Catherine Neilan

London

Politics Editor at Tortoise

Whitehall Editor of The Observer

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Articles

How rightwing activists tried to thwart Chagos deal

1 week ago | observer.co.uk | Catherine Neilan

The plan to hand the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius was nearly derailed last week by a “pro-sovereign, pro-right” group led by a former deputy leader of Reform. Under the Chagos deal, Britain will lease back the UK-US military base in Diego Garcia from Mauritius for £101m annually over the next 99 years. Having thought the deal was on pause, Bullivant received a tip-off on Wednesday it was being fast-tracked. “I got a call saying we needed to mobilise,” Bullivant told The Observer.
Starmer wants a reset on the EU

2 weeks ago | observer.co.uk | Catherine Neilan

But Farage, France and fisheries may stand in the way Welcome to the Sensemaker, our daily newsletter. It features calm and clear analysis on the stories driving the news across tech, politics, finance, culture and more. The Sensemaker will appear here every morning, but to receive it in your email inbox, sign up on our newsletters page. The EU summit is finally upon us.
Getting the band back together: defence pact at heart of Starmer’s new European deal

2 weeks ago | observer.co.uk | Giles Whittell |Catherine Neilan

The prime minister and Ursula von der Leyen are poised to sign a deal in London that marks a turning point for Labour’s hopes of reset on closer cooperation Five years after Brexit, Britain and the European Union are poised to sign a security and defence pact that could lead to the broadest, deepest set of repairs to the EU-UK relationship since the 2016 referendum. Progress towards a new deal on trade could take months.
Profile: Nick Thomas-Symonds, the softly spoken Welshman with the PM’s ear

3 weeks ago | observer.co.uk | Catherine Neilan

Despite his junior role, this loyal Keir whisperer is positioned at the heart of Downing Street and is key to Labour’s European ambitions When Labour assumed power last summer, it took three days before Nick Thomas-Symonds received the call.
Labour plots immigration blitz after Reform success at polls

1 month ago | observer.co.uk | Catherine Neilan

Reform’s local election success is forcing tensions to spill out across Whitehall as pressure builds on the government to bring immigration numbers down. The Home Office is expected to publish its long-awaited white paper on immigration in the coming days, with plans for a radical reform of the post-Brexit regime and proposals for further restrictions on ways to get a visa, including the graduate route for foreign students.
Russian sabotage squads ramp up attacks to spook the west

1 month ago | observer.co.uk | Alexi Mostrous |Nina Kuryata |Catherine Neilan

Experts say the government needs to prepare for possible attacks on infrastructure after a string of operations in Europe linked to Russia On the morning in March after a huge substation fire shut down Europe’s busiest airport, Russia’s former president posted a message to his 1.4 million followers on X. “I’m looking forward to Russia being blamed for the Heathrow fire,” he wrote. “What are you waiting for, Starmer?”Dmitry Medvedev’s sarcasm was apposite.
A glimpse inside the government’s secretive crisis control room

1 month ago | observer.co.uk | Catherine Neilan

The SitCen team is working on a tool which will give officials access to real-time crisis data, such as public health risks. One thing they can't predict: human behaviour At 6:29am on a cloudy September morning in 2022, the last person in The Queue stepped through the entrance to Westminster Hall.
Think tank linked to Reform UK seeks money from US donors

1 month ago | tortoisemedia.com | Catherine Neilan

A think tank with close links to Reform UK is expected to launch within weeks, raising questions about scrutiny of its funding. Developed with the working title ‘Resolute 1850’, the think tank is reportedly being led by the party’s former chief operating officer Jonathan Brown and will be based in the same building as Reform’s HQ. A presentation seen by the FT last month said Resolute 1850 plans to tap into funding from UK sources as well as “US donors from MAGA, Tech, Religious conservatives”.
Money trail leads through Carlton Club to Tories

1 month ago | tortoisemedia.com | Catherine Neilan |Louis Mian

A billionaire allegedly behind a €2.4 million “strawman” donation to Germany’s far-right AfD party is linked to a company that has been making use of a UK loophole to give large sums of money to the Conservative Party. Alternative for Germany is currently under police investigation after Der Spiegel in Germany and Der Standard, an Austrian newspaper, reported that the party had incorrectly attributed the donation to a regional politician called Gerhard Dingler.
UK seeks to rearm by sidestepping the EU

2 months ago | tortoisemedia.com | Catherine Neilan

Proposals to create a European Rearmament Bank are gathering momentum, with Treasury officials reportedly taking centre stage at a recent gathering of “select” allies. According to Politico, the wonks have set out plans to create economies of scale, buy weapons and cut the cost of defence procurement, while avoiding placing the burden on national budgets. Last month Keir Starmer told MPs there was a discussion taking place about future funding.