Alice McCool
@mccoolingtons.bsky.social
Journalist + feminist. Investigative reporter at The Nerve. Formerly Good Law Project. Other bylines inc The Guardian, CNN, Dazed, TIME Magazine. They/them. www.alicemccool.com
"Unison, Aslef, Usdaw, and the Musicians’ Union will not attend Labour Women’s Conference in September over the decision to ban trans women from formal proceedings at the event. The unions are among Labour’s largest financial backers..."
Powerful unions boycott Labour Women's Conference over trans ban
metro.co.uk
NEW: CPAC GB last week was written off as a flop. But the network behind it is no joke... My latest investigation for @thenerve.news on its right wing Catholic Gen Z organisers + the web of global dark money forces around them, from US Christian Right to Hungary: www.thenerve.news/p/cpac-confe...
Liz Truss, dark money and the gen-Z Catholics: who’s behind CPAC in the UK?
The British debut of Maga’s favourite conference last week was widely seen as a joke. But a Nerve investigation reveals its young organisers are part of a web of culture-war connections – from the US ...
thenerve.news
1/🧵EXCLUSIVE: @bylinetimes.bsky.social's six-month investigation into Reform UK's policy chief: a secret donation from Peter Thiel, Thiel's life-changing offers to Cambridge scholars, and a far-right, theocratic student recruitment drive in breach of safeguarding bylinetimes.com/2026/07/09/p...
Palantir Co-Founder Peter Thiel and Reform UK's Cambridge University Recruitment Pipeline Project Revealed
The world-renowned academic institution has nothing to say in response to a six-month investigation by Byline Times raising serious concerns about the safeguarding of students and foreign influence at...
bylinetimes.com
When human rights are under attack the role of the press should be to challenge those in power – not cheer them on. www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2026...
UK newspapers ignore Amnesty International research on anti-trans bias
Research by human rights group identifies nearly 17,000 articles on trans-related topics in just five years
thebureauinvestigates.com
🚨 NEW: How are ultra-conservative networks infiltrating human rights in the UK? In my latest for @goodlawproject.org I expose how the new head of the EHRC (supposed to protect our rights + equalities) in Scotland is linked to dark money funded anti-abortion groups goodlawproject.org/ehrcs-new-ch...
EHRC’s new chair in Scotland linked to anti-abortion dark money groups | Good Law Project
Human rights watchdog appoints barrister Alasdair Henderson, despite links to groups opposing women’s and LGBTQ+ rights
goodlawproject.org
Cute video to go with our news! Congrats to the other new recruits @luciaoc.bsky.social @sangitamyska.bsky.social and @doctorow.pluralistic.net 🤩 You can subscribe to (or become a paying member of) @thenerve.news here: www.thenerve.news/membership
THE NERVE@thenerve.news · 3mo agoSOME NEWS The Nerve is six months old - and growing! Thanks to the incredible support of our growing community of members, we are delighted to announce four major signings as we expand our team of journalists… @pressgazette.co.uk report follows… (mini 🧵)
🚨 I'm joining @thenerve.news! Pretty surreal to be mentioned alongside as such a talented lineup 🙈 Thanks are in order to @carolecadwalla.bsky.social for supporting me always –can't wait to learn more from you and The Nerve's other legendary all women co-founders! pressgazette.co.uk/the-wire/med...
Press Gazette@pressgazette.co.uk · 3mo agoThe Nerve @thenerve.news, launched six months ago by five ex-Observer journalists including @carolecadwalla.bsky.social, is expanding its team to include Investigative journalists @mccoolingtons.bsky.social & @luciaoc.bsky.social Plus columnists @sangitamyska.bsky.social & @doctorow.pluralistic.net
I designed the graphics for this important story by @mccoolingtons.bsky.social and @ludovicparsons.bsky.social. Take care when reading, topic is upsetting.
Good Law Project@goodlawproject.org · 3mo agoContent warning: trans suicide, self-harm and death Trans people are dying of suicide more than the general UK population our new investigation with @wearequeeraf.com shows ⬇️ https://goodlaw.social/p8ha
NEW: For months @ludovicparsons.bsky.social + I have been piecing together info on trans deaths in the UK from datasets, FOIs, coroners’ reports + interviews. We found that trans people are disproportionately dying by suicide. Many are kids. Full investigation: goodlawproject.org/trans-people...
