Sign in

Robert Wright

@reporterrwright.ft.com
5.8K followers 1.3K following 3.7K posts

Newsroom reporter at the Financial Times, clergy spouse, rider of bicycles. "I just wanted to see something new every day and tell a story with it": Gus Haynes.

PostsRepliesMedia
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 2h
The first 300 clicks on that link are free. After that, the piece is at www.ft.com/content/bb55... Anyone lacking a subscription can register and read three articles monthly free at www.ft.com/register
ft.com
‘Strong indications’ Iran was involved in RAF Fairford incident, says Andy Burnham
Prime minister says the UK is working closely with the US administration following the release of five suspects on bail
030
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 2h
Can't get your head round the various theories about what went on at RAF Fairford early on Sunday? Let @lucyfisher.ft.com and me guide you through some of the theories as Andy Burnham says there are "strong indications" Iran had a role: as.ft.com/r/e4935c2a-8...
as.ft.com
‘Strong indications’ Iran was involved in RAF Fairford incident, says Andy Burnham
Prime minister says the UK is working closely with the US administration following the release of five suspects on bail
384
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 29/09/2026
I've checked and it looks as if the bulk of the vehicles are still built at the site in Mioveni, near Pitești, that I visited in 1999. There's some work in Morocco. But the vehicles are mainly from central Europe's leading Romance language country.
140
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 29/09/2026
A former Budapest correspondent of the FT writes. Under Communism, Dacia made Renault copies under licence. I went to the factory around the time Renault bought it at privatisation. They used it as their emerging markets brand, building many of the vehicles in Morocco.
161
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 29/09/2026
Sorry you had that experience. US hub airports can be nightmarish.
010
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 29/09/2026
When I lived in the US, US Airways had very competitive prices and a hub in Charlotte. I have changed planes there a lot. I spent a night in a motel near there after bad weather meant I missed my connection. The area round the motel felt like the kind of area one hears about in US true crime stories
130
Reposted by Robert Wright
Leonie V. Hicks @lvhicks.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Happy feast of St Michael and All Angels! May you defeat the dragons bothering you today.
46015
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 28/09/2026
In other news, it seems super off-peak singles are valid on this service.
010
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 28/09/2026
Why does every public-facing employee in the UK now reply "perfect" to any request? We live in a fallen world. Even if the train were not running 20 minutes late, Ms Ticket Inspector, philosophers still wrestle with the problem of evil and have reached no satisfactory answers.
130
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 28/09/2026
That 1929 train was non-stop, so my journey to Gloucester wouldn't have worked. It was mainly a gimmick to run a single express that fast. But my grandfather, who grew up in Cheltenham, used to talk with awe about the Cheltenham flyer and it was certainly an impressive journey time.
070
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 28/09/2026
I'm not one to slag off current rail performance. It's hard to run trains as fast now as in the past when lines were less busy. But I'm currently on a train from Paddington to Cheltenham Spa, a journey that in the 1930s claimed to be the world's fastest. In 1929, it took 70 minutes, today 119.
1154
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 27/09/2026
The work is to test the new Piccadilly Line trains, isn’t it? They can’t be safely tested as far as I recall while other trains are running.
000
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 27/09/2026
The son of a one-time London Underground engineer writes: in fairness, the question might be why organisers scheduled a run from Green Park on a Sunday earmarked many months ago for vital engineering work.
240
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 26/09/2026
There was another - fourth - fatality over the course of Thursday and Friday: a motorcyclist killed in a collision with a bus on Tollington Road in Holloway: share.google/sC9qHKnbZ3SN...
share.google
Islington crash leaves motorcyclist dead after collision with bus
No arrests have been made and no other injuries reported
061
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 26/09/2026
Two of the drivers have been arrested, making the cases active under the Contempt of Court Act. They’re looking for the third as part of a murder investigation. While I appreciate the sentiment, it is not feasible for now in these cases.
120
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 26/09/2026
The incident that killed the man riding the e-bike is now being treated as murder: news.met.police.uk/news/murder-...
news.met.police.uk
Murder investigation launched following fatal collision in North Kensington
Detectives have launched a murder investigation after a cyclist died following a collision
1115
Reposted by Robert Wright
Mark Thompson @markreckons.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
They look absolutely delighted
Man City celebrating

