{{Short description|English newspaper columnist (born 1969)}} {{Distinguish|Daniel Hodge|Daniel Hodges (police officer)}} {{BLP primary sources|date=May 2020}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Dan Hodges | birth_name = Daniel Pearce Jackson Hodges | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1969|03|07}} | birth_place = [[Lewisham]], [[London]], England | occupation = Journalist | political_party = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] (1987–2013, 2015) | mother = [[Glenda Jackson]] }}
'''Daniel Pearce Jackson Hodges''' (born 7 March 1969) is an English newspaper columnist. Since March 2016, he has written a weekly column for ''[[The Mail on Sunday]]''. Prior to this, he was a columnist for ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/dan-hodges/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204131855/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/dan-hodges/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-12-04|title=Dan Hodges|work=Telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> and in 2013 was described by [[James Forsyth (journalist)|James Forsyth]] in ''[[The Spectator]]'' as [[David Cameron]]'s "new favourite columnist".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/8910471/camerons-bluff/|title=The secret of David Cameron's Europe strategy: he doesn't have one|last=Forsyth|first=James|date=May 2013|work=The Spectator|access-date=12 October 2014|archive-date=26 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926080000/http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/8910471/camerons-bluff/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Early life== Born in [[Lewisham]], Hodges is the son of the actress and former Labour MP [[Glenda Jackson]] and her then-husband Roy Hodges, a repertory company stage-manager and actor.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bryant |first=Christopher |title=Glenda Jackson : the biography |date=1999 |publisher=[[HarperCollinsPublishers]] |isbn=0-00-255911-0 |location=Hammersmith, London |pages=34–35 |oclc=42790640 |author-link=Chris Bryant}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Woodward |first=Ian |title=Glenda Jackson : a study in fire and ice |date=1985 |publisher=[[Weidenfeld and Nicolson]] |isbn=0-297-78533-8 |location=London |pages=27–28 |oclc=11658097}}</ref><ref name="pr">{{cite news| title=Profile: Dan Hodges, Freedom To Fly| url=http://www.prweek.com/news/171693/| author=Ian Hall| date=28 February 2003| work=PR Week| publisher=prweek.com| accessdate=4 November 2011}}</ref> He was educated at [[Edge Hill University|Edge Hill College]] in [[Ormskirk]], [[Lancashire]], where he studied English Literature and Communications between 1987 and 1990.<ref>{{cite web |title=Glenda Jackson son: who is Dan Hodges as Oscar winning actress dies age 87 |url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/glenda-jackson-son-who-is-dan-hodges-as-oscar-winning-actress-dies-age-87/ar-AA1cAivN |website=MSN |access-date=25 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/245933627416903682|title=twitter post|author=|date=|website=www.twitter.com|accessdate=19 January 2020}}</ref> He worked as a parliamentary researcher for his mother between 1992 and 1997, describing it as 'straight-forward [[nepotism]]', before working in public relations for the [[Road Haulage Association]], [[GMB (trade union)|GMB]] and the Freedom To Fly lobby group.<ref>{{cite web| title=Profile: Dan Hodges, Freedom To Fly| url=http://www.prweek.com/news/171693/| author=Ian Hall| date=28 February 2003| work=PR Week| publisher=prweek.com| accessdate=25 January 2018}}</ref> He worked briefly as Head of Communications at the [[London Development Agency]] and as Director of News for [[Transport for London]] in 2007, which he left after less than a year after mocking a contractor to the press.<ref>{{cite web| title=TFL PR Chief leaves London Underground| url=https://www.prweek.com/article/773750/tfl-pr-chief-leaves-london-underground/| author=Matt Cartmell| date=14 December 2007| work=PR Week| publisher=prweek.com| accessdate=25 January 2018}}</ref> He subsequently led the campaign to introduce a [[Greater Manchester congestion charge|congestion charge for Greater Manchester]], which was overwhelmingly rejected in [[Referendums in the United Kingdom|local referendums]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-04-18 |title=C-charge: The yes campaign |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/c-charge-the-yes-campaign-972026 |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=Manchester Evening News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-12-15 |title=Congestion charge – no! |url=https://www.lgcplus.com/archive/congestion-charge-no-15-12-2008/ |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=Local Government Chronicle (LGC) |language=en}}</ref>
==Journalism== Hodges has worked as a [[journalist]] and blogger, writing in a freelance capacity for the ''[[New Statesman]]'', ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' and ''[[The Mail on Sunday]]''. He worked for the successful [[NOtoAV]] campaign in 2011, but attracted controversy for a provocative anti-AV poster that suggested [[Electoral reform in the United Kingdom|electoral reform]] might lead to the deaths of newborn babies.<ref name="ns201011">{{cite news|last=Hasan|first=Mehdi|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/mehdi-hasan/2011/10/dan-hodges-labour-miliband|title=Dan Hodges. The Truth. And me|work=New Statesman|date=20 October 2011|accessdate=16 February 2018}}</ref>
