Political Correspondent @BBCLookEast. ‘Oh, nonsense!’ - Boris Johnson. Tips: [email protected]. Dad of two, husband to one. Rower.
East of England
Joined April 2008
- Tweets4.4K
- Following1.8K
- Followers4.2K
- Likes327
Pinned Tweet
When a foster care leaver and her foster mother told me this story, I thought it was worth sharing. Thanks both for working with me on it.
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ca…
After prev govt set up Cambridge Growth Company and was reported to want 150,000 new homes in Greater Cambridge, new Housing Minister tells me the city must see "significant growth". bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c51y…
Ben Schofield retweeted
Revealing interview with Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook - tells @benschofield Cambridge ‘must see significant growth’.
Says, Cambridge Growth Company is still on - but not whether will keep the 150k new homes set by Michael Gove.
At 0735: bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:b…
Ben Schofield retweeted
A pleasure to join @ameliareynolds0, @benschofield, @andrewpolitics & the Politics East team in Great Yarmouth today to film their last show of the season. Be sure to tune in on Sunday @ 10am on BBC1.
Ben Schofield retweeted
Exclusive: The Government has incinerated or written off £1.4 BILLION worth of Covid PPE, provided by one supplier in the summer of 2020 - it is the single most wasteful public contract of the whole pandemic. Thread 1/
Ben Schofield retweeted
This is a bittersweet victory for a three-year campaign. I couldn't say much about this at the time but it feels a hollow victory given the fatal consequences of the knives sold by this Luton based business. 1/
bbc.com/news/articles/c2xx8j…
Ben Schofield retweeted
Thank you @benschofield Great investigative journalism sir
Ben Schofield retweeted
I'm quoted in this article about DNA Leisure's announcement that they are stopping selling knives and other bladed articles. Thanks to @benschofield for covering this story. #knifecrime
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2xx…
Online shop that supplied blades to at least 2 teen killers says it won’t sell knives or swords. Follows our story of how 16-yr-old bought 79 blades from DNA, before using 1 to kill. DNA said it followed all UK laws & the knives were bought fraudulently.
bbc.com/news/articles/c2xx8j…
.@gmhales says DNA has ‘done the right thing’, but that repeat purchases by Rayis Nibeel ‘seemingly without DNA Leisure raising any concerns about the numbers involved’ was ‘inexcusable’. Nibeel was 16 when he bought the weapons and went on to murder Omar Khan in Luton.
And @FestAKINBUSOYE, who raised concerns about DNA when he was @BedsPCC, said: ‘Parliament needs to take a serious look at the ease with which people can get access to these zombie knives, swords and machetes online. The police can only do so much.’
Ben Schofield retweeted
'We won't see this road improve in our lifetime' bbc.com/news/articles/cl44vg…
Ben Schofield retweeted
Some shocking failures here, including on the part of DNA Leisure in not picking up the pattern of purchases.
I increasingly favour a ban on online sales.
'How a teenage murderer got 79 knives delivered to his door'
#theresthatknifeagain #knifecrime
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn3d…
Ben Schofield retweeted
I thank @benschofield for covering this disturbing story for BBC. While in office as PCC, I raised concerns about a business based in Luton, Bedfordshire, selling the 'Gucci knife of gangs'.
For what purpose would someone be selling knives like these? 1/
bbc.com/news/articles/cn3dpx…
Ben Schofield retweeted
Join the team making #BBCBreakfast and the BBC News at One.
We have a fantastic opportunity based at Media City in Salford.
Details here 👉 careers.bbc.co.uk/job/Salfor…
Ben Schofield retweeted
📢 Final week! 📢
What stories do you think @BBC should be reporting?
If you're 11-18 years old and have a great story to tell, we want to know!
➡️ bbc.co.uk/youngreportercompe…
➡️ bbc.co.uk/cystadleuaethgoheb…
The #BBCYoungReporterCompetition deadline is Sunday 24 March 2024 at 11pm
Ben Schofield retweeted
🆕 Local government minister Simon Hoare has written to local authorities reminding them it is possible to obscure some councillor details.
ALT Letter from local government minister Simon Hoare MP - "Withholding details of councillors’ sensitive interests and home addresses. In response to recent concerns from elected members about intimidation in public life, I want to ensure that all councillors and elected mayors are aware of the sensitive provisions in Section 32 of the Localism Act 2011. The sensitive interests’ provisions provide for details about a registered interest to be excluded from versions of the Register of Interests available for public inspection (or published online) where a member and monitoring officer agree that the disclosure of that interest could lead to violence or intimidation of them or their family. They provide for members to disclose that they have an interest but for the details to be withheld from the public register."
Ben Schofield retweeted
I was first elected as a councillor nearly thirty-three years ago; the level of abuse and intimidation is far worse now than it was then. At the time the video (published by a South Cambridgeshire Independent councillor) to which Cllr Meschini refers was being circulated [1/2]
Thanks to @Fest4BedsPCC @Cllr_H_Williams Elisa Meschini and @bizmcd for speaking to me for this piece. Some shocking - even criminal - experiences of abuse our elected reps have encountered.
Ben Schofield retweeted
Due to legal reasons, I have not been able to speak about one of the most traumatic incidents I have been subjected to in my role as Bedfordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner until now. 1/
Ben Schofield retweeted
We’ve a shocking report from @benschofield on how some of local elected representatives are treated by the public, also hungry children eating sand, upgrading the national grid & @reformparty_uk . With @labourlewis @LouiseMcKinlay & @mariecgoldman
