Voters have been denied the right to know whether any ministers declared past criminal convictions when appointed, after a transparency tribunal upheld Whitehall attempts to keep its vetting processes secret for data protection reasons. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Ministers’ criminal records to remain secret, tribunal rules

The public has been denied the right to know of ministers’ disclosures of criminal records during vetting processes, despite a ‘legitimate public interest’

thetimes.com

Voters have been denied the right to know whether any ministers declared past criminal convictions when appointed, after a transparency tribunal upheld Whitehall attempts to keep its vetting processes secret for data protection reasons. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Ministers’ criminal records to remain secret, tribunal rules

The public has been denied the right to know of ministers’ disclosures of criminal records during vetting processes, despite a ‘legitimate public interest’

thetimes.com

Suspended Reform UK MP James McMurdock had two of his companies blocked from winding up because they had failed to pay back taxpayer-backed Covid loans, The Times can reveal after a 20-month FOI battle. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Suspended Reform MP’s company closures halted over Covid loans

Disclosure over the businesses of James McMurdock raises further questions about candidate vetting and financial conduct

thetimes.com

Suspended Reform UK MP James McMurdock had two of his companies blocked from winding up because they had failed to pay back taxpayer-backed Covid loans, The Times can reveal after a 20-month FOI battle. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Suspended Reform MP’s company closures halted over Covid loans

Disclosure over the businesses of James McMurdock raises further questions about candidate vetting and financial conduct

thetimes.com

Reform UK has instructed its thousands of councillors to describe a police investigation into donations from the mother of George Cottrell as an establishment stitch-up. Latest from Insight and me 👇 www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Reform tells councillors to say donation inquiry is a ‘smear’ and ‘hit job’

The Metropolitan Police are investigating donations made to the party by Fiona Cottrell, mother of the fraudster ‘Posh George’, who has been funding Nigel Farage

thetimes.com

George Cottrell wrote a complaint to the National Crime Agency claiming he was a long-standing member of a national defence think tank, prompting a denial from the institution. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

George Cottrell falsely claimed think tank membership in banking complaint

The fraudster, who has donated to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, said he was a member of the Royal United Services Institute, which it denied

thetimes.com

George Cottrell wrote a complaint to the National Crime Agency claiming he was a long-standing member of a national defence think tank, prompting a denial from the institution. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

George Cottrell falsely claimed think tank membership in banking complaint

The fraudster, who has donated to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, said he was a member of the Royal United Services Institute, which it denied

thetimes.com

Reform UK has instructed its thousands of councillors to describe a police investigation into donations from the mother of George Cottrell as an establishment stitch-up. Latest from Insight and me 👇 www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Reform tells councillors to say donation inquiry is a ‘smear’ and ‘hit job’

The Metropolitan Police are investigating donations made to the party by Fiona Cottrell, mother of the fraudster ‘Posh George’, who has been funding Nigel Farage

thetimes.com

The criminal who funded Nigel Farage before his election made undisclosed donations to Reform UK in an apparent breach of electoral law. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/... Latest from me and Insight

George Cottrell failed to declare gifts to Reform office

The convicted fraudster nicknamed ‘Posh George’ used his own bank card to cover costs without the Electoral Commission knowing

thetimes.com

The criminal who funded Nigel Farage before his election made undisclosed donations to Reform UK in an apparent breach of electoral law. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/... Latest from me and Insight

George Cottrell failed to declare gifts to Reform office

The convicted fraudster nicknamed ‘Posh George’ used his own bank card to cover costs without the Electoral Commission knowing

thetimes.com

Breaking: The Metropolitan Police has launched a criminal investigation into at least £500,000 of donations made to Reform UK by the mother of the convicted fraudster who secretly bankrolled Nigel Farage. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Police investigate Reform donations by mother of fraudster who bankrolled Farage

Fiona Cottrell, mother of George Cottrell, who has been funding the Reform UK leader’s operations, gave £500,000 to the party before the last general election

thetimes.com

Nigel Farage’s secret donor George Cottrell met Tommy Robinson at a private event after a far-right protest in London. He later attended a large demonstration in support of Robinson, previously unpublished photos show. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/... Latest from Insight and me.

Nigel Farage’s secret donor pictured with Tommy Robinson at rally

The latest episode of The Sunday Times Insight podcast reveals new details about George Cottrell’s links to the far-right activist

thetimes.com

Breaking: The Metropolitan Police has launched a criminal investigation into at least £500,000 of donations made to Reform UK by the mother of the convicted fraudster who secretly bankrolled Nigel Farage. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Police investigate Reform donations by mother of fraudster who bankrolled Farage

Fiona Cottrell, mother of George Cottrell, who has been funding the Reform UK leader’s operations, gave £500,000 to the party before the last general election

thetimes.com

Nigel Farage’s secret donor George Cottrell met Tommy Robinson at a private event after a far-right protest in London. He later attended a large demonstration in support of Robinson, previously unpublished photos show. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/... Latest from Insight and me.

Nigel Farage’s secret donor pictured with Tommy Robinson at rally

The latest episode of The Sunday Times Insight podcast reveals new details about George Cottrell’s links to the far-right activist

thetimes.com

A part-time bouncer and a luxury watch-wearing recruitment magnate are among care home directors charging taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds a week to care for a single child, The Times can reveal, with some placements costing £1.4 million a year. www.thetimes.com/article/care...