In 2016, Hodges won the Political Commentator of the Year Award at The Comment Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.commentawards.com/winners.php|title=The Comment Awards 2016|author=|date=|website=www.commentawards.com|accessdate=11 March 2018|archive-date=30 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130002249/http://www.commentawards.com/winners.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Labour Party== He supported [[Jon Cruddas]] in the [[2007 Labour Party deputy leadership election|2007 deputy leadership election]] as a member of [[Compass (think tank)|Compass]], but has since been critical of the organisation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2010/07/01/dan-hodges-warns-labour-against-the-new-pluralism/|title=Dan Hodges warns Labour against the new pluralism « Labour Uncut|work=labour-uncut.co.uk}}</ref>
Hodges supported [[David Miliband]] in his unsuccessful campaign for the [[2010 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|2010 Labour leadership contest]]. Hodges describes himself as a "tribal neo-[[Blairite]]".<ref>[http://www.chartwellspeakers.com/speaker/dan-hodges Dan Hodges: Keynote and motivational speaker], Chartwell Speakers Bureau</ref> He was a vocal critic of the former [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] leader [[Ed Miliband]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12/15/dan-hodges-labour-party-member-quit-2015_n_8812050.html|title=Dan Hodges Announces He's Leaving The Labour Party, Is Lambasted For Quitting Over Jeremy Corbyn|last=Allegretti|first=Aubrey|date=15 December 2015|work=[[HuffPost]]|accessdate=18 May 2018}}</ref>
In May 2012, although he was then a long-standing member of the Labour Party, Hodges voted for the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Boris Johnson]] in the [[2012 London mayoral election|London Mayoral elections]], lauding him as a "unifying figure" over his former boss [[Ken Livingstone]] whom he saw as "divisive" and "a disgrace", adding that "London needs someone who can speak for all of London, not just the balkanized segments whose votes he craves". However, Hodges still voted for Labour [[London Assembly]] candidates.<ref name="bojosupport">{{cite news| title=Ken Livingstone is right: it's him or Boris Johnson. That's why I'm voting Boris | url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100154291/ken-livingstone-is-right-its-him-or-boris-johnson-thats-why-im-voting-boris/| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501094352/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100154291/ken-livingstone-is-right-its-him-or-boris-johnson-thats-why-im-voting-boris/| url-status=dead| archive-date=1 May 2012| author=Dan Hodges |date=30 April 2012 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] Blogs |publisher=The Daily Telegraph| accessdate=20 August 2013}}</ref>
Following the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] vote on 29 August 2013 against possible military involvement in the [[Syrian civil war]], and objecting to [[Ed Miliband]]'s conduct, Hodges left the Labour Party.<ref>Dan Hodges [https://web.archive.org/web/20130902151206/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100233350/miliband-was-governed-by-narrow-political-interests-not-the-national-interests-or-those-of-syrian-children/ "Miliband was governed by narrow political interests – not those of Syrian children. I have left the Labour Party"], telegraph.co.uk, 30 August 2013</ref>
Hodges rejoined the Labour Party in July 2015 and supported [[Yvette Cooper]] for the Labour leadership, strongly opposing [[Jeremy Corbyn]]'s candidacy.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11766277/The-only-way-Labour-can-win-the-next-election-is-to-elect-Corbyn-now.html|title=The only way Labour can win the next election is to elect Corbyn now|last=Hodges|first=Dan|date=27 July 2015|access-date=20 February 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
Hodges announced his resignation from the Labour Party a second time in a December 2015 op-ed for ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', accusing party members of abuse and intimidation against Labour [[Member of parliament|MPs]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/12051510/Jeremy-Corbyn-has-become-the-Lefts-Enoch-Powell.html|title=Jeremy Corbyn has become the Left's Enoch Powell|last=Hodges|first=Dan|date=15 December 2015|access-date=20 February 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
==Other views== Hodges has expressed support for the government [[Censorship|censoring]] [[whistleblower]]s who are spreading "information highly detrimental to the UK national interest".<ref name="terrorsupport">{{cite news| title=Why does being a relative of Glenn Greenwald place you above the law| url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100231711/why-does-being-a-relative-of-glenn-greenwald-place-you-above-the-law/| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820093814/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100231711/why-does-being-a-relative-of-glenn-greenwald-place-you-above-the-law/| url-status=dead| archive-date=20 August 2013| author=Dan Hodges| date=20 August 2013 |work=The Daily Telegraph Blogs |publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph]]| access-date=20 August 2013}}</ref>
