Pippa Crerar

Crerar was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in June 1976. She spent her childhood in Edinburgh and in Glasgow, where she attended The Glasgow Academy.[1] Her father ran a printing company and her mother is an academic. Crerar attended Newcastle University, where she studied English. She was a Scott Trust Bursary recipient on City University's postgraduate newspaper journalism course.[2]

Before joining the Daily Mirror, Crerar worked as Political Correspondent and City Hall editor for the Evening Standard[3] throughout Boris Johnson’s tenure as London Mayor. She has also previously been deputy political editor at The Guardian,[4] where she was a presenter of the Politics Weekly podcast.[5] Crerar is a presenter of BBC Radio 4's programme The Week in Westminster,[6] and has appeared regularly on The Andrew Marr Show, Politics Live, as well as weekly on Sky News.[7]

Crerar was the Daily Mirror's political editor from 2018 to 2022.[8] She was chair of the Parliamentary Press Gallery 2020/21.[9]

In May 2020, Crerar revealed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's special adviser Dominic Cummings had broken COVID-19 lockdown rules by travelling from London to County Durham while experiencing symptoms of the disease, and that he had been investigated by police. Cummings made a statement in the garden of 10 Downing Street acknowledging his movements, but retained his position.[10]

In November 2021, Crerar published an article stating that a Christmas party had taken place in Downing Street in 2020, in contravention of lockdown rules.[11] The article was followed by further articles in the Mirror, as well as content from other publications and broadcasters alleging further parties in what became known as Partygate.[12] In December 2021, she published a photograph in the Mirror showing former Conservative London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey at a Christmas party in December 2020.[13] In January 2022, she published further articles on Partygate, including on "wine time" Fridays at Downing Street[14] and a festive quiz.[15] On January 25, the Metropolitan Police announced that it would investigate Downing Street parties during lockdown.[16]

In March 2022, the British Journalism Review said of Crerar: "Our profession should ultimately be about only one thing: fearless truth-telling and truthful reporting, regardless of the consequences. She’s shown how the job should be done, and in the process played a major role in turning the Mirror back into a paper of which its legendary campaigning boss Hugh Cudlipp could feel proud".[17]

Crerar became political editor of The Guardian in August 2022, succeeding Heather Stewart.[18]

Crerar was Political Reporter of the Year at the Society of Editors' Press Awards 2020, where she also won Scoop of the Year. The judges said: "Crerar has had a fantastic year, showing tenacity, courage and persistence in her reporting". She won Scoop of the Year at the British Journalism Awards 2020 and at the London Press Club Awards 2020/21.[19][20][21]

Crerar was portrayed by Jasmine Hyde in the sixth episode of the 2022 docudrama This England.[22]