Photo of Catherine Neilan
Catherine Neilan

Whitehall Editor

Catherine Neilan is the Whitehall Editor at The Observer. She has been a political journalist since 2014, and has been based in the UK's Parliament since 2017, working for titles including the Daily Telegraph and CityAM. Before that she was a business journalist, covering sectors including retail, publishing and the TV industry.

Photo of Catherine Neilan

Catherine Neilan

Whitehall Editor

Catherine Neilan is the Whitehall Editor at The Observer. She has been a political journalist since 2014, and has been based in the UK's Parliament since 2017, working for titles including the Daily Telegraph and CityAM. Before that she was a business journalist, covering sectors including retail, publishing and the TV industry.

  • Catherine Neilan
    Eccles ‘tactical bellwether’ in 2029 fight against Reform

    Labour constituency one of 400 up for grabs at next election, according to new polling, with more strategic voting expected at the ballot box

    Thu, 11 Sept 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Covid jab may have caused royal cancers, says Reform speaker

    Cardiologist at conference says studies show MRNA vaccines could interfere with genes

    Sun, 7 Sept 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    How Epping lit the fuse on migrant hotels crisis

    Nationwide protests fizzle out after few answer the call in the wake of legal ruling

    Sun, 24 Aug 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    There’s gold in bullion adverts for fill-your-boots Farage

    A £280,000 payment to the MP for promotional work raises questions over the lack of clarity in his register of interests

    Sun, 24 Aug 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Take tougher line on asylum human rights, judges told

    Ministers will set out guidance on how judges use Article 8, which protects the right to family life

    Sat, 23 Aug 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Farage’s £13,000 speech to anti-abortion extremists

    Reform leader’s praise for the “grassroots army” raises questions about his stance on their extreme views

    Sat, 23 Aug 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Home secretary doubles down following surge in prosecutions

    Up to 1,000 more protesters plan to declare support for proscribed group, risking arrest

    Sun, 17 Aug 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Behind closed doors: Lords decide their interests need less scrutiny

    Sun, 17 Aug 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    The Vance guard: the new right being cooked up in the Cotswolds

    The vice-president shared BBQ and beers with allies whose thinktank has come to the attention of the Electoral Commission

    Sun, 17 Aug 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    More Gazan children will come to UK for treatment

    ‘Their welfare is the world’s priority’ MP says after just two young girls granted medical visas since war began

    Fri, 25 Jul 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Reeves is missing the key people to find the missing billions

    The exit of key figures at the Treasury has put the chancellor under pressure to shape policy

    Fri, 25 Jul 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Budget cuts close UK body tackling antimicrobial resistance

    Move to close Fleming Fund also threatens standing as a reliable global partner

    Sun, 20 Jul 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Data leak puts spotlight on dark deeds of special forces

    MP warns that unit could have its wings clipped after murder allegations

    Sat, 19 Jul 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Women are falling further behind as pension gap widens

    Women’s private pension pots reach £81,000 on average in their late 50s, while men of the same age hold around £156,000, new DWP research shows

    Sat, 19 Jul 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Where can Rachel Reeves raise tax?

    Online gambling? A wealth tax? Or even – gasp – tinkering with the triple lock? The chancellor has to do something…

    Sun, 13 Jul 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe cleared by parliamentary watchdog

    Standards commissioner completes investigation into the registration of £600,000 collected through a crowdfunding appeal

    Fri, 11 Jul 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Reeves’ tears: a key image that defines this moment

    Whether the chancellor’s emotional reaction at PMQs was personal or political, it underlines a perception of chaos in the government

    Sun, 6 Jul 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Why the Co-op party is Labour’s best shot at stopping Reform’s rise

    Longtime Labour ally the Co-op party believes community empowerment can counter populism

    Sat, 5 Jul 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Labour’s welfare rebellion is a pyrrhic victory for Keir Starmer

    The question is not whether the passing of Starmer’s new welfare bill has caused damage to the government, but how much?

    Wed, 2 Jul 2025

  • Catherine Neilan
    Inside the government’s secretive crisis control room

    The SitCen team is working on a tool which will give officials access to real-time crisis data, such as public health risks. One thing they can't predict: human behaviour

    Tue, 29 Apr 2025

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