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Neil Speight

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Neil Speight
Official portrait, 2023
Member of Thurrock Council for Stanford-le-Hope West
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 May 2023
Preceded byShane Hebb
Majority111 (6.5%)
Personal details
BornJuly 1958 (age 66)
Yorkshire, England
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		UKIP (2016)
Conservative (before 2016)
Alma materUniversity of Sheffield
OccupationJournalist, football manager, politician
WebsiteOfficial website

Neil Speight (born July 1958) is a British journalist, football manager and politician who has served as the member of Thurrock Council for the ward of Stanford-le-Hope West since 2023 and the editor of Thurrock Nub News since 2019.

Early life and career

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Speight was born in July 1958.[1] He is originally from Yorkshire, England, which is where he was raised. He studied at Richmond College and the University of Sheffield and qualified as a football referee.[2][3][4] He began his career as a trainee reporter for the South Yorkshire Times in the 1970s.[4][5] In his early career, Speight served as the editor of several regional publications, including the Wakefield Express, Suffolk Free Press, Holderness Gazette, Hornsea Gazette, Hedon Gazette and Scarborough Evening News.[6][7] He also spent a period working for the Peterborough Evening Telegraph in Cambridgeshire, where he was sports editor and production editor.[3]

In 2003, Speight founded the East Riding Gazette, a free quality broadsheet paper covering the East Riding of Yorkshire and western Hull.[6][8][7] Speight explained that the paper's team had found a demand for "more competition" in the area as the existing local media there had "grown stale due to its monopoly position".[7] The East Riding Gazette closed down two years later in 2005.[9][10] According to Speight, he gave up on the paper after the "powers that be were unable to sustain" his envisioned "high-quality editorial product".[9]

Career in Thurrock

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In 2004, while still heading the East Riding Gazette,[9] Speight moved to Thurrock in Essex where he became editor of the Thurrock Gazette, taking over from Andy Lever.[11][12] During the 2004–05 Essex Senior Football League, Speight was appointed as a co-manager of Tilbury F.C. alongside Garry Kimble, where he also worked as the commercial manager and programme editor.[13][14] In 2005, Speight and Kimble were sacked after it was relegated from the Southern League Division One East.[13]

In 2005, Speight announced plans to leave Essex and return to Yorkshire, where he would take up a job for East Riding of Yorkshire Council editing local newspapers and managing the council's communications.[6] However, he then changed his mind and remained in Thurrock as editor of the Thurrock Gazette, stating that he had been convinced to stay after he received an "overwhelming feeling of warmth and support" from the local community in Thurrock and the paper's publisher Newsquest Essex.[15][16] He remained editor of the Thurrock Gazette until his departure from the paper in December 2008, during which period he became known for his combative style of reporting in the borough.[17]

The Enquirer series

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After leaving the Thurrock Gazette, Speight founded and edited the Enquirer series of local newspapers which had two editions, the Essex Enquirer and the East London Enquirer. In 2011, he expanded the series with the launch of the Thurrock Enquirer, which took on a more hyperlocal focus on the borough of Thurrock in particular.[18]

In 2009, Speight became secretary of East Thurrock United F.C.[19] In 2012, he proposed the construction of a new stadium at the Pegasus social club in Corringham, arguing that this would ensure its long term survival.[20] He has also filled in as a referee during East Thurrock United games.[4]

Political career

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For most of his life, Speight was affiliated with the Conservative Party. In the late 2000s and 2010s, he was in talks with the local Conservative Party in Thurrock to stand as one of their candidates in the local elections, though he ultimately did not do so.[21][22] Ahead of the 2016 Thurrock Council election, Speight announced that he would stand in the election for the UK Independence Party (UKIP) in the Conservative-held ward of Corringham and Fobbing. He said he thought the Conservative Party had "lost touch" with voters and needed a "kick up the backside" by candidates such as himself to get back into shape.[18] He remained editor of the Thurrock Enquirer despite his political allegiance.[23] At the election, Speight came in second place behind Aaron Watkins of the Conservative Party with 507 votes to Watkins' 753.[24][25]

Speight stood once again in the 2021 Thurrock Council election, this time as an independent candidate in the ward of East Tilbury.[22] His decision to stand in East Tilbury when he lived in Stanford-le-Hope was criticised by his incumbent Conservative opponent Sue Sammons, while local newspaper Your Thurrock also declared its opposition to a local journalist standing for election in an area they covered.[26][22] Speight came second to Sammons in the election, winning 605 votes to Sammons' 639.[27]

In the 2023 Thurrock Council election, Speight stood as an independent candidate in the ward of Stanford-le-Hope West, where he lived. He challenged the incumbent councillor, Shane Hebb of the Conservative Party, who served as the Thurrock Council cabinet member for finance when the council agreed financial deals which later led it to bankruptcy.[28] Speight said he believed his home needed "an independent voice that represents residents, not party politics and personal gain" and maintained that he could remain "fair and honest" as a local journalist despite serving as a local councillor.[29][30] Speight defeated Hebb at the election, winning 643 votes ahead of the 532 votes received by runner-up Phil Smith of the Labour Party. After his election, he remained editor of Thurrock Nub News, arguing that a local journalist such as himself was best placed to represent local residents on the council and insisting that his reporting had remained impartial since standing for election.[31][32]

