Josiah Mortimer
@josiahmortimer.bsky.social
Chief Reporter at UK political outlet Byline Times. I write the 'On the Ground' column in our print edition. Covering democracy, campaigning, and Britain's media.
'Fake news w*nker' - Tommy Robinson
Got a story? Get in touch.
'Fake news w*nker' - Tommy Robinson
Got a story? Get in touch.
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Sharing this to pin it: For non/new followers, hello!
I'm Josiah. I'm a UK political journalist from Cornwall & based in the South West. I also report regularly from Westminster.
My work focuses on democracy, social movements, & Britain's political system.
Get in touch: linktr.ee/josiahmortimer
I'm Josiah. I'm a UK political journalist from Cornwall & based in the South West. I also report regularly from Westminster.
My work focuses on democracy, social movements, & Britain's political system.
Get in touch: linktr.ee/josiahmortimer
"Reform UK last year received £200,000 from a tiny UK firm run by a churchwarden in Potters Bar who has worked for an Iranian-Kazakh billionaire who recently bankrolled Nigel Farage’s trip to Davos...It listed tax debts totalling more than its political contributions"
Revealed: Corporate donations to British politics have tripled
Influential Labour committee chairs call on government to clean up politics as our new analysis finds record £42 million in company donations ahead of last election
open.substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 4:13 PM
"Reform UK last year received £200,000 from a tiny UK firm run by a churchwarden in Potters Bar who has worked for an Iranian-Kazakh billionaire who recently bankrolled Nigel Farage’s trip to Davos...It listed tax debts totalling more than its political contributions"
Nigel Farage has just moved his company address to...Mayfair. As Private Eye notes, nothing says 'man of the people' like it.
(The office appears to belong, through a complex web, to Reform treasurer Nick Candy's firm)
(The office appears to belong, through a complex web, to Reform treasurer Nick Candy's firm)
February 11, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Nigel Farage has just moved his company address to...Mayfair. As Private Eye notes, nothing says 'man of the people' like it.
(The office appears to belong, through a complex web, to Reform treasurer Nick Candy's firm)
(The office appears to belong, through a complex web, to Reform treasurer Nick Candy's firm)
Lord Doyle, Keir Starmer's former director of comms, has had the Labour whip removed over his continued friendship with convicted sex offender Sean Morton.
Sky News: Labour chair Anna Turley said that Doyle should be stripped of his peerage.
Labour literally made him a Lord for life a month ago.
Sky News: Labour chair Anna Turley said that Doyle should be stripped of his peerage.
Labour literally made him a Lord for life a month ago.
February 11, 2026 at 10:17 AM
Lord Doyle, Keir Starmer's former director of comms, has had the Labour whip removed over his continued friendship with convicted sex offender Sean Morton.
Sky News: Labour chair Anna Turley said that Doyle should be stripped of his peerage.
Labour literally made him a Lord for life a month ago.
Sky News: Labour chair Anna Turley said that Doyle should be stripped of his peerage.
Labour literally made him a Lord for life a month ago.
Reposted by Josiah Mortimer
Toby Young, Matthew Elliott, Daniel Moylan, Claire Fox, Daniel Hannan, Michael Gove, Therese Coffey (a Brexit convert), Paul Goodman, John Moynihan, Ruth Lea, Stewart Jackson, Michael Hintze, Charles Moore, David Frost, Theo Agnew; & now John Redwood.
Rewarded for the Brexit calamity with peerages.
Rewarded for the Brexit calamity with peerages.
Ex Tory MP John Redwood has been made a peer, as Lord Redwood on 31 January, and was formally introduced in the Lords on Tuesday
February 11, 2026 at 9:36 AM
Toby Young, Matthew Elliott, Daniel Moylan, Claire Fox, Daniel Hannan, Michael Gove, Therese Coffey (a Brexit convert), Paul Goodman, John Moynihan, Ruth Lea, Stewart Jackson, Michael Hintze, Charles Moore, David Frost, Theo Agnew; & now John Redwood.
Rewarded for the Brexit calamity with peerages.
Rewarded for the Brexit calamity with peerages.
