Ben Gartside
@bengartside.bsky.social
Investigative Reporter. Politics, Policy, Business, News. Email: Bengartsidewriter@gmail.com
Pinned
Ben Gartside
@bengartside.bsky.social
· Oct 25
The Attorney General Is A Defendant In A Torture Claim From A Libyan Military Commander That He Drafted
Exclusive: Lord Hermer is a defendant in a civil suit he drafted and represented until weeks before the 2024 election, which implicates the previou...
www.politicshome.com
Exclusive: The Attorney General is a defendant in a torture claim from a Libyan military commander and sanctioned ‘terrorist’ that he represented until weeks before the 2024 election
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
🚨 The latest edition of the House is out now! The home security and espionage edition
Try a sample and subscribe: www.politicshome.com/house-magazi...
- Tom Tugendhat interview
- The secret world of female spies
- Is Parliament under threat?
- Undersea cable threat
Try a sample and subscribe: www.politicshome.com/house-magazi...
- Tom Tugendhat interview
- The secret world of female spies
- Is Parliament under threat?
- Undersea cable threat
January 13, 2026 at 10:30 AM
🚨 The latest edition of the House is out now! The home security and espionage edition
Try a sample and subscribe: www.politicshome.com/house-magazi...
- Tom Tugendhat interview
- The secret world of female spies
- Is Parliament under threat?
- Undersea cable threat
Try a sample and subscribe: www.politicshome.com/house-magazi...
- Tom Tugendhat interview
- The secret world of female spies
- Is Parliament under threat?
- Undersea cable threat
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Exc: A Met Police officer accepted a USB stick from a diplomat at the Chinese embassy amid strained relations as they did not wish to ‘culturally offend’
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer?
Spies have operated under diplomatic cover in foreign cities for decades. What does the future hold for this legal peculiarity? Ben Gartside report...
www.politicshome.com
January 11, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Exc: A Met Police officer accepted a USB stick from a diplomat at the Chinese embassy amid strained relations as they did not wish to ‘culturally offend’
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Exc: A Met Police officer accepted a USB stick from a diplomat at the Chinese embassy amid strained relations as they did not wish to ‘culturally offend’
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer?
Spies have operated under diplomatic cover in foreign cities for decades. What does the future hold for this legal peculiarity? Ben Gartside report...
www.politicshome.com
January 11, 2026 at 6:22 PM
Exc: A Met Police officer accepted a USB stick from a diplomat at the Chinese embassy amid strained relations as they did not wish to ‘culturally offend’
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
A Met Police spox said they did not believe the devices had been used on police systems.
Read more: www.politicshome.com/news/article...
I’ve written for @thehousemag.bsky.social on the future of embassy spies, and what the frontline of counter espionage looks like:
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer?
Spies have operated under diplomatic cover in foreign cities for decades. What does the future hold for this legal peculiarity? Ben Gartside report...
www.politicshome.com
January 11, 2026 at 2:04 PM
I’ve written for @thehousemag.bsky.social on the future of embassy spies, and what the frontline of counter espionage looks like:
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
From @bengartside.bsky.social - Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer? www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer?
Spies have operated under diplomatic cover in foreign cities for decades. What does the future hold for this legal peculiarity? Ben Gartside report...
www.politicshome.com
January 11, 2026 at 12:01 PM
From @bengartside.bsky.social - Spies Have Been Hidden In Embassies For Years. But For How Much Longer? www.politicshome.com/news/article...
New: @philbrickellmp.bsky.social has questioned Foreign Office ministers about former British ambassadors lobbying on behalf of Republika Srpska and Milorad Dodik, who has been targeted in sanctions for undermining peace in Bosnia.
You can read my piece with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social
below:
You can read my piece with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social
below:
January 6, 2026 at 10:21 PM
New: @philbrickellmp.bsky.social has questioned Foreign Office ministers about former British ambassadors lobbying on behalf of Republika Srpska and Milorad Dodik, who has been targeted in sanctions for undermining peace in Bosnia.
