Political correspondent at the Guardian. Northerner stranded in the South. Long-suffering Evertonian. Also at: @lexytopping.bsky.social, lexytopping_theguardian
UK
Joined March 2009
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Bit sad that the subs cut my comparison of Burnham’s everyday fixes” to Hugh Abbot’s “nice, touchy-feely, fondle-y, sneaky, hand-in-the-bra sort of policies”>> theguardian.com/politics/202…
Alexandra Topping retweeted
EXC: Reform's new "newspaper" sent to homes across the country features a councillor who said Muslims shouldn't hold public office and that all mosques should be shut. Councillor Phil Tierney described himself as Islamophobic and signed a petition urging the Government to "halt the political persecution of Tommy Robinson".
mirror.co.uk/news/politics/f…
I feel so sad for good colleagues losing jobs @Telegraph. It says it will focus on new revenue streams including “video, audio, puzzles, events, B2B, licensing, commerce and new products”. These people seem to forget that without covering news and sport there IS no product 💔
Alexandra Topping retweeted
NEW
Britain’s missing sovereign wealth fund… Treasury officials have modelled that had the UK done what Norway did with North Sea revenues, there would be a £1 trillion fund…
As Chancellor sets up Energy Wealth Fund, a look at the long historical argument about where the oil windfall went, including from interviews with those who have run Norways $2.4 trillion fund, now the biggest in the world, filled from the proceeds of the same North Sea.
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm4g…
Loved doing Politics Weekly with @jessicaelgot today. Much of this sounds like our daily stream of politics chat and gags- so it’s definitely worth listening to, if only to discover exactly who is leaking from the chancellor’s top secret budget preparations .. 🧐
We’re on the Guardian podcast this week!
Is Andy Burnham a “climate guy”?
And John Healey’s “un-leakable Budget” with its “military style security”?
Um, well, it turns out quite a lot of it has made its way out into our pages…
With @LexyTopping
theguardian.com/politics/aud…
Alexandra Topping retweeted
The list sent by Harold Wilson to his cabinet of “little things that mean a lot”, including the protection of pubs, concessionary fares for the elderly, empty office blocks and “the future of the pint”.
Echoes of this in Burnham’s small but popular policies today.
Alexandra Topping retweeted
Striking how fast Reform went from free-press defenders to calling for the arrest of journalists who investigate it.
Its move to the populist-authoritarian model is unlikely to do much for its poll rating.
STATEMENT:
Reform UK has reported ITV, its board, and its undercover reporters to the police.
Some of the crimes carry up to 10 years in prison.
They forged a passport.
They directly interfered in elections and almost certainly altered the results. Being paid to “canvass” for Reform in crucial wards we lost by a few dozen votes.
They lied to a veteran about their service and left him “violated”.
This is unprecedented.
The police are now involved.
Scrutiny of political parties is one thing.
But anyone breaking the law to try and ruin the lives of Reform’s staff, members or volunteers will be reported to the police and pursued relentlessly in the courts.
Here’s what happened 👇
This is superb. A - the average cost of having a baby in the US is $20,000 B - why didn't she just buy a dishwasher?
The internet told them Europe was a social paradise. Turns out the trains are awful, the health care isn’t free, and people can be really mean. buff.ly/5cLtnha
Now this is absolute class from @danbloom1, who has been very gracious this morning about being bombarded with repeated pictures of timestamps ... Here's our version >> theguardian.com/politics/202…
It has been brought to my attention that @LexyTopping also filed this story last night and also had it published this morning, an hour before Playbook. Fair play. Great minds and all that 😉
theguardian.com/politics/202…
Alexandra Topping retweeted
A landmark new legal advice service for survivors of rape and sexual assault is launching in 2027 — and we’re recruiting civil and criminal lawyers to help build it.
Read the @lawsocgazette article: lawgazette.co.uk/news/womens…
Alexandra Topping retweeted
FDA statement on settlement agreement for Sir Oliver Robbins.
ALT Press release from FDA union titled "Sir Oliver Robbins - Settlement Agreement" The FDA is pleased that the Government has settled out of court to rectify the circumstances surrounding Sir Oliver Robbins’s departure from the civil service. Sir Oliver Robbins said: “I am grateful for all the support and good wishes from former colleagues, friends and strangers, which have helped me and my family during this difficult time. I want to thank the FDA for their assistance in reaching this settlement and I am looking forward to moving on to the next chapter of my life”.
Another victory for a @centreWJ super-complaint>>Police force alleged to have promoted and protected male officers despite knowing they were accused of domestic abuse has formally apologised and paid compensation to nine women >>
theguardian.com/uk-news/2026…
Alexandra Topping retweeted
The Conservatives seem to be enjoying a conference bounce as they jump to second in our voting intention, while Labour lead by 4.
🌹 LAB 28% (-1)
🌳 CON 24% (+3)
⏩ REF 21% (-3)
🔶 LIB DEM 11% (+1)
🟢 GREEN 7% (-)
⚫ RES: 5% (+1)
N = 2,101 | Fieldwork 9-12/10 | Changes w 5/10
As ever the inimitable Polly Toynbee puts more reporting into her column than more news reporters, brilliant piece this >> theguardian.com/commentisfre…
