Josh Halliday

Senior DWP civil servant blames victims for carer’s allowance scandal Neil Couling said failings by individual claimants ‘at the heart’ of crisis, despite a report finding DWP shortcomings ‘unacceptable’

shocking tale of peak British officialdom from @patrickjbutler.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Broadcaster targeted with racist slurs accuses Farage of emboldening ‘toxic environment’ online Farage is responsible for ‘dangerous’ culture shift, says broadcaster subject to alleged posts from Reform councillor

Nigel Farage is “emboldening” abuse of people of colour, says broadcaster @sangitamyska.bsky.social, after a Reform UK council leader was expelled from the party for alleged racial slurs against her and others:

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Reform council leader accused of racism after alleged remarks about Sadiq Khan Ian Cooper allegedly called Khan ‘narcissistic Pakistani’ and made comments about lawyer Shola Mos-Shogbamimu

A Reform UK council leader has been accused of racism after allegedly describing Sadiq Khan as a “narcissistic Pakistani” and saying a black British lawyer should have “F’d off back to Nigeria”.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Leaked report reveals culture of bullying and harassment at scandal-hit NHS hospital Exclusive: report into Blackpool Victoria hospital by Royal College of Physicians finds systemic failings have affected patient safety A culture of systemic bullying and harassment has been allowed to flourish among staff at one England’s most scandal-hit hospitals, a damning leaked report reveals. The safety of patients at Blackpool Victoria hospital was affected as a result of the failings, the report by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) found. Continue reading...

Leaked report reveals culture of bullying and harassment at scandal-hit NHS hospital

Yep

Mine were Pink Pony Club (closely pipping the Frozen banger, Let It Go) and Today in Focus. Also giving centrist dad, but I made the mistake of letting my four year old play Spotify at home.

Premature e-publication 👏

Three more ex-pupils at school with Nigel Farage reject ‘banter’ claims Exclusive: Dulwich college contemporaries ‘rubbish’ Reform UK leader’s suggestion alleged racist taunts not intended to hurt

New: Three new ex-pupils come forward, on the record, to say Farage's racism as a teenager was targeted, persistent and nasty. Farage has denied targeting any individuals - but two of the men tell us they recall Farage abusing Peter Ettedgui.

w/ Dan Boffey, @drblacklock.bsky.social

Big Carer’s Allowance moment coming tomorrow…

‘Too little, too late’: damning report condemns UK’s Covid response Report on handling of pandemic contains stinging criticism of ‘toxic and chaotic’ culture inside Boris Johnson’s No 10

My story from a day reading the very long and very damning report by the official Covid inquiry into the actions of government during the pandemic.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

👏👏👏👏

Inside the Rudakubana house where parents let 'evil go unchecked' SPECIAL REPORT: The ECHO lifts the lid on what life was like in the Rudakubana household after listening to every minute of the family's inquiry evidence

This is top-tier reporting from @paddyedrich.bsky.social into the disturbing world inside Southport killer Axel Rudakubana’s home and the terrifying signs of what was to come

Parents, multiple authorities, X and Amazon, loads of failures.

Not just more holes than a sieve, it was like a hole with bits of loose string over it.

Parental failure and gaps in the law: why the Southport atrocity was preventable After nine weeks of inquiry evidence, a picture has emerged of systemic breakdown and poor information sharing

After nine weeks of evidence and more than 100 witnesses, my big read on how the Southport atrocity could - and should - have been prevented:

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Parental failure and gaps in the law: why the Southport atrocity was preventable After nine weeks of inquiry evidence, a picture has emerged of systemic breakdown and poor information sharing

Over nine weeks and more than 100 witnesses, the Southport inquiry heard in shocking detail how the atrocity was completely preventable.

Testimony from the families was the most harrowing and heartbreaking I’ve heard in 15 years of reporting.

Full story 👇

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Just wanted to say that this, like pretty much everything you do, was a bloody masterpiece. Bravo! He sounds excellent.

