Political correspondent at the Guardian. Northerner stranded in the South. Long-suffering Evertonian. Views are mine alone. Got a story? alexandra.topping@theguardian.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3msus7j3hlc2hIt's incredible that the @ukhomeoffice have DOUBLED the amount of paid paternity leave police officers are entitled to after campaigning from @dadshiftuk.bsky.social +others ..and they still only get 2 wks. But it's a start! Better paternity leave = more equality https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/aug/12/paid-police-paternity-leave-double-england-wales12 Aug 2026 09:16 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3msus7j3hlc2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3msurclhfrs2hWhat makes the most Brits feel proud to live in the UK today? Iconic products like tea and fish and chips? The NHS? British humour? Our sporting achievements? Take our SUPER FUN British values quiz! (so, so fun) >> https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/aug/11/hard-work-community-fair-play-britons-shared-values-divisions12 Aug 2026 09:00 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3msurclhfrs2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mqtuswox6s2qCpac (Conservative Political Action Conference) in London’s dockands: Restoring Sovereignty and Integrity to Jorunalism (but not subediting, apparently)17 Jul 2026 13:40 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqtuswox6s2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mqtkgaclrk2jI’m biased but this Today in Focus on Andy Burnham is brilliant- so insightful and compelling, brilliant voices - including that of our @helenpidd.bsky.social over her years as the Guardian’s chief Butnham watcher. That question about Manchester lungs is Peak Pidd https://open.spotify.com/episode/3zZcCNM7XMC3MxXUjMGEZL?si=FUDN8U9PQACLMirNMZwYuA&utm_source=copy-link17 Jul 2026 10:34 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqtkgaclrk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mpl7oyzjo22fI met Julie and Carole in 2022 when they were setting up @killedwomennw.bsky.social with 9 other families. There are few women I admire more. Here's the story of how they changed the law in honour of their murdered daughters >> https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jul/01/imagine-this-was-your-daughter-grieiving-mothers-campaigned-close-sentencing-gap01 Jul 2026 09:35 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpl7oyzjo22fhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mlimjc3j2c2jThis is so blatantly sexist. Poor men, don't they play football too?10 May 2026 11:06 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlimjc3j2c2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mlep3fhqxk2cI can’t believe you noticed!!! 😍 [contains quote post or other embedded content]08 May 2026 21:41 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlep3fhqxk2chttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mlenzu4rh22cI chatted to Lucy Hough before we really knew what was going on and talked about goats 🤷‍♀️>> What next for Labour as Reform wins big in elections? - The Latest https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2026/may/08/what-next-for-labour-as-reform-wins-big-in-local-elections-the-latest?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other08 May 2026 21:22 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlenzu4rh22chttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mkrngknnh22wExcl: Women will be massively underrepresented on ballot papers across the UK next week, with research revealing that almost twice as many men as women are standing as candidates across the local, mayoral and devolved elections https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/01/men-women-candidates-may-elections-england-scotland-wales?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other01 May 2026 07:51 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkrngknnh22whttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mjczj4fc222eExclusive with @peterwalker99.bsky.social - big shake up in British EU stance as minsters introduce bill which would enable the gov to adopt single market rules without a full MPs’ debate and vote as part of UK-EU reset >> https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/apr/12/britain-single-market-rules-uk-eu-reset?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other12 Apr 2026 18:52 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjczj4fc222ehttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mj4zvku4mc2fIn this week's Politics Weekly UK hosted by me and @peterwalker99.bsky.social >> Has Trump taken us to peak Emperor's New Clothes? War ...and could it shift the dial in the local elections https://www.theguardian.com/politics/audio/2026/apr/09/trump-and-the-middle-east-can-starmer-do-anything-podcast10 Apr 2026 09:43 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj4zvku4mc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mh6ybyavlk2oGreat to meet James Timpson for this story. A man in a hurry to try and reform prisons while he can >> https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/16/prisons-women-justice-board-england-wales?