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Ashley Cowburn

@ashcowburn.bsky.social
19K followers 283 following 166 posts

Deputy Political Editor, The Mirror ashley.cowburn@mirror.co.uk

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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
In an interview with The Mirror, she says: "I feel very frustrated and angry that the US went into this war without a clear exit plan, without a clear idea of what they were trying to achieve."
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Exclusive: Rachel Reeves hits out at Donald Trump Iran war 'folly' hitting UK families www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Rachel Reeves hits out at Donald Trump Iran war 'folly' hitting Brit families
In an interview with The Mirror, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she was 'very frustrated and angry' at America's actions as families across Britain suffer the consequences
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Aspinall adds on the Hillsborough Law and previous scandals: "The truth costs nothing, absolutely nothing. "But look at how much it costs to tell lies and cover-up - millions upon millions of pounds it's cost this country for the lies and cover-up. "How long can that go on for?"
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall tells Keir Starmer to honour promise and get law sorted 'ASAP' Aspinall - who introduced PM at Labour conf - says: "Do what you promised. You've not only promised it to me, you've promised it to the people of this country." www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Hillsborough campaigner tells PM to honour promise and get law sorted 'ASAP'
Margaret Aspinall, whose 18-year-old son James was among the 97 people killed in the 1989 tragedy, said she was frustrated by delays to the landmark Hillsborough Law
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Keir Starmer says Trump used words on Chagos Island "for the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland". "He wants me to yield on my position, and I'm not going to do so." www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
PM turns on Donald Trump in strongest criticism yet - 'UK will not yield'
Keir Starmer tells MPs Donald Trump hit out at the Chagos Islands deal for the 'express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland...
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
"I'm not making any money as a result of being an MP, quite the opposite, I'm making it because I'm Nigel Farage and I've got other interests." 😬 www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Nigel Farage moans over £94k salary as he gives excuse for 17 conduct breaches
Nigel Farage, who has breached the MPs' code of conduct 17 times by failing to register financial interests on time, gave an extraordinary defence about the money he earns
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Nigel Farage breaks MPs' code of conduct with 17 breaches www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Nigel Farage breaks MPs' code of conduct with 17 breaches
Nigel Farage has breached the MPs' code of conduct 17 times by registering financial interests late. This is a Breaking News story.
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
A Reform defector has been accused of a "staggering act of hypocrisy" for griping about the Chagos Islands deal despite begging Joe Biden for an almost identical agreement. Exclusive from @daveburke12.bsky.social www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Reform 'hypocrite' blasted as letter to Joe Biden about Chagos Islands emerges
Andrew Rosindell, who defected to Nigel Farage's Reform UK at the weekend, wrote to Joe Biden in December 2020 saying failure to 'decolonise' the Chagos Islands was causing international anger
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 17/01/2026
Breaking: Donald Trump says the UK and other European countries will be hit with a 10% tariff "on any and all goods" sent to the US from February 1. Will go up to 25% from June unless a deal is reached to buy Greenland www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Donald Trump slaps UK with tariffs for opposing him on Greenland
Donald Trump says he plans to impose import tariffs on goods from a string of countries - including the UK - with eye-watering tariffs as he sticks to his mad plan to own Greenland.
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Former Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi who once likened Nigel Farage to Hitler's propagandist has been unveiled as Reform's latest Conservative defector - with @daveburke12.bsky.social www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Ex-Tory Chancellor sacked over tax spat defects to Nigel Farage's Reform
Former Tory MP and Cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi briefly served as Chancellor between July and September 2022 during the dying days of Boris Johnson's premiership
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Breaking: Ofcom launches probe into Elon Musk's X over Grok deepfake images www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
UK regulator launches probe into Elon Musk's X over Grok deepfake images
We'll be bringing you the latest updates on this Breaking Politics News story
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
London homicide rate drops to historic low - as Sadiq Khan hits out at those 'talking city down' www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
London homicide rate drops as Sadiq Khan blasts those 'talking city down'
New data shows London's homicide rate is considerably lower than cities including New York, Berlin, Toronto and Philadephia
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Benefit claimants risk being pushed into poverty by unacceptable government delays, MPs warn Public Accounts Committee highlights some people are waiting over a year for their PIP claims to be processed www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
DWP delays risk pushing disability PIP benefit claimants into poverty, MPs warn
MPs on the Public Accounts Committee said some benefit claimants have been left waiting over a year for their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims to be processed
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
Sunday’s @mirror.co.uk front page
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
Kinnock says the Tories left the country in a state "that would make Charles Dickens furious". Ending the two-child benefit limit would be the "immediate and direct way of trying to correct the conditions the government inherited," he adds
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
Exclusive: Neil Kinnock says the two-child benefit limit should be scrapped to lift kids out of poverty Former Labour leader says it could be paid for by a tax on assets of the super-rich or extra levies on the top 1% www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
'Scrap Tory two-child benefit limit to lift kids out poverty'
In an interview with The Mirror, the former Labour leader Neil Kinnock said the Tories had left the country in a state that would 'make Charles Dickens furious' with 'intolerable' hardship
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
Inside Labour's benefits rebellion as Keir Starmer faces biggest revolt yet. "A lot of people have now decided they are more frightened of the voters than they are of the whips," one MP said. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Inside Labour's benefits rebellion as Keir Starmer faces biggest revolt yet
One MP told The Mirror of those previously wavering on a key benefits vote: 'A lot of people have now decided they are more frightened of the voters than they are of the whips'
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Some parish news — delighted to be promoted today to Deputy Political Editor at The Mirror 🎉
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Reposted by Ashley Cowburn
Kevin Maguire @kevmag.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Really classy Daily Mirror front page on the 80th anniversary of VE Day. This Philip Zec celebrated cartoon was in the paper on this day in 1945
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Front page of @DailyMirror on May 8, 1945 - 80 years ago today.
