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Tue, 25 February 2025

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Sophie Church

Sophie Church

Sophie Church is a Reporter at The House magazine.

'I Genuinely Don't Know What The Role Of Prevent Is Anymore', Says Former Counter-Extremism Tsar
Home affairs
"I Genuinely Don't Know What The Role Of Prevent Is Anymore", Says Former Counter-Extremism Tsar
Britain’s counter-radicalisation programme Prevent is mired in confusion, a former government adviser who was once among its most prominent supporters has said.
''Employment Rights Bill Lite' won't cut it': TUC's Paul Nowak
Social affairs
By Sophie Church
'"Employment Rights Bill Lite" won't cut it': TUC's Paul Nowak
The Employment Rights Bill is facing further delays, yet TUC general secretary Paul Nowak tells Sophie Church he expects it to be delivered in full. Photography by Louise Haywood-Schiefer
CCTV Installed In Westminster Bar After Alleged Spiking
Parliament
CCTV Installed In Westminster Bar After Alleged Spiking
The decision comes after Labour’s Westminster MP led calls for CCTV to be installed in Parliament’s bars, after a woman’s drink was allegedly spiked on the parliamentary estate.
Funerals Taking Three Weeks Longer Than Usual As System Struggles To Cope With New Regulations
Health
Funerals Taking Three Weeks Longer Than Usual As System Struggles To Cope With New Regulations
Funerals across England and Wales are typically taking up to three weeks longer than usual as the system struggles to adapt to new death certificate regulations, according to leading industry figures.
Forced marriage: charities warn 'urgent action' needed to stem rising cases
Home affairs
By Sophie Church
Forced marriage: charities warn 'urgent action' needed to stem rising cases
Reported cases of forced marriage are on the rise, while government support for victims is falling. Sophie Church explores how the trend can be reversed
Defence Manufacturers On Brink Of Administration While Waiting For Strategic Defence Review
Defence
By Sophie Church
Defence Manufacturers On Brink Of Administration While Waiting For Strategic Defence Review
Small to medium sized defence manufacturers are close to falling into administration, as they wait for the publication of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR).
Baroness Smith of Llanfaes: 'I don’t believe Westminster will ever work for Wales'
Home affairs
By Sophie Church
Baroness Smith of Llanfaes: 'I don’t believe Westminster will ever work for Wales'
Baroness Smith of Llanfaes tells Sophie Church why she thinks Westminster will never work for Wales, and how politics is changing from being a ‘place for men’. Photography by Louise Haywood-Schiefer
Speculating On Southport Trial Risks Seeing Case Thrown Out, Warns Town’s MP
Communities
By Sophie Church
Speculating On Southport Trial Risks Seeing Case Thrown Out, Warns Town’s MP
Speculating on the investigation into the Southport murders risks seeing the case thrown out, the MP for the town has warned.
Boundary Changes Have Made It Harder to Provide Service To Constituents, Warn MPs
Parliament
By Sophie Church
Boundary Changes Have Made It Harder to Provide Service To Constituents, Warn MPs
Providing a consistent level of service to constituents is proving “very challenging” for MPs after boundary changes at the last election increased the population sizes of some seats.
'When we're all together in the Chamber we're actually very loud': Lib Dem Liz Jarvis
Parliament
By Sophie Church
'When we're all together in the Chamber we're actually very loud': Lib Dem Liz Jarvis
With a career in journalism behind her, Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh Liz Jarvis tells Sophie Church why Labour’s failure to listen to the public could prove costly
James Cartlidge: 'Defence should be the number-one priority'
Defence
By Sophie Church
James Cartlidge: 'Defence should be the number-one priority'
With Europe racing to procure arms against the threat of widespread war on the continent, shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge tells Sophie Church the UK risks falling behind. Photography by Louise Haywood-Schiefer
Alberto Costa: 'I am not and never have been a saint'
Parliament
By Sophie Church
Alberto Costa: 'I am not and never have been a saint'
New Standards Committee chair Alberto Costa tells Sophie Church why punishments for MPs breaking minor rules should be less severe
We Shouldn't Expect MPs To Be “Saints”, Says Standards Chair
Technology
By Sophie Church
We Shouldn't Expect MPs To Be “Saints”, Says Standards Chair
People who stand to be MPs should not be expected to be “saints”, the recently-elected Standards Committee chair has said, adding that punishments for minor parliamentary rules breaches are too “severe”.
