Josiah Mortimer
@josiahmortimer
Followers
20,010
Following
5,794
Media
2,867
Statuses
23,569
Chief Reporter @BylineTimes , focusing on democracy, cronyism, & campaigns. I write music, plus the odd review. Stories/tip offs to josiah @bylinetimes .com
London via Cornwall
Joined December 2010
Don't wanna be here?
Send us removal request.
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
Maggie Smith
• 822021 Tweets
Netanyahu
• 656201 Tweets
Beirut
• 542770 Tweets
القادسية
• 427238 Tweets
Nasrallah
• 340390 Tweets
Zelensky
• 264519 Tweets
Harry Potter
• 220364 Tweets
بيروت
• 179033 Tweets
حسن نصر
• 143255 Tweets
الزمالك
• 132663 Tweets
Acapulco
• 98779 Tweets
#الضاحيه_الجنوبيه
• 90091 Tweets
マクゴナガル先生
• 60438 Tweets
Velez
• 60302 Tweets
حامد
• 36824 Tweets
Van Gogh
• 31299 Tweets
Willie
• 29483 Tweets
Asheville
• 29315 Tweets
FONDEN
• 27607 Tweets
Independiente
• 26738 Tweets
#حسن_نصر_الشيطان
• 22374 Tweets
Barcola
• 16503 Tweets
#السوبر_الافريقي
• 14895 Tweets
Bane
• 13329 Tweets
Pinned Tweet
Since this site is becoming less pleasant and less usable, I'm going to be switching my focus to Threads (and possibly BlueSky)
You can get find all my socials and contact details here. Get in touch if you have a story/tip off or want to chat:
12
5
25
Every single London Conservative MP who rebelled against showing a Covid test to get into venues also voted in favour of showing ID in order to vote
392
10K
39K
EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson broke City Hall rules by failing to transfer his emails as mayor to Greater London Authority officers when he left office - a move which has hampered the investigation into his affair with US entrepreneur Jennifer Arcuri
352
5K
13K
All three journalists arrested this week covering Just Stop Oil were arrested under “suspicion of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance.” It is a new crime introduced as part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act. It carries prison time of up to ten years in jail
478
6K
13K
We already pay for these services. It’s called tax
244
2K
11K
Privileges committee insider tells The Sun that No 10’s *own evidence* handed to the privileges committee is so damning it is likely to lead to a Commons suspension of the person leading the leadership race by some counts: Boris Johnson
206
3K
11K
Phantom Reform candidate Mark Matlock makes an appearance on GB News, revealing how photo editing tools are so powerful now
250
532
11K
As a Remainer I think Corbyn being neutral during a People's Vote ref actually makes a lot of sense.
Much more credible than campaigning against your own deal, or half-heartedly backing Remain. It's a sensible, clear position
297
2K
10K
Absolutely classic. GB News presenter Dan Wootton argued the UK should leave the ECHR in a recent Mail column. But after allegations reported in Byline Times, his legal team is telling journalists he has a right to privacy under the terms of…the ECHR, Private Eye reports
117
2K
10K
Matt Hancock seems to have donated just £10,000 of his £320,000 ‘I’m a Celebrity’ fee, split between two charities, the Mirror reports. It’s almost like it was never about raising awareness for dyslexia after all
200
3K
10K
NEW: The Chairman of the BBC gave tens of thousands of pounds through his personal charity to an organisation that funds right-wing organisations in the UK – several of which back the privatisation of the BBC. Exclusive to
@BylineTimes
323
6K
10K
The party of mandatory voter ID (for the rest of us) will not be requiring proof of ID to vote in the Tory leadership contest
142
4K
9K
It's 44 days until the General Election, or alternatively, 1 LTP (Liz Truss Premiership)
18
1K
9K
I've been blocked from attending free-speech-loving Reform UK's conference in Birmingham today as a journalist, without them giving a reason
I actually had a ticket, but it was cancelled. So I've been deplatformed. Farage usually has a thing or two to say about that, doesn't he?
1K
2K
9K
More on "phantom" Reform UK candidates last week...
Bylines Network writer David Goff tells me he tried and failed to discover any information about the Reform candidate in his constituency (North Northumberland).