We’ve spent months building a picture of trans deaths in the UK, with our lead investigative journalist @ludovicparsons.bsky.social and @mccoolingtons.bsky.social What we found is devastating. 📩 Get the full investigation this Saturday 👇 www.wearequeeraf.com/subscribe/?u...
As Bluesky was down so much yesterday, am resharing in case people would like to read this piece.
Jess O'Thomson@jessothomson.co.uk · 4mo agoIt's a year today since the Supreme Court decision on the meaning of "sex" under the Equality Act 2010. Jolyon Maugham and I have written a reflective piece with our thoughts on the judgment, everything that has happened since, and why it's so important that we are still fighting - together 👇
Thanks for having me @indexoncensorship.org and Pushkin House! It was really great to debrief with my v knowledgeable fellow panelists and audience following the Hungarian election result ✊👀
Index on Censorship@indexoncensorship.org · 4mo agoThis week, we came together to launch our latest magazine & discuss the future of Europe following the Hungarian election. Huge thanks to everyone who join us. Special thanks to our speakers Victor Sebestyen, Colin Crouch, Alice McCool and @sallygimson.bsky.social, & to Pushkin House for having us.
I’m vvv excited to be at the @journalismfestival.com in #Perugia this year for the first time! Pls give me a shout if you’d like to meet up or you're running an event I should come to! Hopefully when you see me I won’t look so knackered - I got a night flight and sleep has passed me by 🫠 1/3
You will* be surprised to see that prominent anti-trans campaigners are all tied up in this far-right ecosystem. *will not "With Orbán gone, has the British far right lost its magic money tree?"
With Orbán gone, has the British far right lost its magic money tree?
Hungary’s new PM has described his predecessor’s funding of propaganda bodies as criminal and vowed to investigate. This could be bad news for ultraconservatives in the UK – and around the rest of the...
thenerve.news
Thank you Tim @spotlightcorruption.org for speaking to me for this piece! P.s. If anyone's interested, @timpicton.bsky.social is secretly an investigative journalist, he just won't admit it 🙃
Tim Picton@timpicton.bsky.social · 4mo agoAlice has been central to exposing the trail of the Russian oil soaked money flows from the MCC into UK politics. Pleased to have a comment in their latest piece questioning whether UK orgs that have taken MCC funding should declare their activities with the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
📢 NEW: #Orbán is out! What does this mean for his far-right, ultra-conservative, anti-immigration, anti-trans + anti-everything cronies? I spoke to some pros on this for @thenerve.news + looked back at the Orbán-funded, #Reform linked UK network I uncovered for @goodlawproject.org 👀
THE NERVE@thenerve.news · 4mo agoNEW Hungary’s new PM has described Viktor Orbán’s funding of propaganda bodies as criminal and vowed to investigate. Bad news for ultraconservatives in the UK! Alice McCool's deep dive into Orban, his propaganda college MCC – and its links to the British right ⏬ www.thenerve.news/p/viktor-orb...
Could MattGPT face scrutiny under the UK’s ‘proceeds of crime’ law? The British right is awash with money from Orban thinktanks…which Hungary’s new PM says was stolen. Brilliant deep dive into Orban’s vast UK network by @McCoolingtons for @thenerve_news. 👏
THE NERVE@thenerve.news · 4mo agoNEW Hungary’s new PM has described Viktor Orbán’s funding of propaganda bodies as criminal and vowed to investigate. Bad news for ultraconservatives in the UK! Alice McCool's deep dive into Orban, his propaganda college MCC – and its links to the British right ⏬ www.thenerve.news/p/viktor-orb...
