Ben Gartside
@bengartside.bsky.social
Investigative Reporter. Politics, Policy, Business, News. Email: [email protected]
Pinned
Ben Gartside
@bengartside.bsky.social
· Nov 17
The Home Office Secretly Funded A Boyband To Sing Songs About 7/7 In Muslim Areas
Exclusive: A secretive Home Office department funded a little-known boyband to travel around Muslim areas of the UK and sing songs with anti-radica...
www.politicshome.com
Exclusive: The Home Office secretly funded a boyband to tour schools in Muslim areas and sing songs about 7/7.
By me, for PoliticsHome.
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
By me, for PoliticsHome.
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Pleased to have worked on this documentary as a researcher. You can watch it here: www.channel4.com/programmes/p...
Palestine Action: The Truth Behind the Ban
Why did the government ban the protest group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation?
www.channel4.com
February 10, 2026 at 10:53 PM
Pleased to have worked on this documentary as a researcher. You can watch it here: www.channel4.com/programmes/p...
Delighted to be shortlisted for the 2026 Tenacious Journalist Awards, alongside some great colleagues.
www.publicinterestnews.org.uk/blog/announc...
www.publicinterestnews.org.uk/blog/announc...
www.publicinterestnews.org.uk
February 5, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Delighted to be shortlisted for the 2026 Tenacious Journalist Awards, alongside some great colleagues.
www.publicinterestnews.org.uk/blog/announc...
www.publicinterestnews.org.uk/blog/announc...
Has changing a PM’s Chief of staff/senior advisor/comms director ever had a sustained impact on their fortunes?
February 4, 2026 at 7:36 PM
Has changing a PM’s Chief of staff/senior advisor/comms director ever had a sustained impact on their fortunes?
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Nice to be reminded that it's almost a year to the day since Peter Mandelson texted me to tell me to "stop bothering" him with "ridiculous nonsense"
February 2, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Nice to be reminded that it's almost a year to the day since Peter Mandelson texted me to tell me to "stop bothering" him with "ridiculous nonsense"
Reposted by Ben Gartside
January 30, 2026 at 7:58 AM
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Police taken off the front line. Kennels operating a ‘one in, one out’ rule. Teenage volunteers quitting when faced with a dog heavier than them. Magistrates giving dogs a stay of execution, owners refusing to take them back.
Welcome to XL bully death row
spectator.com/article/welc...
Welcome to XL bully death row
spectator.com/article/welc...
Welcome to XL bully death row
‘There’s no way of finding out what’s really happening in there,’ says Aaron Rainey, an XL bully expert who advises police forces and dog owners across the UK. ‘Nobody knows where the kennels are – th...
spectator.com
January 29, 2026 at 8:18 AM
Police taken off the front line. Kennels operating a ‘one in, one out’ rule. Teenage volunteers quitting when faced with a dog heavier than them. Magistrates giving dogs a stay of execution, owners refusing to take them back.
Welcome to XL bully death row
spectator.com/article/welc...
Welcome to XL bully death row
spectator.com/article/welc...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Inside XL bully death row:
- Kennels are at capacity ('one in, one out')
- Soft touch magistrates are increasingly releasing dogs
- Teen staff at kennels quitting over safety fears, police officers diverted away from burglaries
by me, for The Spectator
spectator.com/article/welc...
- Kennels are at capacity ('one in, one out')
- Soft touch magistrates are increasingly releasing dogs
- Teen staff at kennels quitting over safety fears, police officers diverted away from burglaries
by me, for The Spectator
spectator.com/article/welc...
Welcome to XL bully death row
‘There’s no way of finding out what’s really happening in there,’ says Aaron Rainey, an XL bully expert who advises police forces and dog owners across the UK. ‘Nobody knows where the kennels are – th...
spectator.com
January 29, 2026 at 12:03 PM
Inside XL bully death row:
- Kennels are at capacity ('one in, one out')
- Soft touch magistrates are increasingly releasing dogs
- Teen staff at kennels quitting over safety fears, police officers diverted away from burglaries
by me, for The Spectator
spectator.com/article/welc...
- Kennels are at capacity ('one in, one out')
- Soft touch magistrates are increasingly releasing dogs
- Teen staff at kennels quitting over safety fears, police officers diverted away from burglaries
by me, for The Spectator
spectator.com/article/welc...
