Anthony Barnett

Who is Anthony Barnett?

Anthony Barnett is the Founder of openDemocracy and Co-Editor of OurKingdom, its UK section. He is a British writer and a campaigner for democracy. He was the first Director of Charter 88 from 1988 to 1995 and Co-Director of the Convention on Modern Liberty with Henry Porter.

He was a student at Cambridge University, where he was active in the Labour Club, and lodged with Nicholas Kaldor.

A former member of the editorial committee of New Left Review, Barnett writes for the New Statesman and the Guardian. He has also written for Prospect. He conceived the television film England's Henry Moore, which concerned the sculptor's co-option by the British establishment.

In 2001 he founded openDemocracy with Paul Hilder, Susie Richards and David Hayes and was its Editor and then its Editor-in-Chief until 2007.

He lives with Judith Herrin and they have two daughters, the singer Tamara Barnett Herrin and Portia Barnett-Herrin.

Barnett is a writer of articles, blog posts and long essays on a regular basis for openDemocracy.