▁( born ▁ 1 8 ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 2 ) ▁is ▁a ▁British ▁journalist , ▁author ▁and ▁political ▁comment ator . ▁Gan esh ▁is ▁the ▁principal ▁political ▁column ist ▁for ▁the ▁Fin an cial ▁Times ▁and ▁regularly ▁appeared ▁on ▁the ▁BBC ▁show ▁Sunday ▁Polit ics . ▁ ▁Career ▁Gan esh ▁attended ▁Stanley ▁Techn ical ▁School ▁for ▁Boys , ▁a ▁volunt ary ▁a ided ▁school ▁in ▁South ▁London ; ▁after ward , ▁he ▁read ▁Polit ics ▁at ▁War wick ▁University ; ▁he ▁then ▁studied ▁Public ▁Policy ▁at ▁U CL . ▁▁ ▁Gan esh ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁Labour ▁Stud ents , ▁the ▁student ▁wing ▁of ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party , ▁having ▁been ▁inspired ▁to ▁join ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 9 ▁by ▁Tony ▁Bla ir ' s ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁annual ▁Labour ▁Party ▁Conference ▁speech . ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁The ▁Guardian ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁Gan esh ▁described ▁himself ▁as ▁" ess entially ▁a ▁Port ill ista ", ▁comparing ▁his ▁politics ▁to ▁Michael ▁Port illo ' s , ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁then ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁Sh adow ▁Chan cell or . ▁Gan esh ▁opt ed ▁not ▁to ▁attend ▁his ▁local ▁constitu ency ▁Labour ▁Party ▁meet ings ▁as ▁they ▁were ▁" to o ▁domin ated ▁by ▁Tro ts ". ▁▁ ▁For ▁two ▁years ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁Research er ▁at ▁the ▁Policy ▁Exchange , ▁a ▁West min ster - based ▁right - wing ▁think ▁tank ▁set ▁up ▁by ▁Conserv ative ▁MP s ▁Nick ▁B oles , ▁Michael ▁G ove ▁and ▁Francis ▁Mau de ,