Latest news with #PaulFootAward
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- The Guardian
Guardian's Patrick Butler and Josh Halliday win Paul Foot award
The Guardian journalists Patrick Butler and Josh Halliday have won the Paul Foot award for their coverage of how vulnerable British carers were taking to court for accidentally claiming the allowance alongside part-time work. The pair uncovered how carers were prosecuted even though many had tried to report their earnings to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Tens of thousands of carers have unwittingly fallen foul of earnings rules each year since the DWP permanent secretary Sir Peter Schofield promised MPs in 2019 that new technology would eradicate the problem by preventing overpayments 'in some cases before they happen'. In the five years after the verify earnings and pensions tool, known as VEP, was presented as a solution to the problems of carer's allowance, more than 262,000 overpayments totalling in excess of £325m were clawed back from carers, and 600 carers were prosecuted and received criminal records, according to the National Audit Office. In the case of one man, who was convicted for over-claiming 30p a week, the DWP has since acknowledged he made an innocent mistake. Labour has now set up an independent review of the allowance and raised the earnings limit for those claiming it. The 2025 awards ceremony on Tuesday was hosted at Bafta by Private Eye editor Ian Hislop, who said: 'Who cares? This is the big question in Britain at the moment and the winners wrote brilliantly about these very people.' Butler, the Guardian's social policy editor, told The Private Eye Podcast: 'This is a story about injustices in the benefits system. 'And how these injustices have inflicted debt, misery and untold stress on some of the most vulnerable and poorest people in our society who have dedicated their lives to looking after loved ones.' Halliday, the north of England editor, said: 'When you speak to these people it really affects you. 'This is devastating sums of money, people who are already living extremely difficult lives, trying to do their best, coping with the ongoing trauma of caring for a loved one.' Padraig Reidy, chair of the judges, said: 'This was an enraging and heartbreaking campaign on behalf of a group the government has called 'unsung heroes'. 'You couldn't read these articles without thinking of the Post Office scandal – another story of ordinary, decent people persecuted by an uncaring bureaucracy. It was in the best tradition of Paul Foot's work.'
Express Tribune
16-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Journalist who exposed Rotherham grooming gangs dies aged 60
Andrew Norfolk, the journalist who exposed the Rotherham grooming gangs scandal, has died at the age of 60. According to The Times, Norfolk passed away on May 8 after a period of ill health. He had retired late last year. Norfolk began his journalism career at the Yorkshire Post, covering South Yorkshire. In 2000, he joined The Times, where he launched an investigation into the grooming of young girls in the Midlands and northern England. His groundbreaking reports, starting in 2010, led to formal inquiries, numerous resignations, and the prosecution of perpetrators involved in the abuse. The investigation uncovered widespread child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, revealing that around 1,400 children had been victimized between 1997 and 2013. Norfolk's fearless work earned him the Paul Foot Award for investigative journalism in February 2013, recognizing the profound impact of his reporting. Sir Keir Starmer praised Norfolk's contribution, calling him 'absolutely integral' to the changes in law that allowed more grooming gang members to be convicted. Norfolk's work not only brought justice to victims but also helped raise awareness of systemic failures in protecting vulnerable children.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Times reporter who exposed grooming gangs dies
Andrew Norfolk, the former Times journalist who exposed the Rotherham grooming gang scandal, has died aged 60. Norfolk, an award-winning reporter, died on 8 May after suffering ill health, the newspaper announced on Thursday. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer led the tributes saying Norfolk had been "absolutely integral" in helping to change the law so more grooming gang members could be convicted. His reporting in 2011 revealed a pattern of mainly white teenage girls being groomed by gangs of men of Pakistani heritage after a growing number of prosecutions across the country. It led to an inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the south Yorkshire town dating from 1997 to 2013. It was estimated that around 1,400 children were sexually exploited over a 16 year period. Sir Keir, who was director of public prosecutions at the time, told The Times he was "deeply sorry" to hear of Norfolk's death. "He wasn't just an incredibly talented reporter, at The Times and elsewhere, he was driven by the desire to call our attention to injustice and protect the most vulnerable," the prime minister said. "His passion for supporting the victims of grooming gangs shone through, and he was absolutely integral to making sure we could change the rules to increase convictions of the vile perpetrators." The prime minister said he hoped "the difference he made to people's lives are a comfort" to his family and loved ones. Tony Gallagher, the editor of The Times, said Norfolk was "without doubt, one of the greatest investigative reporters of our or any age. "His tireless work exposing the evils of the predominantly Asian grooming gangs in and around towns in the north of England led to long overdue acknowledgement of the crimes, after the people who had been in a position to put a stop to it for years chose to look the other way." Norfolk studied English at Durham University, editing the university paper while also playing for the hockey team. After graduating he went on to work as a reporter with the Scarborough Evening News in 1989. He won the Paul Foot Award and Orwell Prize for his later groundbreaking work with the Times, and was also named 2014 Journalist of the Year. Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye, which runs the Paul Foot Award, described him as "a terrific journalist", adding Norfolk won the prize in 2012 for "a really important story that is still in the news today." The Rotherham MP who campaigned on grooming gangs, Sarah Champion, said he was "just the bravest and most principled person I have ever known. "His drive for the truth is a rare and precious thing, and I hope others follow in his footsteps, because we really need them right now." Scale of Rotherham abuse shocked man who exposed it Abuse report 'a missed opportunity' Police apologise to grooming victim 10 years later 'Wall of disbelief' over Rotherham abuse Funds raised for legal action over abuse failings
