Journalist and JC columnist Daniel Finkelstein has been named political commentator of the year.

Mr Finkelstein, the executive editor of The Times, received the prize at the Editorial Intelligence comment awards 2010 on Thursday morning.

The FT columnist Gideon Rachman won the award for best foreign commentator, while Christopher Hitchens was named magazine commentator of the year.

The Independent editor Simon Kelner, who is launching a new youth title for the paper next week, was awarded the Chair’s Choice prize.