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other16 Mar 2026 17:29 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mh6ybyavlk2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mfwoqdql4s2tYes Baz!!!! This is a totally mental game but you know you love to see us score on the back of a Gordon mistake #NEWEVE https://media.tenor.com/adaIqNC035wAAAAC/david-moyes.gif?hh=416&ww=49828 Feb 2026 16:52 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfwoqdql4s2thttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mfrv5w5suk2s“I blame Thatcher”. After months of acrimonious infighting, what now for Your Party? https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/26/leadership-corbyn-settled-but-your-party-struggle-relevance-just-begun?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other26 Feb 2026 19:03 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfrv5w5suk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mfr5xcpnak2i🚨 Jeremy Corbyn set to become the parliamentary leader of Your Party, after an election which also saw his rival Zarah Sultana voted onto the party’s leadership committee.26 Feb 2026 12:08 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfr5xcpnak2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mfr54aanl22iAs a lot of people had expected given their name recognition Zarah Sultana AND Jeremy Corbyn are BOTH voted onto Your Party's leadership committee as "public office holders" As my piece explains below, that's going to make things interesting https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/25/future-of-party-lies-in-balance-corbyn-and-sultanas-battle-for-soul-of-your-party 🍿26 Feb 2026 11:53 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfr54aanl22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mfr4sbw6rk2iWell, I say we're off...lot of process being explained here. 25,347 people voted in the Your Party elections... a 61% turnout [contains quote post or other embedded content]26 Feb 2026 11:47 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfr4sbw6rk2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mfr4k6do6k2iAnd we're off! Andrew Jordan apologises for the delay in the start and says Your Party has achieved something "extraordinary" in building a new socialist movement .... but admits "it's not always been plain sailing" [contains quote post or other embedded content]26 Feb 2026 11:43 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfr4k6do6k2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mfr4dw4nrc2iEnjoying the Your Party members bantz as they wait tho [contains quote post or other embedded content]26 Feb 2026 11:39 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfr4dw4nrc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mfr472ck422iWe were told "The results of the inaugural leadership elections for Your Party will be announced tomorrow, Thursday 26 February at 11am." Well....it's now 11.36, 1,500 are waiting on YouTube and Your Party are promising that the results will be coming shortly [contains quote post or other embedded content]26 Feb 2026 11:37 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfr472ck422ihttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mfqnsxkfjc2q“Anyone that’s chosen can speak,” declared the voice. “Anyone else I will fucking throw out.”>> irate hustings and flying accusations, inside the battle for Your Party >> https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/25/future-of-party-lies-in-balance-corbyn-and-sultanas-battle-for-soul-of-your-party?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other26 Feb 2026 07:19 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfqnsxkfjc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mfetchl5k22yThis week Nigel Farage was accused of patronising a female journalist, hired a hardline anti-abortion theologian as his head of policy and promised to repeal the Equality Act on his party’s first day in government. Does he have a women problem? https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/21/nigel-farage-women-problem-trump-style-provocation-prejudice?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other21 Feb 2026 14:25 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfetchl5k22yhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3mf2vomztac2lSam Freedman is one of the people everyone in Westminster, no matter what their political persuasions, listens to 👀 [contains quote post or other embedded content]17 Feb 2026 15:41 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3mf2vomztac2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3metszbrp4c2iThis interview by Charlotte Higgins with Tracey Emin in today’s Guardian is really a masterclass in arts journalism. She provides content, structure and the space for Emin to breathe, elucidate, be without ever clumsily inserting herself. It is just brilliant https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/feb/14/tracey-emin-interview-tate-modern-regrets-smoking?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other14 Feb 2026 20:05 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3metszbrp4c2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/lexytopping.bsky.social/post/3meqx373r2k2aAs someone who plays a LOT of guess who, this really made me belly laugh [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Feb 2026 16:40 +0000at://did:plc:zhhot4tcjj6vjulpfb5pszio/app.bsky.feed.post/3meqx373r2k2a