Whitehall Editor of The Observer

London
Labour MPs have written to Nigel Farage, calling on him to suspend Hull and East Yorkshire mayor pending the police investigation as first revealed by @ObserverUK
Yesterday evening, Hull's three MPs sent this joint letter to Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage MP concerning the situation at Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority.
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Cat Neilan retweeted
“Bullying, intimidation, threats of physical violence, racist abuse, homophobia, breaches of confidentiality and failures to provide a safe working environment” - new allegations against Reform mayor’s office revealed by @CatNeilan in today’s @ObserverUK observer.co.uk/news/national…
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Cat Neilan retweeted
“To many people it feels as if he cares more about the urban poor than the rural poor. It’s hypocrisy” - my story for @ObserverUK about the Duchy of Cornwall tenants facing eviction by the Prince of Wales in Devon observer.co.uk/news/national…
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Excl: A second member of staff working under Reform UK mayor Luke Campbell has claimed they were suspended from their job after raising concerns about threatening and racist behaviour in the workplace observer.co.uk/news/national…
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Meanwhile, Campbell did not attend the Prime Minister's meeting with English mayors this week. Heyca is understood to have said a delegate would be sent instead of the mayor, after @ObserverUK 's story was published
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In addition, a meeting of the Heyca executive board, which includes Campbell and several cllrs from across Hull and East Yorkshire has been cancelled without explanation
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Cat Neilan retweeted
A former Conservative election candidate has been suspended after he was seemingly filmed discussing the cost of hiring contract killers and offering to “broker” the services of a far-right activist with alleged paramilitary links. By @BenQuinn75 theguardian.com/politics/202…
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Cat Neilan retweeted
Combined authority confirms police investigation into Luke Campbell as reported by @CatNeilan “We recognise the seriousness of the matters reported and understand the concern they have caused among our staff, partners and the wider public.” He “firmly denies the allegation”
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Cat Neilan retweeted
Thanks to @Humberbeat who told me 'we cannot confirm nor deny' when I put these allegations to them on the 18th of September!
Reform mayor under police investigation for alleged cyberflashing Luke Campbell, an Olympic gold medallist boxer and rising star in Nigel Farage’s party, is accused of showing naked pictures of himself to female colleague ✍️ Catherine Neilan bit.ly/4zvosgW
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Cat Neilan retweeted
Tomorrow's Sunday papers have reports that both Luke Campbell and Mothin Ali are under police investigation for different matters. Do wonder if there is something in what Michael says here. Are such investigations more common now due to more bad behaviour? Or higher standards?
I calculate that since Jonathan Aitken was jailed for perjury in 1999 - 27 years ago - 20 serving or former MPs or MEPs have gone to prison for offences other than acts of political protest. Yes from 1945 to 1999 - 44 years - I can think of only four cases of MPs or MEPs (or former) who were jailed.
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Cat Neilan retweeted
Scoop from @CatNeilan: one of Reform's most prominent figures is under police investigation for allegedly cyberflashing a member of staff
Reform mayor under police investigation for alleged cyberflashing Luke Campbell, an Olympic gold medallist boxer and rising star in Nigel Farage’s party, is accused of showing naked pictures of himself to female colleague ✍️ Catherine Neilan bit.ly/4zvosgW
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The woman was left feeling “shocked, embarrassed and humiliated”, docs seen by @ObserverUK state. Three weeks later, the prior offer of a permanent position was withdrawn
Reform mayor under police investigation for alleged cyberflashing Luke Campbell, an Olympic gold medallist boxer and rising star in Nigel Farage’s party, is accused of showing naked pictures of himself to female colleague ✍️ Catherine Neilan bit.ly/4zvosgW
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Cat Neilan retweeted
Reform mayor under police investigation for alleged cyberflashing Luke Campbell, an Olympic gold medallist boxer and rising star in Nigel Farage’s party, is accused of showing naked pictures of himself to female colleague ✍️ Catherine Neilan bit.ly/4zvosgW
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Cat Neilan retweeted
Green members expect Zionism is Racism motion to PASS at Green Party conference, with the count currently underway. Only one amendment succeeded on the conference floor, to update certain policy documents.
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Cat Neilan retweeted
EXCL: Farage aide Dan Jukes went on an all-expenses-paid trip to Egypt with pollster JL Partners in December 2025, weeks before the firm released high-impact polls without disclosing that they were financed by Reform. w/@saschaosullivan
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Cat Neilan retweeted
BREAKING: Dan Thomas, leader of Reform in Wales, quits. He says: "Over the weekend, I was reported to the police and was released without charge. I stress that I have done nothing wrong, but I do not want the coming headlines to be a distraction from the fantastic work our Senedd team is doing in holding this government to account."
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