Adrian Ramsay: 'We need less of the horrific yah-boo style approach we see in the Chamber'
Political parties
By Sophie Church
Adrian Ramsay: 'We need less of the horrific yah-boo style approach we see in the Chamber'
Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay speaks to Sophie Church about why Labour should take ‘another look’ at its tax on farming, and the ‘ridiculous’ notion he is against net-zero
Labour MP Criticises 'Hypocritical' Disinterest In UK Arms Sales To Saudi Arabia
Foreign affairs
By Sophie Church
Labour MP Criticises "Hypocritical" Disinterest In UK Arms Sales To Saudi Arabia
A Labour MP has said outrage over arms exports to Israel is “hypocritical” given the UK exports a higher volume of arms to Saudi Arabia which is currently at war in Yemen.
Greens Urge Government To Rethink Tax On Farming
Environment
By Sophie Church
Greens Urge Government To Rethink Tax On Farming
The Green Party has urged the government to take “another look” at its plans to introduce inheritance tax on farm land, as farmers prepare protests in the capital this week against the changes.
Layla Moran: 'We are basically at a standstill with social care'
Health
By Sophie Church
Layla Moran: 'We are basically at a standstill with social care'
In her first interview since becoming Health and Social Care Committee chair, Layla Moran tells Sophie Church why Labour’s ‘glaring omission’ in its budget on social care will sink the NHS further. Photography by Tom Pilston
Green Party Members Rejected Proposal To Join With Women’s Equality Party
Political parties
By Sophie Church
Green Party Members Rejected Proposal To Join With Women’s Equality Party
Green Party members declined a partnership with the Women’s Equality Party (WEP) just before the party shut down its operations, PoliticsHome can reveal.
Sir Stephen Bubb: The economic impact charities can make is 'vast'
Economy
By Sophie Church
Sir Stephen Bubb: The economic impact charities can make is "vast"
A straitened state is in retreat and banking on economic growth to fend off a return to austerity. But Sir Stephen Bubb tells Sophie Church it needs charities as much as businesses to mend the breach
Social Care At “Standstill” After Budget, Says Health Committee Chair Layla Moran
Health
By Sophie Church
Social Care At “Standstill” After Budget, Says Health Committee Chair Layla Moran
The social care system is “basically at a standstill” following the Budget, the new chair of the Health and Social Care Committee Layla Moran has said.
Ukraine Should Drop Notes Onto Battlefield Urging North Korean Soldiers To Defect, Says Peer
Defence
By Sophie Church
Ukraine Should Drop Notes Onto Battlefield Urging North Korean Soldiers To Defect, Says Peer
Ukraine should drop notes to North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia guaranteeing them South Korean citizenship should they defect, a sanctioned peer has said.
National Grid's Alice Delahunty: 2030 clean power target is unachievable without 'reform'
Energy
By Sophie Church
National Grid's Alice Delahunty: 2030 clean power target is unachievable without "reform"
Labour is pulling all levers to reach zero-carbon electricity by 2030. Speaking to Sophie Church, the National Grid’s Alice Delahunty warns the government risks missing its target
Green Party Spend £1m on Legal Fees In Four Years As Gender Rows Continue
Political parties
By Sophie Church
Green Party Spend £1m on Legal Fees In Four Years As Gender Rows Continue
The Green Party has spent £1m over four years fighting legal battles against its own members, as divisions over gender continue to threaten the party’s finances.
Charities Suffer From APPG Rule Changes
Parliament
By Sophie Church
Charities Suffer From APPG Rule Changes
Charities are struggling to adapt to the “very difficult” process of establishing an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) following recent rule changes.