After Viktor Orbán’s loss in the weekend’s Hungarian elections, what does this moment signal for democracy, free expression and the future of Europe? Tomorrow’s @indexoncensorship.org panel features our very own Alice McCool: https://bit.ly/4tGXekv
What Next for Europe? Hungary, Russia and the New Era of Illiberal Democracies
Talk: What Next for Europe? Hungary, Russia and the New Era of Illiberal Democracies
pushkinhouse.org
I’m speaking at this event next Tues following my investigation into a far-right, anti-gender network in the UK funded by Viktor #Orbán. This may sound niche but #Hungary matters. JD #Vance is there rn trying to save Orbán whose 16yr rule might come to an end on Sunday… Get your tickets here 👇👀
Index on Censorship@indexoncensorship.org · 4mo ago#Hungary: Polls open on Sunday for what is expected to be a decisive general election for the country & Europe. JD Vance is already heading there to show support for PM Viktor Orbán. Join us on Tuesday for a post-election debrief at Pushkin House: www.pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/eve...:
Our investigation in Byline Times exposes a network of global ultra-conservative groups using courts to target trans healthcare. https://bylinetimes.com/2026/04/02/how-the-us-christian-right-and-anti-abortion-lobbyists-are-reshaping-nhs-policy/
How the US Christian Right and Anti-Abortion Lobbyists are Reshaping NHS Policy
A new investigation exposes a global network of anti-abortion groups and US Christian nationalists using UK courts to target bodily autonomy
bylinetimes.com
📢 NEW: My @goodlawproject.org investigation in @bylinetimes.bsky.social exposes how US Christian Right dark money + anti-abortion lobbyists are quietly reshaping UK healthcare. Definitely one to share with 'gender critical' relatives this Easter... bylinetimes.com/2026/04/02/h...
How the US Christian Right and Anti-Abortion Lobbyists are Reshaping NHS Policy
A new investigation exposes a global network of anti-abortion groups and US Christian nationalists using UK courts to target bodily autonomy
bylinetimes.com
Urgent journo request: for @goodlawproject.org I'm looking to speak to friends of #trans ppl in the UK who have died whose #gender was not accurately recorded on their death certificate. I’m particularly interested in cases from the last year. I promise to handle your story with care 🖤
Another major warning from the UN about the threats to #trans rights in the UK, raising serious concerns under international human rights law. This was issued 10 days ago. Where's the media coverage? www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...
UN experts urge UK to ensure equal protection for all women and girls and all transgender people
GENEVA – The United Kingdom must ensure its ongoing review of statutory guidance under the Equality Act remains compatible with international human rights law and upholds equal protections for all tra...
ohchr.org
SCOOP: The UK gave £90,000 to an Israeli report claiming that Hamas used sexual violence as a “weapon of war”. The Israeli government used the UK-funded report in a massive propaganda campaign, while Israeli officials called it a “significant public diplomacy tool”.
‼️ Just 2 days until Gorton and Denton byelection, so please keep sharing my story far + wide about Reform's candidate! P.s. Matt Goodwin has also collaborated with the Danube Institute, another Orbán-funded outfit in Hungary – led by Thatcher's former advisor... goodlawproject.org/orbans-pay-c...
Orbán’s pay cheques: Reform candidate fuelled by profits from Russian oil
The Reform candidate at this month’s byelection claims he wants to put Britain first, but is he still on the payroll of Viktor Orbán’s far-right propaganda unit?
goodlawproject.org
Sooo the Christian right group behind the rollback of abortion rights in the US is funding Elon Musk's X's case against the EU now... adfinternational.org/news/x-chall...
X challenges €120m fine under EU censorship law at top European court
X this week launched a landmark legal challenge against the €120 million fine it received in December under the Digital Services Act (DSA), an EU censorship law.
adfinternational.org
NEW: My attempt at a one minute sum up of my latest @goodlawproject.bsky.social investigations into a Viktor Orbán-funded influence op in the UK. Links to the written stories below 👇🧵 Please share. Only a week to go until the Gorton and Denton byelection...
Good Law Project@goodlawproject.org · 6mo agoA Reform candidate and a college fling – how Viktor Orbán is pushing far-right talking points
🔴 Wife of Keir Starmer’s comms chief had direct knowledge of Labour Together’s investigation into journalists Full story on Democracy for Sale: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/starmer-al...
Starmer ally Josh Simons faces fresh questions about digging dirt on journalists
Tory and SNP chiefs call for Labour minister Simons to ‘come clean’ as we reveal new details of PR firm’s campaign to discredit journalists
democracyforsale.substack.com