Care homes charging councils up to £28k a week per child

A part-time bouncer and a recruitment magnate are among the directors demanding ‘mind-boggling’ sums, as local authorities battle a shortage of suitable homes

thetimes.com

George Cottrell, the convicted criminal and crypto-gambler, handed out a business card printed with the Reform UK logo and Nigel Farage’s official email address despite having no formal role in the party. From myself and Insight in today's Times. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Nigel Farage’s crypto-gambler ally used Reform UK business cards

George Cottrell handed out cards with Farage’s email despite having no official role. Now the leader faces an inquiry over undeclared financial links to him

thetimes.com

George Cottrell, the convicted criminal and crypto-gambler, handed out a business card printed with the Reform UK logo and Nigel Farage’s official email address despite having no formal role in the party. From myself and Insight in today's Times. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Nigel Farage’s crypto-gambler ally used Reform UK business cards

George Cottrell handed out cards with Farage’s email despite having no official role. Now the leader faces an inquiry over undeclared financial links to him

thetimes.com

The Reform UK leader did not declare benefits including staff, security and housing by crypto-gambler George Cottrell, our investigation reveals. It was great to team up with the Insight gang for this one! www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Revealed: Nigel Farage secretly funded by convicted criminal

The Reform UK leader did not declare benefits including staff, security and housing by crypto-gambler George Cottrell, our investigation reveals

thetimes.com

The Reform UK leader did not declare benefits including staff, security and housing by crypto-gambler George Cottrell, our investigation reveals. It was great to team up with the Insight gang for this one! www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Revealed: Nigel Farage secretly funded by convicted criminal

The Reform UK leader did not declare benefits including staff, security and housing by crypto-gambler George Cottrell, our investigation reveals

thetimes.com

Reform UK’s biggest donor owns a company contracted to supply fuel to aircraft from refineries that make extensive use of Russian oil, The Times can reveal. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Reform donor’s fuel company linked to Russia-supplied refinery

Christopher Harborne’s AML Global has contracts to supply aircraft fuel produced by an Indian refinery that regularly receives Russian crude oil

thetimes.com

Reform UK’s biggest donor owns a company contracted to supply fuel to aircraft from refineries that make extensive use of Russian oil, The Times can reveal. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Reform donor’s fuel company linked to Russia-supplied refinery

Christopher Harborne’s AML Global has contracts to supply aircraft fuel produced by an Indian refinery that regularly receives Russian crude oil

thetimes.com

James Purnell, the former cabinet minister whom Andy Burnham has asked to be his chief of staff, led a registered lobbyist that advised a Chinese firm Huawei that is now banned from UK infrastructure. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Andy Burnham’s pick for chief of staff raises lobbying concerns

James Purnell’s company Flint Global advised Huawei while it was fighting a proposed UK ban. Transparency campaigners fear conflicts of interest in government

thetimes.com

James Purnell, the former cabinet minister whom Andy Burnham has asked to be his chief of staff, led a registered lobbyist that advised a Chinese firm Huawei that is now banned from UK infrastructure. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Andy Burnham’s pick for chief of staff raises lobbying concerns

James Purnell’s company Flint Global advised Huawei while it was fighting a proposed UK ban. Transparency campaigners fear conflicts of interest in government

thetimes.com

The government seems to have backed away from kneecapping FOI, a PQ suggests. It was feared after briefings to the FT over cost and "China" security issues it would repeal FOI by the back door by using secondary legislation to slash cost limits questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-ques...

Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

Information from UK Parliament on written questions & answers, written statements and daily reports.

questions-statements.parliament.uk

A doctor stripped of his right to practise in Poland has been able to retain his UK medical licence because the General Medical Council is no longer being sent European warnings about banned doctors, The Times can reveal. www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcar...

Doctors banned in EU use Brexit loophole to practise in UK

A Times investigation last year found Britain was no longer informed if a doctor had been struck off in Europe — and the blind spot is still being exploited

thetimes.com

A doctor stripped of his right to practise in Poland has been able to retain his UK medical licence because the General Medical Council is no longer being sent European warnings about banned doctors, The Times can reveal. www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcar...

Doctors banned in EU use Brexit loophole to practise in UK

A Times investigation last year found Britain was no longer informed if a doctor had been struck off in Europe — and the blind spot is still being exploited

thetimes.com

Delighted to see Bad Practice win at the Institute for Nonprofit News awards! inn.org/about/our-wo...

I was delighted to join The Royals podcast this week to discuss all things royal property, and to what extent the taxpayer is subsidising them, and what the recent NAO report might spark in way of reform. open.spotify.com/episode/50RQ...

Who gets to live in royal palaces — and who pays for it?

The Royals · Episode

open.spotify.com

It was a disgrace that the Judicial Appointments Commission engaged in a direct attack on press freedom by seeking £14,000 costs from a journalist. The journalist had to take contempt of court proceedings against it for refusing to comply with an FOI. www.easterneye.biz/jac-loses-fi...

JAC loses fight to muzzle reporter over press freedoms

Journalists hail decision as victory for watchdog journalism despite criticism over accusations of judicial racism

easterneye.biz

It was a disgrace that the Judicial Appointments Commission engaged in a direct attack on press freedom by seeking £14,000 costs from a journalist. The journalist had to take contempt of court proceedings against it for refusing to comply with an FOI. www.easterneye.biz/jac-loses-fi...

JAC loses fight to muzzle reporter over press freedoms

Journalists hail decision as victory for watchdog journalism despite criticism over accusations of judicial racism

easterneye.biz