I didn’t realise how much I loved my home town until a terrorist attacked it. I pray unity prevails there | Simon Hattenstone Last week’s attack on the synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, was also an assault on a model and diverse community, says Guardian features writer Simon Hattenstone

Crumpsall is an amazing melting pot where so many cultures, classes and religions have lived peacefully alongside each other. That mustn't be forgotten amid the horror of the Heaton Park synagogue attack
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Do you have information that could lead to a story?

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Neighbours of Manchester synagogue attacker say they reported concerns to police Exclusive: Concerns about apparently fanatical interest in Islam shown by Jihad al-Shamie and another family member were reported, Guardian told

Excl: Neighbours of Manchester synagogue attacker say they reported concerns to police

- police were at the house earlier this year over safeguarding concerns, they say

- killer said to have suffered brain injury after cliff fall in his teens

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

My dad, his ‘incurable’ disease, and hope at last - podcast Guardian’s Josh Halliday talks about Huntington’s disease, the impact it has had on his family and the hope there may now be a treatment

Huntington’s disease, my family, and hope at last. I spoke to my good friend ⁦‪@helenpidd.bsky.social‬⁩ for this podcast. Spoiler alert: one of us cried.

www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2...

Manchester synagogue terrorist was on bail for alleged rape Exclusive: Jihad al-Shamie had been due to appear in court over alleged sexual attack earlier this year, sources say

EXCL: Manchester synagogue terrorist was on police bail for alleged rape when he carried out Yom Kippur attack

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

You can find all our Carer's Allowance work below. The campaign goes on!

www.theguardian.com/society/seri...

Amazing to be nominated for Society of Editors awards for mine and @patrickjbutler.bsky.social's work on Carer's Allowance. Congrats to all nominees!

www.societyofeditors.org/events/media...

Huntington’s disease treated successfully for first time in gene therapy trial UCL trialled hours-long surgical procedure to treat disease which causes dementia and paralysis Huntington’s disease, a devastating degenerative illness that runs in families, has been treated successfully for the first time in a breakthrough gene therapy trial. The disease, caused by a single gene defect, steadily kills brain cells leading to dementia, paralysis and ultimately death. Those with a parent with Huntington’s have a 50% chance of developing the disease, which until now has been incurable. Continue reading...

Huntington’s disease treated successfully for first time in gene therapy trial

Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time One of the most devastating diseases finally has a treatment that can slow its progression and transform lives, tearful doctors tell BBC.

This is so amazing! Anyone who knows how devastating this disease is (my dad has it) will know the feeling today. Huge congratulations to all the researchers and volunteers. Incredible.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Government considering compensation for victims of carer’s allowance scandal Exclusive: Ministers have vowed to fix benefit after Guardian revealed thousands had been plunged into debt for accidentally breaking rules The government is considering compensation payouts for unpaid carers who have been unfairly hit with huge financial repayments in recent years after inadvertently falling foul of harsh carer’s allowance benefit rules. Ministers vowed to fix problems with the benefit after a Guardian investigation revealed how draconian penalties coupled with Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) administrative failures had plunged hundreds of thousands of carers into debt. Continue reading...

Government considering compensation for victims of carer’s allowance scandal

Woman, 74, tells of pain and fear after arrest at Liverpool pro-Palestine rally Exclusive: Video shows veteran campaigner being dragged and handcuffed and she says bail conditions effectively confine her to her house

“I’m very sore, very shaken, very emotional and I’m frightened to be honest.”

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Steve Coogan accuses Labour of paving way for Reform UK Exclusive: Actor says Keir Starmer’s party has caused a ‘derogation of all the principles they were supposed to represent’

Steve Coogan's not holding back:

www.theguardian.com/culture/2025...

The Guardian announces new appointments The Guardian has announced a number of appointments.

It’s official - the north could not be in safer hands with @joshhalliday.bsky.social in charge. Defo recommend a midlife career pivot. www.inpublishing.co.uk/articles/the...

Three bosses at the hospital where Lucy Letby worked have been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.

More on @guardian soon.