You can read my piece with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social
below:
You can read my piece with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social
below:
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
Labour MP calls for rules to be tightened after Democracy for Sale finds former diplomats paid to lobby for Republika Srpska
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 27, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Troubling new reporting on the effort of the Kremlin-backed Bosnian Serb secessionist regime in Banja Luka to secure the lifting of UK sanctions, after the US already lifted its own measures following a multimillion dollar lobbying campaign by Dodik’s proxies in Washington.
Remember Starmer's "urgent" review into foreign interference after Nathan Gill?
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
Labour MP calls for rules to be tightened after Democracy for Sale finds former diplomats paid to lobby for Republika Srpska
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Troubling new reporting on the effort of the Kremlin-backed Bosnian Serb secessionist regime in Banja Luka to secure the lifting of UK sanctions, after the US already lifted its own measures following a multimillion dollar lobbying campaign by Dodik’s proxies in Washington.
My latest!
Remember Starmer's "urgent" review into foreign interference after Nathan Gill?
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
Labour MP calls for rules to be tightened after Democracy for Sale finds former diplomats paid to lobby for Republika Srpska
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 12:33 PM
My latest!
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Remember Starmer's "urgent" review into foreign interference after Nathan Gill?
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
Labour MP calls for rules to be tightened after Democracy for Sale finds former diplomats paid to lobby for Republika Srpska
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Remember Starmer's "urgent" review into foreign interference after Nathan Gill?
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Well, there's already two ex-UK ambassadors working in Westminster on behalf of a pro-Russian foreign government whose de facto leader is under UK sanctions...
New on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Exc with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social: Former British ambassadors are being paid to lobby for pro-Putin, genocide deniers in Srpska.
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Ex-UK ambassadors are lobbyists for sanctioned pro-Russia genocide deniers
Labour MP calls for rules to be tightened after Democracy for Sale finds former diplomats paid to lobby for Republika Srpska
democracyforsale.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Exc with @petergeoghegan.bsky.social: Former British ambassadors are being paid to lobby for pro-Putin, genocide deniers in Srpska.
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/ex-uk-amba...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Hmm. The amount of money spent by Reform Councils with the private sector has doubled since the local elections. Wonder what's going on here... www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Reform's "DOGE" yet to tame outsourcers
Reform councils have spent twice as much on private sector contracts in the six months since the election compared to a year previously
www.newstatesman.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Hmm. The amount of money spent by Reform Councils with the private sector has doubled since the local elections. Wonder what's going on here... www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
I've written for the New Statesman on Reform's troubles cutting outsourcing spending: www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Reform's "DOGE" yet to tame outsourcers
Reform councils have spent twice as much on private sector contracts in the six months since the election compared to a year previously
www.newstatesman.com
December 22, 2025 at 12:12 PM
I've written for the New Statesman on Reform's troubles cutting outsourcing spending: www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...
Can’t get too much into this for ~reasons~ but this is a massive thing in the UK especially.
In coming years reporters will expected to be their own distribution channel more and more, and imv this will have a huge impact on media ethics going forward.
In coming years reporters will expected to be their own distribution channel more and more, and imv this will have a huge impact on media ethics going forward.
December 10, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Can’t get too much into this for ~reasons~ but this is a massive thing in the UK especially.
In coming years reporters will expected to be their own distribution channel more and more, and imv this will have a huge impact on media ethics going forward.
In coming years reporters will expected to be their own distribution channel more and more, and imv this will have a huge impact on media ethics going forward.
Reposted by Ben Gartside
the west australian newspaper said they couldn’t do it. and they were correct. honestly great call by the west australian newspaper
November 21, 2025 at 4:12 AM
the west australian newspaper said they couldn’t do it. and they were correct. honestly great call by the west australian newspaper
Reposted by Ben Gartside
I don't have the words to describe how much I love this story from @bengartside.bsky.social www.politicshome.com/news/article...
The Home Office Secretly Funded A Boyband To Sing Songs About 7/7 In Muslim Areas
Exclusive: A secretive Home Office department funded a little-known boyband to travel around Muslim areas of the UK and sing songs with anti-radica...
www.politicshome.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:09 PM
I don't have the words to describe how much I love this story from @bengartside.bsky.social www.politicshome.com/news/article...