The "members oversight committee" for Your Party's internal elections is...anonymous.
Members (to many of their horrors) do not know who sits on the five member panel, it seems 😆 actionnetwork.org/petitions/me...
Members (to many of their horrors) do not know who sits on the five member panel, it seems 😆 actionnetwork.org/petitions/me...
![To: Members' Oversight Committee (Your Party)
From: [Your Name]
Open letter to the Members' Oversight Committee: transparency, independence, and answers
The party's own ratified strategy promised elections "run by a trusted independent, third-party company" and proposed a Members' Oversight Committee of five ordinary members selected by sortition. The MOC was the guardrail meant to make that manageable. Instead, the committee met once, without minutes, and its five members remain unnamed. The party has now published a page for the MOC — but without names, records, or any account of what happened after the lottery. This letter asks for the minimum.
We call on the Members' Oversight Committee to publish its members' names, clarify how it was formed and who runs its communications, and commit to a public report before it dissolves.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:6laekojw3whqu64tlaxopvgx/bafkreicmk4jz4grigf4633sbgylyja2feebm3tp4qriqbxldv5slh2s4mi@jpeg)
February 11, 2026 at 10:09 AM
The "members oversight committee" for Your Party's internal elections is...anonymous.
Members (to many of their horrors) do not know who sits on the five member panel, it seems 😆 actionnetwork.org/petitions/me...
Members (to many of their horrors) do not know who sits on the five member panel, it seems 😆 actionnetwork.org/petitions/me...
Reposted by Josiah Mortimer
Redwood stepped down as an MP before the last election because he had "other things I wish to do" (than lose his seat to a Lib Dem after holding it for 37 years)
Ex Tory MP John Redwood has been made a peer, as Lord Redwood on 31 January, and was formally introduced in the Lords on Tuesday
February 11, 2026 at 9:10 AM
Redwood stepped down as an MP before the last election because he had "other things I wish to do" (than lose his seat to a Lib Dem after holding it for 37 years)
Jewish activists from the Jewish Bloc for Palestine have protested and interrupted the launch event of the “Reform Jewish Alliance (RJA)”
As Reform UK leader Nigel Farage addressed the launch at London’s Central Synagogue, protesters accused him of “inciting attacks” on refugees and minority groups
As Reform UK leader Nigel Farage addressed the launch at London’s Central Synagogue, protesters accused him of “inciting attacks” on refugees and minority groups
February 11, 2026 at 8:24 AM
Jewish activists from the Jewish Bloc for Palestine have protested and interrupted the launch event of the “Reform Jewish Alliance (RJA)”
As Reform UK leader Nigel Farage addressed the launch at London’s Central Synagogue, protesters accused him of “inciting attacks” on refugees and minority groups
As Reform UK leader Nigel Farage addressed the launch at London’s Central Synagogue, protesters accused him of “inciting attacks” on refugees and minority groups
Latest UK renewables auction delivers record solar & onshore wind capacity
"The announcement makes the seventh allocation round the largest renewables auction round in the scheme’s history with 14.7 GW of capacity awarded across 201 projects"
Enough to power 16 million homes when they're complete
"The announcement makes the seventh allocation round the largest renewables auction round in the scheme’s history with 14.7 GW of capacity awarded across 201 projects"
Enough to power 16 million homes when they're complete
AR7 delivers record UK solar and onshore wind capacity
The UK government has secured record levels of solar and onshore wind in the latest Contracts for Difference auction.
www.energyvoice.com
February 11, 2026 at 8:18 AM
Latest UK renewables auction delivers record solar & onshore wind capacity
"The announcement makes the seventh allocation round the largest renewables auction round in the scheme’s history with 14.7 GW of capacity awarded across 201 projects"
Enough to power 16 million homes when they're complete
"The announcement makes the seventh allocation round the largest renewables auction round in the scheme’s history with 14.7 GW of capacity awarded across 201 projects"
Enough to power 16 million homes when they're complete
Ofcom’s founding director of standards has said he is “astounded” by the regulator’s decision not to investigate complaints about a GB News interview with Donald Trump, where he claimed unchallenged that human-induced climate change is “a hoax” (he was lavished with praise by GB News). Via Guardian
February 11, 2026 at 8:16 AM
Ofcom’s founding director of standards has said he is “astounded” by the regulator’s decision not to investigate complaints about a GB News interview with Donald Trump, where he claimed unchallenged that human-induced climate change is “a hoax” (he was lavished with praise by GB News). Via Guardian
Unite has welcomed the news that the government will cover special educational needs and disabilities deficits - worth £5billion.