"Katherine Hales has no profile or picture on the reform
620
2K
9K
Just Stop Oil protesters got four years in prison for "conspiracy to cause public nuisance" over a Zoom call
EastEnders actor Harry Rafferty spared jail after slashing woman in stomach, chest and face with knife
186
204
230
36
2K
9K
NEW: I've just spoken to Georgina, 27, who was at the vigil last night
On the way home, she was flashed by a man next to Clapham Common
She alleged that she told a nearby policeman about it and was dismissed: "No, we’ve had enough tonight with the rioters"
#ReclaimTheseStreets
176
2K
8K
Unreal.
The government has rejection a petition against mandatory voter ID, by implying everyone has identification
Now get this. The govt has just rejected another petition calling for ID for social media, saying ‘3.5 million people do not have a valid photo ID’
120
5K
8K
Mick Lynch on R4: "The price of labour in this country is not at the right price in this country - what unions do is correct that...If people are having to rely on food banks they are not being paid enough"
95
2K
8K
“We are fed up with the continued flouting of our laws” says Suella Braverman, who leaked sensitive government material, defended No 10 law breaking, and pushed unlawful Home Office policies at Manston
62
2K
7K
NEW: Parents in Boris Johnson’s parliamentary seat have been left devastated after Tory-run Hillingdon Council quietly announced all three council-run nurseries will be shutting down - and local Tories won't answer their emails
215
3K
7K
NEW: A defeated Conservative councillor in Wandsworth has blamed the Tories’ poor results on an influx of young left-wing voters in the borough
1K
608
7K
"The Tories partied during lockdown, and now they are partying through the cost of living crisis" says
@Ianblackford_MP
at PMQs
39
2K
6K
The Bibby Stockholm plan was never about saving cash. It’s about conspicuous punishment
167
2K
6K
The Elections Bill passed last night. It means next week's local elections will be the last time voters in England won't need to show ID at the polling station
Around two million people lack the 'right' ID under the new law. Perhaps the government sees them as the 'wrong' people
248
3K
6K
I’m in Dulwich Village, where Boris Johnson and Carrie are reportedly thinking of moving. Cafe worker Owen says: “Oh god no. Although, it’s more opportunities to call him a wanker on a regular basis”
146
701
6K
If Farage wins in Clacton it's totally going to dominate election night coverage isn't it.
"And in other news, Labour have won a 250 seat majority. Now back to Reform UK..."
242
415
5K
NEW: A third of Conservative peers in the House of Lords have not spoken in the chamber in months – despite the party demanding minimum service levels for public servants who plan to strike, Byline Times can reveal
41
2K
5K
Jeremy Corbyn and the other indy MPs - plus the Greens - have launched a motion in Parliament calling for the immediate recognition of the state of Palestine
92
842
5K
NEW: The Croydon MP who is Chief Secretary to the Treasury and who has repeatedly hit out at the previous Labour council for “bankrupting” the borough has been involved in multiple firms which have gone bust
66
2K
5K
Apparently ousted ex MP Liz Truss is refusing to hand over casework to the new Labour MP for the seat Terry Jermy
A spokesperson for Truss tells Politico: “Liz is diligently completing outstanding casework. Of course, due to data protection laws she cannot simply hand over
310
1K
5K
NEW: Unite union secures thousands of British Airways staff a pay rise of 13% on average
29
749
4K
Another senior presenter has been suspended, according to the last Private Eye. TalkTV’s Tom Newton Dunn. Not sure that has been splashed on the front pages of The Sun, owned, like TalkTV, by Murdoch’s News UK
64
1K
4K
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announces a clampdown on severance pay for ministers who don't last long in office (ie a dig at the super temporary ministers of Liz Truss' time in office, who still got hefty payouts)
66
674
4K
Me and
@AdamBienkov
were among several left-leaning journalists told there wasn't enough space for us at the National Conservatism conference. Plenty of empty seats in some of the vids though...
190
2K
4K
Some criticism over the weekend of the London fireworks, after it was broadcast that they were organised by the mayor’s office.
