Andrew Marr Show
8. Andrew Rawnsley, political editor, The Observer
9. Trevor Kavanagh, associate editor, The Sun
10. Peter Riddell, chief political commentator, The Times

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