In early 2025, Hodges faced backlash for comments on social media concerning the [[Gaza war|war in Gaza]]. He asserted that no British taxpayer money should be used for reconstruction "until every [[Hamas]] terrorist is either dead or in jail". When pressed about whether the consequences for civilians, including "hundreds of thousands of children", would be that they would "go to hell", he replied: "Yes, basically." Critics accused him of endorsing collective punishment and war crimes. A British lawyer warned the comments might breach UK law, including the [[Public Order Act 2023|Public Order Act]] and the [[International Criminal Court Act 2001]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=R |title=British Journalist Sparks Outrage Over Anti‑Palestinian Comments Amid Gaza Genocide |url=https://greatreporter.com/2025/02/11/british-journalist-sparks-outrage-over-anti-palestinian-comments-amid-gaza-genocide/ |date=2025-02-11 |access-date=2025-07-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Owen |author-link= Owen Jones|title=Palestinian kids "can just go to hell", thinks UK journalist |url=https://www.owenjones.news/p/palestinian-kids-can-just-go-to-hell |date=11 February 2025 |access-date=15 October 2025}}</ref>
==Other work== Hodges is also a [[wargame]] designer. His first game design was ''Where There Is Discord: War in the South Atlantic'' which is about the [[Falklands War]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100253892/confessions-of-a-grognard-why-i-am-an-unashamed-board-game-geek/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111005815/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100253892/confessions-of-a-grognard-why-i-am-an-unashamed-board-game-geek/|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 January 2014|title=Confessions of a 'Grognard': why I am an unashamed board game geek|accessdate=10 January 2014}}</ref>
In November 2015, Hodges' first book, ''One Minute To Ten'', was published by [[Penguin Books]]. It focuses on the three party leaders Cameron, Miliband, and Clegg, and the effect the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]] had on their lives.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/290768/one-minute-to-ten/9781405924405.html|title=One Minute To Ten|last=Books |first=Penguin |date=28 October 2015 |website=[[Penguin Books]]}}</ref>
==Personal life== In February 1992, Hodges lost the sight of his left eye when trying to stop a fight in a bar.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/93138%7C62292/Glenda-Jackson/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927031413/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/93138%7C62292/Glenda-Jackson/|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 September 2011|title=Overview for Glenda Jackson|work=Turner Classic Movies}}</ref>
Hodges married Michelle di Leo in 2003, after meeting her at a [[Labour Party Conference]] in 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.planestupid.com/category/blog-tags/flying-matters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110115162810/http://www.planestupid.com/category/blog-tags/flying-matters|url-status=usurped|archive-date=15 January 2011|title=Flying Matters|work=planestupid.com}}</ref> He lives in [[Blackheath, London|Blackheath]] with his wife and children.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11177527/Ed-Balls-has-just-turned-my-house-into-a-mansion.-Im-not-as-happy-about-it-as-you-might-think.html/ |title=Ed Balls has just turned my house into a mansion. I'm not as happy about it as you might think |last=Hodges |first=Dan |date=21 October 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022004815/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/11177527/Ed-Balls-has-just-turned-my-house-into-a-mansion.-Im-not-as-happy-about-it-as-you-might-think.html |archivedate=22 October 2014 |url-status=dead |accessdate=12 December 2014}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *{{Twitter|dpjhodges}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20141204131855/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/dan-hodges/ Daily Telegraph] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20111016003157/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/author/danhodges/ Dan Hodges Telegraph blog]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodges, Dan}} [[Category:1969 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Alumni of Edge Hill University]] [[Category:Daily Mail journalists]] [[Category:English bloggers]] [[Category:English columnists]] [[Category:English male bloggers]] [[Category:English male journalists]] [[Category:English political journalists]] [[Category:Journalists from London]] [[Category:Labour Party (UK) officials]] [[Category:People from Blackheath, London]] [[Category:Spokespersons]] [[Category:The Guardian journalists]] [[Category:The Daily Telegraph people]] [[Category:The Times journalists]] [[Category:Trade unionists from London]]