Rising demand for SEND support has left councils struggling to balance budgets and racking up large deficits. Govt will now write off 90% of the deficits up to 2025-26.
Rising demand for SEND support has left councils struggling to balance budgets and racking up large deficits. Govt will now write off 90% of the deficits up to 2025-26.
February 11, 2026 at 8:15 AM
Unite has welcomed the news that the government will cover special educational needs and disabilities deficits - worth £5billion.
Rising demand for SEND support has left councils struggling to balance budgets and racking up large deficits. Govt will now write off 90% of the deficits up to 2025-26.
Rising demand for SEND support has left councils struggling to balance budgets and racking up large deficits. Govt will now write off 90% of the deficits up to 2025-26.
Ex Tory MP John Redwood has been made a peer, as Lord Redwood on 31 January, and was formally introduced in the Lords on Tuesday
February 11, 2026 at 8:13 AM
Ex Tory MP John Redwood has been made a peer, as Lord Redwood on 31 January, and was formally introduced in the Lords on Tuesday
Transport sec Heidi Alexander says under public ownership of rail in England, passengers will deal with one unified brand, simplified ticketing through a new GBR online retailer (no booking fees), expanded Pay-As-You-Go coverage, and stronger consumer protections via a new Passenger Watchdog
George Bradshaw address 2026
The Transport Secretary sets out her vision for a reformed railway that's run by the public, for the public.
www.gov.uk
February 11, 2026 at 8:13 AM
Transport sec Heidi Alexander says under public ownership of rail in England, passengers will deal with one unified brand, simplified ticketing through a new GBR online retailer (no booking fees), expanded Pay-As-You-Go coverage, and stronger consumer protections via a new Passenger Watchdog
Reposted by Josiah Mortimer
Watched the entire debate live yesterday. Reform's absence was noted on many occasions by several MPs listed with their Bluesky accounts in the summary thread below. As well as "treachery" they went further, citing specific counts of illegal funding. They didn't hold back.
bsky.app/profile/stev...
bsky.app/profile/stev...
🧵1
Following a petition signed by 114,659 people, today (16:30-18:50) Parliament held an excellent debate on Russian influence in UK politics. MPs I'll list in this thread know, offered details and remedies.
Full debate starts 4 mins in:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXlk...
+The Citizens live notes ⏬
Following a petition signed by 114,659 people, today (16:30-18:50) Parliament held an excellent debate on Russian influence in UK politics. MPs I'll list in this thread know, offered details and remedies.
Full debate starts 4 mins in:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXlk...
+The Citizens live notes ⏬
February 10, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Watched the entire debate live yesterday. Reform's absence was noted on many occasions by several MPs listed with their Bluesky accounts in the summary thread below. As well as "treachery" they went further, citing specific counts of illegal funding. They didn't hold back.
bsky.app/profile/stev...
bsky.app/profile/stev...
Plaid Cymru MP Ben Lake has criticised Reform UK for being “absent” from a parliamentary debate on Russian interference, in the wake of the jailing of its former Welsh leader Nathan Gill for “treachery"
Lake was speaking in a Westminster Hall debate on Monday re the petition on Russian interference
Lake was speaking in a Westminster Hall debate on Monday re the petition on Russian interference
February 10, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Plaid Cymru MP Ben Lake has criticised Reform UK for being “absent” from a parliamentary debate on Russian interference, in the wake of the jailing of its former Welsh leader Nathan Gill for “treachery"
Lake was speaking in a Westminster Hall debate on Monday re the petition on Russian interference
Lake was speaking in a Westminster Hall debate on Monday re the petition on Russian interference
Official press release from Your Party not dampening down the Sultana/Corbyn rift...