Here’s what Boris Johnson did as mayor… (credit: QED Productions)
46
669
4K
Grounds for denying someone who *has* ID from voting this May include: polling staff deeming "the photograph was not a good likeness," believing the ID to be a forgery, and saying "the elector failed to answer the prescribed questions satisfactorily" What could possibly go wrong?
179
1K
4K
NEW: The Conservative Party has been found to have repeatedly used “deceptive” tactics of publishing mock newspapers to win over the electorate in all three of today's by-elections
172
2K
4K
Suella Braverman has added her name to a report calling for anyone entering Britain ‘illegally’ (it is legal to seek asylum) to be banned from ever settling in the UK. No proposals for creating new safe routes as far as I can see. It is astonishing freelancing from the Home Sec
198
1K
4K
NEW: At 11 am next Friday, the UK could have a new Prime Minister picked by 180,000 Conservative members – in what will effectively be the UK’s first election of a Prime Minister via an online ballot. The process is almost completely unregulated and unscrutinised
113
1K
4K
Ralph Lynch, a 20 year old voter from Wokingham, had issues with his (valid) student ID when trying to vote today.
He tells
@BylineTimes
: "I used an ID card bearing the PASS hologram as my photo ID, as it was listed on the poll card as being accepted. The polling clerk didn't
113
2K
4K
These are jaw dropping new allegations from ITV on partygate: “Members of staff covered up proof of parties, shredding key documents and destroying evidence prior to the Met Police probes….Aides corroborated their stories before filling out police questionnaires” (via Politico)
141
2K
4K
NEW: Libel lawyers launch case against Lee Anderson MP who on Feb 1 "made defamatory allegations of bribery against Michael Hollis" who runs a local food bank. Anderson claimed in a FB post to 35k followers that brown envelopes of cash changed hands for a planning app by Hollis
96
1K
4K
NEW: The Mail confirms it has suspended Dan Wootton. No news from GB News 🤐
176
1K
4K
NEW: A factory worker making sushi for major British supermarkets including Waitrose says bosses threw away the tips of two of his fingers after an industrial accident - and then suggested he book a Bolt taxi rather than call an ambulance
43
1K
3K
Council official in Luton tells me: “Someone came in this morning and didn’t know they needed ID to vote. He was really upset, saying ‘they’ve taken away my democratic right’. And if you think about it he’s right”
1K
746
3K
Private Eye reports that more Johnsons - e.g. Stanley or Rachel - could be made Lords for life by Boris Johnson in his resignation honours. He already ennobled his brother. This is real last days of Rome stuff if true
111
884
3K
Tory leadership frontrunner Robert Jenrick has received £75,000 from The Spott Fitness Ltd since Rishi Sunak announced his departure
One issue: the company has net assets of minus £90,000 as of its latest accounts. Why does it seem to be funding political donations through debt?
78
2K
3K
NEW: Six in ten Londoners are unaware they will need to bring photo identification with them to vote in the next elections
141
2K
3K
NEW: Nicola Sturgeon has published her tax returns for every tax year since 2014/15. Her sole income is the salary she receives as an MSP and First Minister. Sturgeon: "I hope other party leaders, including the PM, will follow suit in an effort to promote transparency"
35
752
3K
NEW: Jeremy Corbyn is being urged to stand against Sadiq Khan at the next London mayoral election in 2024 as an independent candidate, if he is not reinstated as a Labour MP, according to reports
168
301
3K
BREAKING: Former Tory mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey AM has quit as chair of City Hall's police and crime committee
It follows the Tories admitting last week that he attended a "rule-breaking" Christmas party held at CCHQ last December
155
1K
3K
My friend had to pay a £250 deposit to *view* a flat in London to rent the other week. He offered £150 a month over the asking price to get it. No luck. Someone else could offer more and got it. I know we all know, but the housing market is well and truly screwed
57
306
3K
Wow. Conservative MP Karen Bradley just warned against an 'elected dictatorship', speaking out against the government's plans to lock out scores of MPs
65
911
2K
A damning stat from Paul Johnson from the IFS: the average household in Hartlepool pays nearly 30 times the level of council tax as a proportion of the value of their home as someone in Kensington and Chelsea (1.7% vs 0.06%). It’s an “extraordinary” inequality he says
75
1K
2K
As a journalist I don’t always take public stances on the rights/wrongs of what our politicians get up to. But I am blown away by the mendacity, cavalier rule-breaking, and disrespect this PM shows to the public and our democracy. It is dangerous and irredeemable
54
608
2K
Foreign Sec David Lammy's first speech in the role immediately changes the tone of government re. Britain's international relations
25
277
2K
The admin of a Reform UK supporters' group on Facebook has to tell its members to stop posting Tommy Robinson videos as people might realise they are far right
135
1K
2K
Sunak is saying Birmingham voters are paying higher council tax because of Labour. To be clear, the 20 percent council tax hike (over two years) has come under Tory appointed commissioners who've taken over the council
#bbcdebate
9
841
2K
'A majority of people across these islands will never trust a word the Prime Minister says again.