“He still calls me ‘Miss’': The Josh Fenton-Glynn and Allison Gardner interview
Parliament
By Sophie Church
“He still calls me ‘Miss’": The Josh Fenton-Glynn and Allison Gardner interview
During the election, Josh Fenton-Glynn realised fellow Labour candidate Allison Gardner was his old science teacher. Now MPs, they speak to Sophie Church about their time at school and ambitions for Parliament
Ben Obese-Jecty: 'There doesn’t seem to be a coherent, holistic view of defence'
Political parties
By Sophie Church
Ben Obese-Jecty: 'There doesn’t seem to be a coherent, holistic view of defence'
One of just 26 new Conservative MPs, Ben Obese-Jecty speaks to Sophie Church about Labour’s ‘duplicity’ and his reasons for wanting to tackle knife crime
The Tory Party's Trump Conundrum
Foreign affairs
By Sophie Church
The Tory Party's Trump Conundrum
With the US election coming up, Sophie Church explores how the Conservatives are approaching the possibility of Trump’s return to power.
Ed Davey: Tories will have us 'breathing down their necks'
Political parties
By Sophie Church
Ed Davey: Tories will have us 'breathing down their necks'
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey oversaw a campaign that elected a record-breaking 72 Lib Dem MPs to Parliament. He speaks to Sophie Church of his disappointment on Labour’s current gloomy outlook, and how the Lib Dems are strategising for the next election. Photography by Tom Pilston
Growing Pains: Inside The Green Party Gender Row
Political parties
By Sophie Church
Growing Pains: Inside The Green Party Gender Row
With four MPs in Westminster, the Green Party is enjoying record-breaking success. However, behind closed doors, the party is navigating a fierce debate on gender issues, which some say could “tear the party apart”. 
The Lib Dems Are Eyeing Labour Seats To Target At The Next Election, Says Party President
Political parties
By Sophie Church
The Lib Dems Are Eyeing Labour Seats To Target At The Next Election, Says Party President
The Liberal Democrats are already thinking about seats they can take from Labour at the next general election, according to the party president.
Education Secretary Urged To Grant Home Fees For Britain’s Hong Kong Students
Home affairs
By Sophie Church
Education Secretary Urged To Grant Home Fees For Britain’s Hong Kong Students
BNO visa holders, backed by MPs and peers, are calling on Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to end international fees for Hong Kong students living in the UK.
Threats To MPs Should Be Classed As Terrorism, Says Government Adviser On Terrorism Law
Home affairs
By Sophie Church
Threats To MPs Should Be Classed As Terrorism, Says Government Adviser On Terrorism Law
Threats of violence towards MPs should be investigated as terror offences, the government’s terrorism legislation adviser has said.
Wendy Morton's Deputy Speaker Bid To Raise Standards Of Behaviour
Parliament
By Sophie Church
Wendy Morton's Deputy Speaker Bid To Raise Standards Of Behaviour
It took Wendy Morton a long time to work out what three words encapsulated her bid for deputy speaker.
Karen Bradley Wants To 'Put MPs First' In Her Deputy Speaker Bid
Parliament
By Sophie Church
Karen Bradley Wants To "Put MPs First" In Her Deputy Speaker Bid
When Conservative MP for Staffordshire Moorlands Karen Bradley was elected in 2010, she would often come to the Chamber, simply to sit and listen.
Nus Ghani Wants To Let MPs Work “WIthout Fear Or Favour”
Parliament
By Sophie Church
Nus Ghani Wants To Let MPs Work “WIthout Fear Or Favour”
Running for deputy speaker was something Nusrat Ghani, the Conservative MP for Wealden, had “always wanted to do”.
Labour Economist: Paying More Taxes Will Make People Happier
Economy
By Sophie Church
Labour Economist: Paying More Taxes Will Make People Happier
Labour peer and economist Lord Layard has spent years researching happiness. He tells Sophie Church why putting happiness at the heart of policy will keep Labour in power for longer