"Your Party Leadership Vote to Open as Corbyn-Sultana Battle Reaches Climax"
"Corbyn and Sultana teams neck and neck after ‘endorsements’ stage, in which over 11,000 members took part"
"Your Party Leadership Vote to Open as Corbyn-Sultana Battle Reaches Climax"
"Corbyn and Sultana teams neck and neck after ‘endorsements’ stage, in which over 11,000 members took part"
February 10, 2026 at 11:07 AM
Official press release from Your Party not dampening down the Sultana/Corbyn rift...
"Your Party Leadership Vote to Open as Corbyn-Sultana Battle Reaches Climax"
"Corbyn and Sultana teams neck and neck after ‘endorsements’ stage, in which over 11,000 members took part"
"Your Party Leadership Vote to Open as Corbyn-Sultana Battle Reaches Climax"
"Corbyn and Sultana teams neck and neck after ‘endorsements’ stage, in which over 11,000 members took part"
Energy secretary Ed Miliband has told Sky News that he is ruling out a leadership bid:
He is ‘interested in supporting Keir Starmer’. ‘I did the job before… it inoculated me against this’.
He admits the party ‘we've made mistakes in policy which have drowned out the many good things we're doing'.
He is ‘interested in supporting Keir Starmer’. ‘I did the job before… it inoculated me against this’.
He admits the party ‘we've made mistakes in policy which have drowned out the many good things we're doing'.
February 10, 2026 at 9:56 AM
Energy secretary Ed Miliband has told Sky News that he is ruling out a leadership bid:
He is ‘interested in supporting Keir Starmer’. ‘I did the job before… it inoculated me against this’.
He admits the party ‘we've made mistakes in policy which have drowned out the many good things we're doing'.
He is ‘interested in supporting Keir Starmer’. ‘I did the job before… it inoculated me against this’.
He admits the party ‘we've made mistakes in policy which have drowned out the many good things we're doing'.
"APCO’s investigation [into journalists reporting on Labour Together's funding] was commissioned by Josh Simons, the former head of Labour Together who is now MP for Makerfield and a Cabinet Office minister under Starmer."
open.substack.com/pub/democrac...
open.substack.com/pub/democrac...
McSweeney goes - but Josh Simons in the frame over targeting journalists
Cabinet Office minister hired a PR firm to investigate journalists. His explanation is bewildering - and begs one big question. How can Starmer keep him on?
open.substack.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:34 PM
"APCO’s investigation [into journalists reporting on Labour Together's funding] was commissioned by Josh Simons, the former head of Labour Together who is now MP for Makerfield and a Cabinet Office minister under Starmer."
open.substack.com/pub/democrac...
open.substack.com/pub/democrac...
Via Press Gazette: "Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison amid a “complete collapse of press freedom in Hong Kong."
Two serving British Lords still serve on Hong Kong's highest court. It should be a national scandal re Lord Hoffman and Lord Neuberger.
Two serving British Lords still serve on Hong Kong's highest court. It should be a national scandal re Lord Hoffman and Lord Neuberger.
February 9, 2026 at 3:30 PM
Via Press Gazette: "Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison amid a “complete collapse of press freedom in Hong Kong."
Two serving British Lords still serve on Hong Kong's highest court. It should be a national scandal re Lord Hoffman and Lord Neuberger.
Two serving British Lords still serve on Hong Kong's highest court. It should be a national scandal re Lord Hoffman and Lord Neuberger.
Washington Post CEO - and former Telegraph editor - Will Lewis has quit
Semafor reports: Lewis oversaw "deep cuts to the newsroom, and lost his footing over two errors, one of his and one of owner Jeff Bezos’s: First, Lewis blocked the Post reporting on his role in the UK phone hacking scandal"...
Semafor reports: Lewis oversaw "deep cuts to the newsroom, and lost his footing over two errors, one of his and one of owner Jeff Bezos’s: First, Lewis blocked the Post reporting on his role in the UK phone hacking scandal"...
February 8, 2026 at 7:40 AM
Washington Post CEO - and former Telegraph editor - Will Lewis has quit
Semafor reports: Lewis oversaw "deep cuts to the newsroom, and lost his footing over two errors, one of his and one of owner Jeff Bezos’s: First, Lewis blocked the Post reporting on his role in the UK phone hacking scandal"...