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
Breaking: Downing Street rules out U-turn on winter fuel payment cut for millions of pensioners www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Prime Minister rules out U-turn on winter fuel cut for millions of pensioners
Labour MPs said last week the controversial cut to winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners was raised on the doorstep by voters at the local elections as anger mounts
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
NEW: Andy Burnham suggests at @resfoundation.bsky.social event the government should introduce a target for new social homes of at least half a million by the end of the decade. He says it would help "end the housing crisis" and prevent kids from having to put up with "damp and mould"
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
Single mum Carly Newman used to be employed part-time and received Universal Credit to top up her income. One day she found her claim had been cancelled - leaving her struggling to pay rent. Here’s what she told me of the welfare system
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
John Stainton was diagnosed with MS at the age of 60 - but faced a 15-month wait and an appeal process to get the PIP he was entitled to. The former MoD civil servant, who was awarded an OBE for his work in Afghanistan, says the DWP needs to treat people with more compassion.
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Reposted by Ashley Cowburn
Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
Benefit claimants give verdict on welfare system - 'You're not treated as human’ @DailyMirror spoke to some people about their experience of Universal Credit/PIP benefits www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
DWP claimants give verdict on welfare system - 'You're not treated as human'
Amnesty International's new research, which involves interviews with hundreds of people on benefits, claims the current welfare system is 'consciously cruel' and ruining lives
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
Benefit claimants give verdict on welfare system - 'You're not treated as human’ @DailyMirror spoke to some people about their experience of Universal Credit/PIP benefits www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
DWP claimants give verdict on welfare system - 'You're not treated as human'
Amnesty International's new research, which involves interviews with hundreds of people on benefits, claims the current welfare system is 'consciously cruel' and ruining lives
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 21/04/2025
Elections guru John Curtice writes for The Mirror ahead of next week’s local elections He suggests the Tories face losing hundreds of seats — they have the “most to lose”. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
'Reform UK may have just enough support to win hundreds of seats from Tories'
Sir John Curtice - of the country's top elections experts - writes in The Mirror the Tories 'have the most to lose' when voters head to ballot box in next week's local elections
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
Keir Starmer has failed to meet his promise at last year's Lab conference in Liverpool to introduce a "Hillsborough Law" ahead of today's 36th anniversary of the tragedy. No10 says more time is needed for best version of Bill. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Starmer misses anniversary Hillsborough law deadline - 'huge disappointment'
Keir Starmer promised to introduce a 'Hillsborough Law' by the 36th anniversary of the tragedy - but No10 insists more time is needed to create the 'best version' of the legislation
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
Nigel Farage to LBC on his pal Donald Trump's tariff chaos: "I think Trump did too much too soon, rather like Liz Truss did a couple of years ago."
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Exclusive: Liz Kendall admits it will be a personal failure if child poverty rates still rising at next election "Child poverty will be going down," she says, despite warning 50k extra kids will be in poverty as a result of last week's benefit cuts www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Liz Kendall admits it would be a 'failure' if child poverty is rising in 5 years
The Work and Pensions Secretary told The Mirror child poverty "will be going down" - despite a grim official analysis of her department's welfare cuts
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
Andy Burnham tells the Work and Pensions Committee: "Benefits policy in this country is too much - under all governments - been written to create headlines to please certain newspapers and not actually do the job of encouraging the recovery of people to a better position in their life."
