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Wed, 30 April 2025
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Sophie Church

Sophie Church

@sophiealichurch

Sophie Church is a Reporter at The House magazine.

“It’s A Language, A Culture': Labour MP Jen Craft On Using Sign Language In Parliament
Parliament
“It’s A Language, A Culture": Labour MP Jen Craft On Using Sign Language In Parliament
Jen Craft, the Labour MP for Thurrock, tells Sophie Church about campaigning alongside Morgan McSweeney and her fight to improve the lives of disabled people
British Defence Firms Leading Push To Repair Equipment For Ukraine
Defence
British Defence Firms Leading Push To Repair Equipment For Ukraine
British firms are set to lead an international push to repair armoured vehicles and other vital equipment for use back on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Space Is A Growing Battlefield. Can The UK Lead The Way?
Defence
Space Is A Growing Battlefield. Can The UK Lead The Way?
To the anguish of the space industry, the UK is the only country to have successfully developed, and then abandoned, a satellite launch capability. That was over 50 years ago. But with the nature of conflict evolving, nowadays government is taking space much more seriously, reports Sophie Church
Kensington and Bayswater MP Joe Powell: 'We Are At A Record-Low For Trust in Government'
Communities
Kensington and Bayswater MP Joe Powell: "We Are At A Record-Low For Trust in Government"
Labour’s Kensington and Bayswater MP Joe Powell tells Sophie Church the UK must get its house in order to fight corruption
Close The Loophole Letting Elon Musk Donate To Reform, Says Labour MP
Foreign affairs
Close The Loophole Letting Elon Musk Donate To Reform, Says Labour MP
Elon Musk could give money to political candidates to bypass government’s clampdown on donating to UK parties, a Labour MP has warned.
Palantir Boss Louis Mosley: Keir Starmer 'Gets' AI, 'You Could See In His Eyes'
Technology
By Sophie Church
Palantir Boss Louis Mosley: Keir Starmer "Gets" AI, "You Could See In His Eyes"
In a bid to boost growth, Labour has thrown open government’s doors to controversial US tech firm Palantir. In his first ever sit-down interview, Palantir’s UK chief Louis Mosley tells Sophie Church how it is revolutionising the work of government departments. Photography By Dinendra Haria
Duty of Candour In NHS 'Not Working', Says Inquiry Chair
Health
Duty of Candour In NHS "Not Working", Says Inquiry Chair
The NHS is failing to be honest with patients when things go wrong, according to a former chair of investigations into preventable deaths on maternity wards.
“There Are Very Significant Skills Challenges': Sir John Armitt
Economy
By Sophie Church
“There Are Very Significant Skills Challenges": Sir John Armitt
As the government unveils 150 infrastructure projects, National Infrastructure Commission chair Sir John Armitt tells Sophie Church the UK needs to be realistic about how it will deliver them
Ministers Poised To Demand Inquiry Recommendations Are Enforced
Communities
Ministers Poised To Demand Inquiry Recommendations Are Enforced
The government is considering introducing a new oversight body to ensure the recommendations of public inquiries are implemented, PoliticsHome understands.
Boost Defence Spending Using Private Finance, Says Arms Industry
Defence
Boost Defence Spending Using Private Finance, Says Arms Industry
Defence manufacturers are urging the government to use private finance models to fill capability gaps as Britain looks to rearm rapidly.
Lib Dems At Odds With Party Members Over Gender Self-ID, Poll Suggests
Communities
Lib Dems At Odds With Party Members Over Gender Self-ID, Poll Suggests
A new poll suggests a split between the Liberal Democrat leadership and party members as they prepare to vote on changing gender self-identification policy.
MPs Urge Government To Act Faster On Cross-Party Social Care Talks
Health
MPs Urge Government To Act Faster On Cross-Party Social Care Talks
For three decades, ministers have failed to fix a broken social care system. Sophie Church asks whether, finally, a solution can survive electioneering
Government Says It's Not 'Appropriate' For Committee To Scrutinise Security Adviser
Defence
Government Says It's Not "Appropriate" For Committee To Scrutinise Security Adviser
The government has backed national security adviser Jonathan Powell in his refusal to appear before the parliamentary committee responsible for directly scrutinising his role.
Inside the Lib Dems' swivel to small business
Political parties
By Sophie Church
Inside the Lib Dems' swivel to small business
With many asking what the Liberal Democrats will do next, Sophie Church explores the party’s pivot to small business
Growing Frustration Within Team Restoring Parliament Over Slow Progress
Parliament
By Sophie Church
Growing Frustration Within Team Restoring Parliament Over Slow Progress
There is an increasing sense of frustration at the highest levels of the Restoration and Renewal (R&R) programme leadership, as the project faces yet further delays.
'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
By Sophie Church
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
By Sophie Church
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.