Semafor reports: Lewis oversaw "deep cuts to the newsroom, and lost his footing over two errors, one of his and one of owner Jeff Bezos’s: First, Lewis blocked the Post reporting on his role in the UK phone hacking scandal"...
Date for your diary, Mon 16 March in Parliament:
Debate on the petition calling for automatic by-elections following MP defections to other parties.
Dr Roz Savage MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, will open the debate. Govt will send a minister to respond
Will any Reform defectors show up?
Debate on the petition calling for automatic by-elections following MP defections to other parties.
Dr Roz Savage MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, will open the debate. Govt will send a minister to respond
Will any Reform defectors show up?
February 6, 2026 at 11:04 AM
Date for your diary, Mon 16 March in Parliament:
Debate on the petition calling for automatic by-elections following MP defections to other parties.
Dr Roz Savage MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, will open the debate. Govt will send a minister to respond
Will any Reform defectors show up?
Debate on the petition calling for automatic by-elections following MP defections to other parties.
Dr Roz Savage MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, will open the debate. Govt will send a minister to respond
Will any Reform defectors show up?
On Monday (9 Feb) MPs will debate a petition on Russian influence on UK politics and democracy.
Dan Jarvis MP, Minister of State, is expected to respond on behalf of the Government.
Dan Jarvis MP, Minister of State, is expected to respond on behalf of the Government.
February 6, 2026 at 10:42 AM
On Monday (9 Feb) MPs will debate a petition on Russian influence on UK politics and democracy.
Dan Jarvis MP, Minister of State, is expected to respond on behalf of the Government.
Dan Jarvis MP, Minister of State, is expected to respond on behalf of the Government.
Some big changes to workers' rights coming very soon, following the Employment Rights Act becoming law
February 5, 2026 at 10:47 AM
Some big changes to workers' rights coming very soon, following the Employment Rights Act becoming law
Cornwall Council has an online translation service for the Cornish language.
They have been translating some nursery rhymes for me to sing to Rowan, and it's made my day.
I realise no one asked, but here's 'Heads, shoulders, knees and toes' in Kernewek:
They have been translating some nursery rhymes for me to sing to Rowan, and it's made my day.
I realise no one asked, but here's 'Heads, shoulders, knees and toes' in Kernewek:
February 3, 2026 at 11:35 AM
Cornwall Council has an online translation service for the Cornish language.
They have been translating some nursery rhymes for me to sing to Rowan, and it's made my day.
I realise no one asked, but here's 'Heads, shoulders, knees and toes' in Kernewek:
They have been translating some nursery rhymes for me to sing to Rowan, and it's made my day.
I realise no one asked, but here's 'Heads, shoulders, knees and toes' in Kernewek:
A Labour spokesperson, responding to Zack Polanski’s interview with Laura Kuenssberg, said: "If [he] thought the Greens had a chance in Gorton and Denton he wouldn't have chickened out standing himself."
This is pretty weak IMO - Polanski is a serving London Assembly member and lives in Hackney...
This is pretty weak IMO - Polanski is a serving London Assembly member and lives in Hackney...
February 1, 2026 at 10:33 AM
A Labour spokesperson, responding to Zack Polanski’s interview with Laura Kuenssberg, said: "If [he] thought the Greens had a chance in Gorton and Denton he wouldn't have chickened out standing himself."
This is pretty weak IMO - Polanski is a serving London Assembly member and lives in Hackney...
This is pretty weak IMO - Polanski is a serving London Assembly member and lives in Hackney...
"The UK’s first superfast-charging train running only on battery power, operated by Great Western Railway, will come into passenger service this weekend – charging in three and a half minutes."
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
UK’s first rapid-charging battery train ready for boarding this weekend
Great Western Railway service recharges in three and a half minutes between trips on west London line
www.theguardian.com
January 30, 2026 at 2:08 PM
"The UK’s first superfast-charging train running only on battery power, operated by Great Western Railway, will come into passenger service this weekend – charging in three and a half minutes."
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...