Author. He was a British author and journalist in addition to being a liberal politician. Born the son of Howard Browning Coote of Stukeley Hall, later Lord Lieutenant of Huntingdonshire, and Jean Reith of Scotland, he was the oldest of three sons. He graduated in 1914 from Balliol College at Oxford University, where he had been a star rugger player. During World War I, he was commissioned in the 4th Gloucestershire Regiment, serving in France and Italy, becoming missing in action for a time, before returning home in 1917 with a wounded arm. He reached the rank of captain. For this, he received the Distinguished Service Order in 1918. Unopposed, he was elected as the youngest member to the House of Commons, starting December 14, 1917 and continued to serve until the 1922 election, when he was defeated. While a Member of Parliament, he earned the reputation of being a good freelance writer. Starting a journalism career, he became a foreign correspondent for "The Times," with an assignment in Rome. Returning in 1926, he was a parliamentary reporter for 3 years before becoming a lead writer. During World War II, he headed the Public Relations department at the War Office. For political reasons, he resigned in 1942 from the more conservative newspaper, "The Times," and started at "The Daily Telegraph." Besides politics, he wrote articles for both "The Times" and the "Telegraph" on wines. In 1950, he became the editor of "The Daily Telegraph," holding the position for fourteen years. He became personal friends with his Osteopathy physician, Stephen Ward, who was a talented artist. Coote commissioned Ward to drawn sketches of participants in Adolf Eichmann's trial, which were published in newspaper coverage of the trial with much success. Since Ward was very versed in foreign affairs, he suggested that Ward travel to the Soviet Union to do sketches of Russian leaders, but Ward was unable to get travel clearance. In January of 1961, Coote introduced Ward to Eugene Ivanov of the Russian Embassy, for the purpose of obtaining travel clearance. Over the years, the three men socialized with the same people including War Minister John Profumo. On June 5, 1963 Profumo, a married man, resigned as War Minister as he had an affair with a 19-year-old model, who was also involved with Ivanov. With the Cold War with Russia, this scenario could impact national security. Ward had introduced the model to Ivanov. Becoming a major political scandal, newspaper headlines called this situation the Profumo Scandal and reputations were ruined. For his role of introducing Ward to Ivanov, Coote was completely exonerated in the Profumo Scandal by Lord Denning, but not Ward. Coote was knighted in 1962. He became known for his publications covering Winston Churchill. In 1926 he published "In and About Rome," which had twenty illustrations. In 1949, he co-authored "Maxims and Reflections of Winston Churchill," and in 1954 he published "Winston Churchill: A Self-Portrait." He published the 1965 biography of a Member of Parliament, "A Companion of Honour: The Story of Walter Elliot in Scotland and in Westminster". The same year, he published "British Artists of the Second World War." In 1969 he published his 255-page book, "The Government We Deserve." Being a great long-time admirer of Winston Churchill, he published in 1971 "The Other Club," which covered many of Churchill's accomplishments and speeches. Only a few copies of this red leather-bounded book were printed, and in the 21st century, it is considered a rare book valued at least at $400. He married three times. With his first wife, he had two daughters before a 1924 divorce. He was a widower when he married for the third time to German-born Amalie Lewkowitz. He died at home.