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
Thursday’s @politics.mirror.co.uk front page
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
Stephen Fry, Stanley Tucci, and Arlene Phillips among stars demanding benefit cuts U-turn www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Stephen Fry and Stanley Tucci among stars demanding benefit cuts U-turn
Former Strictly judge Dame Arlene Phillips said: 'Our social security system should be rooted in justice and compassion, able to be there for us all...cutting disability benefits is shameful'
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Also suggests almost half (48.9%) of members believe Labour is heading in the wrong direction.
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Interesting Cabinet league table of @LabourList readers, who say they are Labour members. Miliband tops survey of most liked member of the Cabinet - with Rayner in second place.   Starmer ranked 17th while Kendall and Reeves only ministers with unfavourable ratings.
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
NEW: Blackpool MP Chris Webb says PIP cuts will be a "devastating blow for many of my constituents who are already on the edge". He adds: "I will never vote for anything that makes people in Blackpool poorer - and some of these reforms could do exactly that."
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Reposted by Ashley Cowburn
George Eaton @georgeeaton.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Diane Abbott is far from the only Labour MP who believes there isn't a moral case for cutting benefits – opposition stretches well beyond the Socialist Campaign Group. www.newstatesman.com/politics/lab...
newstatesman.com
A Labour welfare revolt is still brewing
As many as 40 of Keir Starmer’s MPs are threatening to rebel against benefit cuts.
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Labour MP Diane Abbott tells Starmer to drop the "moral" arguments for benefit cuts. "There is nothing moral about cutting benefits for what may be up to a million people," she tells him. "This is not about morality - this is about the Treasury's wish to balance the books" on the back of poorest.
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Ministers have recently criticised speculation over benefit cuts as causing anxiety among claimants. Today they have failed to produce an impact assessment alongside their proposed changes. Instead, people will be forced to wait until next week's spring statement. Not sure that line will hold.
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
Labour MP Debbie Abrahams - chair of the Work and Pensions Committee - says she appreciates difficult financial situation. *BUT* she warns benefit cuts are the largest cuts in social security since 2015 and warns ministers "not to balance the books" on the backs of sick and disabled.
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
He adds: "Cutting benefits will cause a surge in food bank use and lead to poverty levels last seen in the 1980s. "... backbench Labour MPs must oppose these cuts and demand that ministers introduce a wealth tax to fund public services and pay."
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
FBU's Steve Wright urges Labour MPs to vote against cuts to disability benefits. He says today: "The government's drastic cuts to disability and welfare benefits are a Thatcherite assault on the welfare state...
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
General Secretary of Unison, Christina McAnea, also warns: “If the government wants to cut welfare spending, the focus should be on making work pay. That means acting against employers paying poverty wages… “Not penalising those who are, in many cases, are too ill or disabled to ever work."
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
Unite’s Sharon Graham to @mirrorpolitics on planned benefit changes: “The government seems to be making the wrong choices… “… Why are we in a situation where we're pitting the poorest against the poorest while wealthiest go relatively untouched?” www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Keir Starmer issued warning on eve of huge DWP benefit cuts announcement
Keir Starmer's Cabinet will meet on Tuesday to sign-off a controversial package of reforms to sickness and disability benefits - before the plans are announced to MPs
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
​The Labour MP Steve Witherden said: "Given nearly half of families in poverty have a disabled member and without PIP an additional 700,000... could be pushed into poverty, I am concerned that the rumoured cuts will not help people into work, but will instead drive people into further destitution."
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
Lib Dem MP Liz Jarvis aks : "Can the minister reassure my constituents that disability benefits for people who are unable to work will not be cut?" Timms replies saying the current system is "failing the very people it is supposed to help" and urges people to wait for proposals. But no commitment.
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
DWP minister Stephen Timms commits in the Commons to publishing a full impact assessment of disability benefit reforms/cuts in "due course".
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
Labour MP Richard Burgon raises benefit cuts at PMQs, saying his constituents are "frightened". He suggests the "moral thing to do" would be to introduce a wealth tax on the super-rich - rather than cut benefits for disabled people.
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
👇 www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Keir Starmer ally hits out at DWP benefit cut plan in rare public criticism
Trades Union Congress General Secretary Paul Nowak warned: 'A major lesson from the Tory years is that austerity damaged the nation’s health. We must not make the same mistake again'
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Ashley Cowburn @ashcowburn.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
Labour MP Nadia Whittome tells BBC Radio 4 Today: "It was wrong when David Cameron cut welfare. It would be wrong for us to do that now." She adds: "It's my responsibility as a backbench Labour MP... to speak out when my party is getting it wrong and we are getting it badly wrong on this."
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