Inside XL bully death row:
- Kennels are at capacity ('one in, one out')
- Soft touch magistrates are increasingly releasing dogs
- Teen staff at kennels quitting over safety fears, police officers diverted away from burglaries
by me, for The Spectator
spectator.com/article/welc...
- Kennels are at capacity ('one in, one out')
- Soft touch magistrates are increasingly releasing dogs
- Teen staff at kennels quitting over safety fears, police officers diverted away from burglaries
by me, for The Spectator
spectator.com/article/welc...
Welcome to XL bully death row
‘There’s no way of finding out what’s really happening in there,’ says Aaron Rainey, an XL bully expert who advises police forces and dog owners across the UK. ‘Nobody knows where the kennels are – th...
spectator.com
January 29, 2026 at 12:03 PM
Inside XL bully death row:
- Kennels are at capacity ('one in, one out')
- Soft touch magistrates are increasingly releasing dogs
- Teen staff at kennels quitting over safety fears, police officers diverted away from burglaries
by me, for The Spectator
spectator.com/article/welc...
- Kennels are at capacity ('one in, one out')
- Soft touch magistrates are increasingly releasing dogs
- Teen staff at kennels quitting over safety fears, police officers diverted away from burglaries
by me, for The Spectator
spectator.com/article/welc...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
‘There’s no way of finding out what’s really happening in there,’ says Aaron Rainey, an XL bully expert who advises police forces and dog owners across the UK.
✍️ Ben Gartside
✍️ Ben Gartside
Welcome to XL bully death row
‘There’s no way of finding out what’s really happening in there,’ says Aaron Rainey, an XL bully expert who advises police forces and dog owners across the UK. ‘Nobody knows where the kennels...
spectator.com
January 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM
‘There’s no way of finding out what’s really happening in there,’ says Aaron Rainey, an XL bully expert who advises police forces and dog owners across the UK.
✍️ Ben Gartside
✍️ Ben Gartside
Police taken off the front line. Kennels operating a ‘one in, one out’ rule. Teenage volunteers quitting when faced with a dog heavier than them. Magistrates giving dogs a stay of execution, owners refusing to take them back.
Welcome to XL bully death row
spectator.com/article/welc...
Welcome to XL bully death row
spectator.com/article/welc...
Welcome to XL bully death row
‘There’s no way of finding out what’s really happening in there,’ says Aaron Rainey, an XL bully expert who advises police forces and dog owners across the UK. ‘Nobody knows where the kennels are – th...
spectator.com
January 29, 2026 at 8:18 AM
Police taken off the front line. Kennels operating a ‘one in, one out’ rule. Teenage volunteers quitting when faced with a dog heavier than them. Magistrates giving dogs a stay of execution, owners refusing to take them back.
Welcome to XL bully death row
spectator.com/article/welc...
Welcome to XL bully death row
spectator.com/article/welc...
Some Labour MPs briefing about Labour losing a GM Mayoral by-election is funny, in so far as it would indicate the party was in such shocking health they might as well all pack up?
Across 2 elections, Burnham has won 429 out of 430 wards!
Across 2 elections, Burnham has won 429 out of 430 wards!
January 24, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Some Labour MPs briefing about Labour losing a GM Mayoral by-election is funny, in so far as it would indicate the party was in such shocking health they might as well all pack up?
Across 2 elections, Burnham has won 429 out of 430 wards!
Across 2 elections, Burnham has won 429 out of 430 wards!
Very very excited to read this!
and once again: you can pre order here www.amazon.co.uk/No-Second-Ch...
January 22, 2026 at 2:53 PM
Very very excited to read this!
Feels like ‘Labour Party internal battle where specifics of rules are debated for days before it ultimately turns out that just depends on who has the most votes in the room’ comes sooner and sooner every year
January 22, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Feels like ‘Labour Party internal battle where specifics of rules are debated for days before it ultimately turns out that just depends on who has the most votes in the room’ comes sooner and sooner every year
Reposted by Ben Gartside
🚨 The latest edition of the House is out now! The home security and espionage edition
Try a sample and subscribe: www.politicshome.com/house-magazi...
- Tom Tugendhat interview
- The secret world of female spies
- Is Parliament under threat?
- Undersea cable threat
Try a sample and subscribe: www.politicshome.com/house-magazi...
