Exclusive: Watchdog probes Starmer aide’s lobbying of Tories
openDemocracy findings on Varun Chandra’s activities at Hakluyt prompted official watchdog to launch investigation
Breaking 🚨 An official investigation has been launched into whether Keir Starmer's top aide Varun Chandra secretly lobbied Tory ministers as a result of @ethanshone.bsky.social’s reporting for @opendemocracy.net
17.07.2025 20:32 — 👍 3 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0
The Paul Foot Award | Private Eye
The Paul Foot Award is an award given for investigative or campaigning journalism, set up in memory of revered journalist Paul Foot, who died in 2004.
Absolutely over the moon to be longlisted for the Paul Foot awards for my investigation into military sexual abuse for @opendemocracy.net and a huge thank you to the survivors who told their stories.
www.private-eye.co.uk/paul-foot-aw...
16.04.2025 10:30 — 👍 304 🔁 43 💬 9 📌 2
Jaysley Beck’s death confirms our findings on abuse in army
For over a year, openDemocracy has worked to reveal how military enables abuse then closes ranks around perpetrators
For over a year, I’ve been looking at sexual abuse in the military - sadly the inquest into Beck’s suicide was shocking but not surprising. With @ethanshone.bsky.social for @opendemocracy.net edited by @indrawarnes.bsky.social
www.opendemocracy.net/en/jaysley-b...
27.02.2025 12:04 — 👍 17 🔁 9 💬 1 📌 1
Trump 2.0 could herald a new age of authoritarian capitalism
Trump’s weaponisation of US power poses a threat to peace, prosperity and the planet. It must be strongly resisted
This isn’t the same Trump that won in 2016: it’s an altogether different beast
From territory takeovers to far-right alliances — his return threatens peace, prosperity and the planet
My long-read for @opendemocracy.net:
22.01.2025 10:16 — 👍 59 🔁 29 💬 4 📌 7
What Musk’s grooming gangs posts tell us about the far right
Why has the American billionaire become fixated on historic child sex abuse in English towns?
🔴NEW🔴
I did a deep dive into Musk's disinformation campaign about grooming gangs for @opendemocracy.net
www.opendemocracy.net/en/far-right...
Please read it, I have had to look at a LOT of far right content so make it worth it 🤪
10.01.2025 11:59 — 👍 133 🔁 69 💬 7 📌 16
British Army denied child abuse victim justice for 22 years
Growing up on an army base, Jessica was told the military was family. That changed when she reported sexual abuse
Growing up on a British army base, Jessica was repeatedly told the military was family. That all changed when she reported sexual abuse. Read @sianushka.bsky.social's important investigation into how the army denied justice + failed Jessica @opendemocracy.net
www.opendemocracy.net/en/child-sex...
03.12.2024 12:16 — 👍 6 🔁 10 💬 1 📌 0
James Russell – Investigative Journalist & Civil Rights Watchdog. My research published in Raw Story, The Forward, Daily Mail, Wired and more. I work pro bono to expose and dismantle far-right extremism. https://substack.com/@jamesrussell2790
Investigative journalist, author, and Yorkshireman. DeSmog’s UK deputy editor.
UK-based Investigative Journalist & OSINT bod.
Author of Incel:The Weaponisation of Misogyny (out November 2025)
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‘Notes on Now’ every month in Byline Times, Co-founder openDemocracy Led Charter 88 from 1988-2005. Iron Britannia; The Lure of Greatness; Taking Control! Etc Online articles in Authory.
Freedom of information expert & consultant. Honorary Research Fellow, Birkbeck College politics dept. Author, 'Freedom of Information: A practical guidebook', http://amzn.to/3L2tuKi. ExBBC political journalist & radio producer. https://rosenbaum.org.uk/
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Guardian columnist and journalist. Commentator of the Year 2024. Author of Who Wants Normal? and Crippled.
E: frances.ryan.freelance@guardian.co.uk
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