A reader writes in; the Flight of the Conchords did an anti-knife crime song parody of the same name…almost a decade previously.
Hold on a minute isn't this just a flight of the Conchords song?
November 17, 2025 at 11:20 PM
A reader writes in; the Flight of the Conchords did an anti-knife crime song parody of the same name…almost a decade previously.
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Exclusive: The Home Office secretly funded a boyband to tour schools in Muslim areas and sing songs about 7/7.
By me, for PoliticsHome.
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
By me, for PoliticsHome.
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
The Home Office Secretly Funded A Boyband To Sing Songs About 7/7 In Muslim Areas
Exclusive: A secretive Home Office department funded a little-known boyband to travel around Muslim areas of the UK and sing songs with anti-radica...
www.politicshome.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Exclusive: The Home Office secretly funded a boyband to tour schools in Muslim areas and sing songs about 7/7.
By me, for PoliticsHome.
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
By me, for PoliticsHome.
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Wildest @politicshome.bsky.social headline I’ve seen for a long time www.politicshome.com/news/article...
The Home Office Secretly Funded A Boyband To Sing Songs About 7/7 In Muslim Areas
Exclusive: A secretive Home Office department funded a little-known boyband to travel around Muslim areas of the UK and sing songs with anti-radica...
www.politicshome.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Wildest @politicshome.bsky.social headline I’ve seen for a long time www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
A secretive Home Office department funded a little-known boyband — trio, Mr Meanor — to travel around Muslim areas of the UK and sing songs with anti-radicalisation themes during the height of ISIS terror attacks, PolHome can reveal
Ben Gartside reports
Ben Gartside reports
The Home Office Secretly Funded A Boyband To Sing Songs About 7/7 In Muslim Areas
Exclusive: A secretive Home Office department funded a little-known boyband to travel around Muslim areas of the UK and sing songs with anti-radica...
www.politicshome.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:57 PM
A secretive Home Office department funded a little-known boyband — trio, Mr Meanor — to travel around Muslim areas of the UK and sing songs with anti-radicalisation themes during the height of ISIS terror attacks, PolHome can reveal
Ben Gartside reports
Ben Gartside reports
Exclusive: The Home Office secretly funded a boyband to tour schools in Muslim areas and sing songs about 7/7.
By me, for PoliticsHome.
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
By me, for PoliticsHome.
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
The Home Office Secretly Funded A Boyband To Sing Songs About 7/7 In Muslim Areas
Exclusive: A secretive Home Office department funded a little-known boyband to travel around Muslim areas of the UK and sing songs with anti-radica...
www.politicshome.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Exclusive: The Home Office secretly funded a boyband to tour schools in Muslim areas and sing songs about 7/7.
By me, for PoliticsHome.
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
By me, for PoliticsHome.
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Exclusive: The Attorney General is a defendant in a torture claim from a Libyan military commander and sanctioned ‘terrorist’ that he represented until weeks before the 2024 election
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
The Attorney General Is A Defendant In A Torture Claim From A Libyan Military Commander That He Drafted
Exclusive: Lord Hermer is a defendant in a civil suit he drafted and represented until weeks before the 2024 election, which implicates the previou...
www.politicshome.com
October 25, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Exclusive: The Attorney General is a defendant in a torture claim from a Libyan military commander and sanctioned ‘terrorist’ that he represented until weeks before the 2024 election
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
Exclusive: Lord Hermer is a defendant in a civil suit he drafted and represented until weeks before the 2024 election, which implicates the previous Labour government in complicity in torture www.politicshome.com/news/article...
The Attorney General Is A Defendant In A Torture Claim From A Libyan Military Commander That He Drafted
Exclusive: Lord Hermer is a defendant in a civil suit he drafted and represented until weeks before the 2024 election, which implicates the previou...
www.politicshome.com
October 25, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Exclusive: Lord Hermer is a defendant in a civil suit he drafted and represented until weeks before the 2024 election, which implicates the previous Labour government in complicity in torture www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Reposted by Ben Gartside
October 25, 2025 at 5:10 PM