Thomas, Paul b.1961

Paul Thomas original cartoon artwork

In 1981 Thomas began three years’ study at the Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, and after graduation he worked as a freelance cartoonist for various newspapers and magazines. In 1987 he began contributing the strip cartoon “World Affairs” to the Spectator magazine, and continued working for that magazine until 1998, providing covers and spot cartoons, as well as his cartoon strip. From 1988 Thomas began teaching graphic design and illustration on a Foundation Course at the University of Hertfordshire, and continued for eight years. In 1989 he also began drawing the main political cartoon for Punch magazine. For the last few months of its life Thomas also became the cartoon editor of the magazine. In 1989 Thomas also became pocket cartoonist for the Independent on Sunday, and remained with the paper until 2000. From 1990 to 1997 he was also business cartoonist of the Evening Standard, and during 1995 to 1996 was political cartoonist of the Sunday Telegraph. In 1998, when Rosie Boycott left the Independent to become editor of the Daily Express, she brought in Thomas to replace Charles Griffin as its political cartoonist. Thomas characterises himself as “a professional cynic”, and sees his task as “being extremely rude about the people who are trying to tell us all what to do”. He thinks that “I’m only really concerned with making my target audience - my editor - laugh. It’s not really much more complicated than that.” In January 2015 Paul Thomas left the Daily Express and in January 2019 replaced Mac on the Daily Mail being introduced to the readership as ‘Britain’s funniest cartoonist.’ He left the paper in December 2021 after the appointment of a new editor..