- Tom Tugendhat interview
- The secret world of female spies
- Is Parliament under threat?
- Undersea cable threat
January 13, 2026 at 10:30 AM
🚨 The latest edition of the House is out now! The home security and espionage edition
Try a sample and subscribe: www.politicshome.com/house-magazi...
- Tom Tugendhat interview
- The secret world of female spies
- Is Parliament under threat?
- Undersea cable threat
Try a sample and subscribe: www.politicshome.com/house-magazi...
- Tom Tugendhat interview
- The secret world of female spies
- Is Parliament under threat?
- Undersea cable threat
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Exc: A Met Police officer accepted a USB stick from a diplomat at the Chinese embassy amid strained relations as they did not wish to ‘culturally offend’
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer?
Spies have operated under diplomatic cover in foreign cities for decades. What does the future hold for this legal peculiarity? Ben Gartside report...
www.politicshome.com
January 11, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Exc: A Met Police officer accepted a USB stick from a diplomat at the Chinese embassy amid strained relations as they did not wish to ‘culturally offend’
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Exc: A Met Police officer accepted a USB stick from a diplomat at the Chinese embassy amid strained relations as they did not wish to ‘culturally offend’
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer?
Spies have operated under diplomatic cover in foreign cities for decades. What does the future hold for this legal peculiarity? Ben Gartside report...
www.politicshome.com
January 11, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Exc: A Met Police officer accepted a USB stick from a diplomat at the Chinese embassy amid strained relations as they did not wish to ‘culturally offend’
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
I’ve written for @thehousemag.bsky.social on the future of embassy spies, and what the frontline of counter espionage looks like:
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer?
Spies have operated under diplomatic cover in foreign cities for decades. What does the future hold for this legal peculiarity? Ben Gartside report...
www.politicshome.com
January 11, 2026 at 2:04 PM
I’ve written for @thehousemag.bsky.social on the future of embassy spies, and what the frontline of counter espionage looks like:
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
From @bengartside.bsky.social - Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer? www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer?
Spies have operated under diplomatic cover in foreign cities for decades. What does the future hold for this legal peculiarity? Ben Gartside report...
www.politicshome.com
January 11, 2026 at 12:01 PM
From @bengartside.bsky.social - Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer? www.politicshome.com/news/article...
New: @philbrickellmp.bsky.social has questioned Foreign Office ministers about former British ambassadors lobbying on behalf of Republika Srpska and Milorad Dodik, who has been targeted in sanctions for undermining peace in Bosnia.
You can read my piece with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social
below:
You can read my piece with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social
below:
January 6, 2026 at 10:21 PM
New: @philbrickellmp.bsky.social has questioned Foreign Office ministers about former British ambassadors lobbying on behalf of Republika Srpska and Milorad Dodik, who has been targeted in sanctions for undermining peace in Bosnia.
You can read my piece with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social
below:
You can read my piece with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social
below:
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
Labour MP calls for rules to be tightened after Democracy for Sale finds former diplomats paid to lobby for Republika Srpska
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 27, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Troubling new reporting on the effort of the Kremlin-backed Bosnian Serb secessionist regime in Banja Luka to secure the lifting of UK sanctions, after the US already lifted its own measures following a multimillion dollar lobbying campaign by Dodik’s proxies in Washington.
Remember Starmer's "urgent" review into foreign interference after Nathan Gill?
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
Labour MP calls for rules to be tightened after Democracy for Sale finds former diplomats paid to lobby for Republika Srpska
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Troubling new reporting on the effort of the Kremlin-backed Bosnian Serb secessionist regime in Banja Luka to secure the lifting of UK sanctions, after the US already lifted its own measures following a multimillion dollar lobbying campaign by Dodik’s proxies in Washington.
My latest!
Remember Starmer's "urgent" review into foreign interference after Nathan Gill?
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
Labour MP calls for rules to be tightened after Democracy for Sale finds former diplomats paid to lobby for Republika Srpska
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 12:33 PM
My latest!
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Remember Starmer's "urgent" review into foreign interference after Nathan Gill?
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
Labour MP calls for rules to be tightened after Democracy for Sale finds former diplomats paid to lobby for Republika Srpska
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Remember Starmer's "urgent" review into foreign interference after Nathan Gill?
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...