Photo of John Simpson
John Simpson

Home Affairs Editor

John has been the Home Affairs Editor of The Observer since April 2025. An award-winning crime journalist of 15 years, he has specialised in covering organised crime, policing, terrorism and the drivers of extreme violence. He spent more than a decade as crime correspondent for The Times newspaper and his podcast series, Who Killed CJ Davis?, won best true crime podcast at the British Podcast Awards in 2021.

Photo of John Simpson

John Simpson

Home Affairs Editor

John has been the Home Affairs Editor of The Observer since April 2025. An award-winning crime journalist of 15 years, he has specialised in covering organised crime, policing, terrorism and the drivers of extreme violence. He spent more than a decade as crime correspondent for The Times newspaper and his podcast series, Who Killed CJ Davis?, won best true crime podcast at the British Podcast Awards in 2021.

  • John Simpson
    Prestigious Guernsey college opens investigation into child sexual abuse

    Former pupils of Elizabeth College allege that the school dismissed their allegations going back to the 1970s

    Sun, 19 Apr 2026

  • John Simpson
    Arson attacks on Jewish targets may be linked to group recruiting teens on Snapchat

    Proxies for Iran or Hezbollah could be behind wave of fire bombings and foiled plots in London and across Europe

    Sat, 18 Apr 2026

  • John Simpson
    Boxing ‘crime boss’ to be extradited to Ireland after arrest in Dubai

    Daniel Kinahan, who represented Tyson Fury, was detained under a new extradition treaty between Ireland and the UAE

    Sat, 18 Apr 2026

  • John Simpson
    Shot in broad daylight: 14-year-old killed in London

    A teenager has been charged with the murder of Eghosa Ogbebor in Woolwich, as other suspect remains in custody

    Sun, 12 Apr 2026

  • John Simpson
    Call for new funeral laws after families given the wrong ashes

    Bereaved decry ‘shocking’ lack of protection for the deceased as man pleads guilty to 67 charges related to burials

    Sun, 5 Apr 2026

  • John Simpson
    Social media ‘cesspits’ stoke anti-Muslim hostility, says ex-law chief

    As the government finally agree on how to define anti-Muslim hatred, many Muslims continue to face abuse online

    Sun, 22 Mar 2026

  • John Simpson
    Grenfell handprints wrecked despite government promise to families

    Campaigners’ hopes that stairwell wall had been saved for memorial are dashed after news that it has been destroyed

    Sun, 15 Mar 2026

  • John Simpson
    Grenfell Tower families save victim handprints

    Government pauses ‘meaningless and cruel’ demolition after campaigners threatened judicial review

    Sun, 8 Mar 2026

  • John Simpson
    ‘There will be few tears’. But Huntley’s death highlights grim state of prisons

    The death of the Soham killer will raise crucial questions over how inmates with nothing to lose are managed

    Sun, 8 Mar 2026

  • John Simpson
    Staff shortages cripple range of UK industries after Labour’s drastic migration cuts

    Britain faces scarcity of cancer scientists, chefs and butchers as ministers say Shabana Mahmood has ‘lost the room’

    Sat, 7 Mar 2026

  • John Simpson
    Viral memes fuel hysteria over school fight clubs

    Letters have been sent to millions of parents warning of violence between children inspired by ‘red vs blue’ TikTok videos

    Sat, 28 Feb 2026

  • John Simpson
    Tears for a clown – but Philippe Gaulier leaves the stage in good humour

    At an unconventional wake in Paris, ex-pupils tell tales of the entertainer who taught them with brutal and hilarious wit – and bought their secrets with champagne

    Sun, 22 Feb 2026

  • John Simpson
    King grants police access to all files, despite courtiers’ cover-up fears

    Palace officials worry that opening up documents for investigation could reveal that senior royal staff turned a blind eye to the former prince’s activities

    Sat, 21 Feb 2026

  • John Simpson
    The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

    Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew the Duke of York, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.   In this episode, Giles Whittell is joined by The Observer's Political Editor Rachel Sylvester, Home Affairs Editor John Simpson and Professor of the History of Monarchy at City, University of London, Anna Whitelock. They discuss the details of the arrest, possible fallout and impact on the monarchy  

    21 min • S1, E314

  • John Simpson
    Police establish group to look into UK-related Epstein claims

    At least three police forces are examining allegations linked to the late sex offender, including those related to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

    Sun, 15 Feb 2026

  • John Simpson
    Police spent ‘astonishing’ £10m tackling Palestine Action

    Huda Ammori, who brought the judicial review against the group’s proscription, condemns the decision to spend taxpayers’ money ‘to pursue an unlawful ban’

    Sun, 15 Feb 2026

  • John Simpson
    Palestine Action activist speaks out after release from jail

    Thu, 12 Feb 2026

  • John Simpson
    Teens fear their peers can’t sort fact from fiction

    For the first time 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote – but many are not confident in their ability to sniff out fake news

    Sun, 8 Feb 2026

  • John Simpson
    ‘What I have experienced pales in comparison with what Palestinian prisoners go through’

    Palestine Action protester Zoe Rogers has no regrets after spending 18 months on remand in jail before being freed last week

    Sun, 8 Feb 2026

  • John Simpson
    Files suggest Epstein had close links to Branson as Starmer urges Andrew to testify

    Newly released documents turn the spotlight back onto the former prince, whom the prime minister says ‘should be prepared’ to speak before the US Congress

    Sun, 1 Feb 2026

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