'Will Tory backbenchers finally grow a spine and remove him from office?' asks
@Ianblackford_MP
52
591
2K
I am sure the Daily Mail's front page tomorrow will be raging against Jacob Rees-Mogg's admission that voter ID was meant to rig the election in the party's favour
44
402
2K
We're about to see the rise of a "Tories for PR" movement aren't we
Does this look like an electoral system that's working?
567
807
6K
9
53
2K
Just sifting through some redacted emails from Jennifer Arcuri. I wonder who this one is to...
Johnson intervened to allow Arcuri onto this trade mission to Israel
Johnson has repeatedly denied any conflict of interest, despite Arcuri confirming they were in a relationship
37
867
2K
NEW: The government has once again voted down a House of Lords amendment that would have introduced checks on donations to political parties to ensure that they are not disguised payments from foreign powers
55
1K
2K
Overwhelmed by the number of emails and messages from voters concerned about "phantom" or super-anonymous Reform UK candidates. Will try and get back to as many as possible - and watch this space on
@BylineTimes
in the coming days...
41
413
2K
NEW: Residents in Boris Johnson’s seat say they feel abandoned by their part-time MP, with the ousted Prime Minister appearing largely absent since leaving office - even more MIA than Matt Hancock
105
515
2K
Pretty worrying - the London Assembly hears that children’s lungs are smaller in Tower Hamlets due to the v high levels of air pollution
30
607
2K
NEW: There were no COBRA meetings, no Cabinet, no emails, no ministerial boxes re. Covid to the PM in a 10 period between 14 and 24 February. Johnson's former PPS says "I can't recall" why. Covid lawyer: It was half term
32
696
2K
OK this is quite funny from Labour's Angela Rayner: "Liz Truss has even crashed the pork market - now that is a disgrace"
4
215
2K
Will be interesting to see how many outlets pick up
@BylineTimes
’ investigation on GB News presenter Dan Wootton - featuring a raft of alleged victims - compared to The Sun’s single-sourced piece on Huw Edwards
26
467
2K
PS: She may very well or indeed probably exists. But it is quite strange how silent and anonymous some Reform candidates have been
45
74
2K
Newsnight editor Stewart Maclean has unexpectedly quit as the BBC considers making dramatic cuts to its flagship current affairs show. What the BBC is doing to news output - local and national - is disastrous for public interest journalism
99
582
2K
NEW: Cuts leading to the closure of two-thirds of police stations in England since 2010 have directly contributed to a rise in violent crime, according to a new study
59
1K
2K
I completely agree we need to be evidence-based in all coverage of Reform UK and other parties.
But this rather sneering piece from the BBC - "Reform fake candidates conspiracy theories debunked" - does not help.