After his election to Thurrock Council, Speight became the leader and spokesperson of the Non-Political Alliance of Independent Councillors (NPAIC),[33][34][35] which included most independents in the council.[36]

In the 2024 general election, Speight stood as an independent candidate in his local parliamentary constituency of South Basildon and East Thurrock.[37][38] He launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance his bid.[39]

Personal life

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Speight lives in Stanford-le-Hope.[40] He is the father of five children.[37]

References

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  1. ^ "Neil Speight". GOV.UK. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Info – About Neil Speight". Neil Speight Official Website. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  3. ^ a b Linford, Paul (31 January 2012). "Take Five: Neil Speight". Hold the Front Page. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Hudson, Nick (29 August 2014). "Super-sub editor comes off bar's back bench to save day". Hold the Front Page. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  5. ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (28 November 2019). "Local editor says public appetite for print has 'diminished' as he merges title with hyperlocal online network". Press Gazette. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  6. ^ a b c "Editor Speight set to return to his Yorkshire roots". Hold the Front Page. 2005. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Morgan, Jean (16 January 2003). "Gazette rides in for Yorkshire battle". Press Gazette. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  8. ^ "Former workmates run rival free sheets". Hold the Front Page. 2003. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  9. ^ a b c "End of the line for broadsheet". Press Gazette. 20 January 2005. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  10. ^ "Gazette closes after two years". Hold the Front Page. 2005. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  11. ^ "Gazette welcomes new editor". Hold the Front Page. 2004. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  12. ^ "Tributes pour in after former editor of Thurrock Gazette dies". Your Thurrock. 23 December 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Cross takes over". Daily Gazette & Essex County Standard. 13 May 2005. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  14. ^ "Signings boost Tilbury". Daily Gazette & Essex County Standard. 24 December 2004. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  15. ^ Robertson, Sarah (2005). "Speight rejects East Riding role". PR Week. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  16. ^ "Editor's apology for career u-turn decision". Hold the Front Page. 2005. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  17. ^ "Paper Wars: Enquirer lands coup by taking council contract from Gazette". Your Thurrock. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  18. ^ a b Sharman, David (15 April 2016). "Weekly editor and lifelong Tory to stand for UKIP". Hold the Front Page. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  19. ^ "East Thurrock United: Bitter battle over ownership played out in High Court". Your Thurrock. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  20. ^ "East Thurrock bosses explain Pegasus Club plans". Your Thurrock. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  21. ^ "Will Parties Unite to Fight BNP?". Your Thurrock. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  22. ^ a b c "Ward by ward: East Tilbury: Will it be great if it's councillor Speight?". Your Thurrock. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  23. ^ G., Peter (7 April 2016). "Thurrock local elections 2016 - Some fascinating battles ahead". Your Thurrock. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  24. ^ "Election results for Corringham and Fobbing: Borough Council Elections - Thursday, 5th May, 2016". Thurrock Council. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  25. ^ "Full list of candidates for May's local election revealed". Thurrock Gazette. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  26. ^ "East Tilbury election battle: "Let's keep East Tilbury Independent with local people" says Tory". Your Thurrock. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  27. ^ "Election results for East Tilbury: Borough Council Elections - Thursday, 6th May, 2021". Thurrock Council. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  28. ^ "Thurrock newspaper editor set to stand as Independent candidate in Stanford West". Your Thurrock. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  29. ^ Sexton, Christine (3 May 2023). "Non-aligned independent candidates in the running at Thurrock Council". Thurrock Gazette. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  30. ^ Sharman, David (13 April 2023). "Editor launches fresh bid to serve on council he covers". Hold the Front Page. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  31. ^ Sharman, David (10 May 2023). "Editor to serve on council he covers after election victory". Hold the Front Page. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  32. ^ Linford, Paul (4 June 2024). "Veteran editor stands in general election in bid to 'take fight to elite'". Hold the Front Page. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  33. ^ Webb, Caitlin (3 April 2024). "Government rejects Thurrock's bid for public inquiry into financial collapse". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  34. ^ "Agenda and minutes: Council – Wednesday, 31st January, 2024 7.00 pm". Thurrock Council. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  35. ^ Sexton, Christine; Speight, Neil (22 March 2024). "Thurrock Tories accused of 'weaponising racism' for political gain after leader's address to chamber". Thurrock Nub News. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  36. ^ "Tory rebels are ousted following defiance over budget". Thurrock Nub News. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  37. ^ a b "Veteran Thurrock journalist and councillor set to stand for MP in South Basildon and East Thurrock seat". Your Thurrock. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  38. ^ "General Election South Basildon and East Thurrock candidates". The Echo. 28 June 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  39. ^ "General Election 24: Independent candidate launches crowdfunding campaign". Your Thurrock. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  40. ^ "Tories press Labour on council newspaper contract". Your Thurrock. 4 May 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
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