It says *as fact* that Mark Matlock "did not turn up to the
47
309
2K
BREAKING: Here's
@TheGreenParty
co-leader
@jon_bartley
being arrested at
#ExtinctionRebellion
protest on Whitehall
79
704
2K
The Sunday Times reports that Michelle Mone’s house in Belgravia is up for sale. And that she has a £25m estate in the Isle of Man. Yet her Lords declaration of interests on land and property has only one (deleted) entry
32
673
1K
NEW: The government has been accused of “gerrymandering” and “legalised voter suppression” by pushing ahead with mandatory voter ID for next year’s May local elections, amid renewed concerns that young people will be locked out of voting
53
820
1K
The IOPC has looked at allegations of Misconduct in Public Office against Boris Johnson when he was mayor re. his relationship with Arcuri, after the GLA's monitoring officer made a referral. But the probe found that relevant evidence had been deleted in breach of guidance
14
431
1K
NEW: A leading London Conservative MP, Stephen Hammond, says Boris Johnson "doesn't enjoy the trust of the British people" and seems on the verge of calling for him to quit
40
242
1K
The Home Office has no aircraft to deport people to Rwanda. It’s literally not going to happen
150
645
1K
Fitting. The Department for Transport is hiring a “Head of Uncertainty”
112
298
1K
The face of an ousted Chancellor being roasted by his successor on national TV
76
204
1K
NEW: The London Assembly has given its backing to Sadiq Khan's plans to expand the £12.50 a day Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) to the whole of London up to the M25
74
165
1K
Chris Philp, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, was associated with companies that dissolved while owing hundreds of thousands to HM Revenue & Customs, early in his business career, Private Eye reports
10
545
1K
BREAKING: Helen Mountfield QC, Barrister at Matrix Chambers, says the Elections Bill arguably breaches international law
The removal of the independence of the Electoral Commission is 'legally problematic', and breaches the UK's constitutional standards
24
630
1K
NEW: Nadine Dorries has NOT breached the MPs' Code of Conduct by failing to turn up to Parliament in over a year, the Standards Commissioner has ruled
655
603
1K
NEW: Senior Conservative MP Robert Jenrick has registered a £5,000 donation from a company that appears to be inactive – in what could constitute a breach of electoral rules.
Jenrick's team says it was an 'administrative error' and the money came from elsewhere...
@BylineTimes
79
700
1K
EXCLUSIVE: The Government wasted nearly £200,000 of taxpayers’ money on lawyers to fight its unsuccessful legal battle against a demand for unredacted WhatsApp messages from ministers during the pandemic,
@BylineTimes
can reveal
65
760
1K
With Dan Wootton apparently now paying half for his legal fees, he can afford to send out twice as many letters not denying that he’s Martin Branning
31
301
1K
To those saying Georgina doesn't exist or trying to cast doubt on this:
a) I've interviewed her
b) the Met police have literally responded and confirmed the report
c) You are the problem
#ReclaimTheseStreets
17
63
1K
Labour's Ian Lavery MP in the 2nd jobs debate: "This is a full time job. And if it's not...my view is you're not doing the job.
"If you're elected as an MP, 70-odd thousand constituents, I cannot for the life of me understand how members have been able to take other jobs"
20
331
1K
Strange how the first time these outlets cover the Dan Wootton allegations is not by speaking to the alleged victims but by obsequiously leading on his defence and him “fighting back tears”
66
301
1K
Quite astonishing that only Yahoo News has picked up on the threats to the Byline Times team so far. But the solidarity on here and from readers has been wonderful to see 🙏
Really shocking and disturbing that my friend
@peterjukes
is experiencing this. And where the hell is the outrage among our wider press
160
2K
5K
11
358
1K
No 10 just confirmed to me that Michael Gove is addressing National Conservatism conference in an official government capacity. A conference run by a group that views LGBT+ families as invalid
29
471
1K
There will be a new member of staff in *every* polling station whose role is specifically to check people's ID. At enormous cost to all of us. Imagine if we'd spent those millions on boosting voter registration or turnout?
25
255
1K
GB News star Dan Wootton twice used an identical password as the catfishing pseudonyms ‘Martin Branning’ and ‘Maria Joseph’ to subscribe to a movie-sharing website, Byline Times can reveal
The chances of it being a coincidence are “statistically zero”
14
355
1K
High Court judge on Lee Harpin - then at the Mirror, now Jewish News: "The majority of his payments from MGN from 2003- 2005 are likely to have been in respect of [unlawful information gathering]"
20
566
1K
Ms Arcuri’s business had been given £126,000 in public money, and she secured places on three overseas trade missions led by then-mayor Johnson. Arcuri has since admitted they had an affair but both sides have denied any wrongdoing
5
319
1K