LIVE Man City found guilty of majority of 115 financial rule breaches
413117
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 26/09/2026
I was also in the dream aware it was a Saturday. So I was also fretting about fulfilling some obligation to FT weekend news editor @kateallen.ft.com
120
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 26/09/2026
I’ve just awoken from a dream where I was unexpectedly being made Prime Minister. Useful. After recent years, I think all warm-bodied British adults should prepare themselves mentally for the likelihood they’ll eventually be called on to serve.
160
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
The police have named the victim of yesterday morning's crash in Highgate as Melissa Premaratne: www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/metpolice... It's heartbreaking to see the human cost of the carnage on our roads.
mynewsdesk.com
Victim named in Highgate collision
Melissa Premaratne, 16 sadly died at the scene
2163
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
So there's still a good chance more than half will succeed.
100
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
The question will be whether the falling initial grant rate reflects truly worse claims or the claims have remained about the same and more appeals will succeed.
100
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
I confess I hadn't realised that the initial grant rate had fallen as low as 38 per cent. But that rate will undoubtedly rise. In recent years, about half of asylum appeals have succeeded: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a85c4...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
221
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
As a working reporter, I understand why people end up using "car kills child". The vehicle's role is always clear. How far the driver had control isn't. There are Contempt of Court and defamation issues. But I was careful to use the driver construction here, because I knew people would pick it up.
170
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
There's a lot of death and injury taking place and it doesn't seem to get a lot of attention.
1354
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
While many drivers are careful and considerate, I see a huge amount of dangerous and aggressive driving on London's roads - and very little enforcement. Drivers aren't worse than other road users. But motor vehicles do far more damage than other machines when poorly controlled or recklessly driven.
25513
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
On Tuesday, vehicles crashed onto the pavement on Lower Grosvenor Place, bringing down scaffolding and crushing a pedestrian: x.com/CityWestmins...
x.com
Westminster City Council (@CityWestminster) on X
We are aware of a collision on A302 Lower Grosvenor Place. Emergency services are responding. Lower Grosvenor Place is currently closed, this is causing significant traffic in the area.
1115
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
A 92-year-old pedestrian died about this time yesterday after being hit by someone driving a van: news.met.police.uk/pressrelease...
news.met.police.uk
Appeal for witnesses following fatal collision in Lambeth
Officers have arrested a man in connection with the incident.
1127
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
A cyclist died in the early hours of this morning after apparently being hit by someone riding a moped: news.met.police.uk/pressrelease...
news.met.police.uk
Cyclist dies following collision in North Kensington
Police are appealing for witnesses following the death of a 24-year-old man in North Pole Road in the early hours of Friday, 25 September.
1138
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
A girl died yesterday morning after a taxi driver hit her as she crossed the road to school: www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...
standard.co.uk
Girl, 16, dies after being hit by minicab on her way to Highgate School
A 16-year-old girl was pronounced dead at the scene in Highgate
31710
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
I see a lot of people complaining about the undoubtedly stressful conditions at present on London's roads. But I see few people complaining about motor vehicles. Yet in the last 24 hours three vulnerable road users have died after being hit by people driving motor vehicles.
311960
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
The Home Office under Shabana Mahmood has for the first time started referring to clandestine migrants as illegal migrants. So the progress is in the opposite direction from one you (and I) would favour.
1120
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
The UK remains a signatory of the Refugee Convention. Reform might want to take the UK out of the convention. But it was introduced in 1951 to avoid a repeat of countries' refusal to take Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. So I'm not sure leaving it is a good look.
2422
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
Secondly, the Home Office has prosecuted many clandestine migrants who had their hand on the tiller of a dinghy for facilitating illegal immigration.
1360
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026
There are also two factual retorts to their point. One is that Article 31 of the UN Refugee Convention says (broadly) a person shouldn't be penalised for entering a country illegally if they submit a successful asylum application. The UK's a signatory. Most clandestine migrants' claims succeed.
7948
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 24/09/2026
And the vehicle involved has diplomatic number plates, meaning the driver is unlikely to face any consequences.
131
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 24/09/2026
The police press release described the person arrested as "of no fixed abode". A lot of police press releases describe arrested people that way. I don't think it always means very much. He's said in the past that he lives on Hayling Island.
010
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 24/09/2026
The first 300 clicks on the link above are free. After that, the story is at www.ft.com/content/3ab2... Anyone lacking a subscription can register and read three articles monthly free at www.ft.com/register
ft.com
Anti-migrant protest leader arrested after posting video stabbing a dinghy
Rightwing activist who calls himself Danny Tommo was also one of the organisers of a recent blockade of Dover
061
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 24/09/2026
Wondered what would happen after the posting of that video showing the apparent stabbing of a dinghy in the Channel? Read my story about the arrest of the man who posted it: as.ft.com/r/115f09d2-3...
as.ft.com
Anti-migrant protest leader arrested after posting video stabbing a dinghy
Rightwing activist who calls himself Danny Tommo was also one of the organisers of a recent blockade of Dover
23613
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 23/09/2026
I don't identify as English, but am undoubtedly still emotionally constipated.
130
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 23/09/2026
My only plea is that we soon revert to pretending that no one uses this site while on the lavatory.
150
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 23/09/2026
Thank you for that beautiful mental image. Special.
230
Reposted by Robert Wright
dr. hazel 🕯️ @hazelmonforton.com · 23/09/2026
this is heinrix van roguetrader
220416
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 22/09/2026
I think one puts out a bowl of cat milk for Galloway.
2160
Reposted by Robert Wright
Peter Geoghegan @petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Great to see @financialtimes.com following up @lucasamin.bsky.social and @samgelder.bsky.social ‘s excellent reporting on how English police forces are dropping Palantir
829795
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 21/09/2026
Credit to @petergeoghegan.bsky.social for having first spotted this development. I've credited Democracy for Sale in the piece.
2182
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 21/09/2026
The first 300 clicks on the above link are free. After that, the piece is at www.ft.com/content/a1e0... Anyone lacking a subscription can register and read three articles monthly free at www.ft.com/register
ft.com
Five UK police forces end Palantir project after two years
Significant setback for US technology company’s bid to establish itself as key supplier to British law enforcement
1123
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 21/09/2026
Remember how all those police forces were involved in pilots with Palantir? A lot fewer are now: as.ft.com/r/91bd3465-9...
as.ft.com
Five UK police forces end Palantir project after two years
Significant setback for US technology company’s bid to establish itself as key supplier to British law enforcement
14725
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 21/09/2026
Deadwood is such a magnificent piece of television. I might prefer it to The Wire. But The Wire has such vivid characters and does such magical things with them that it's hard to see past it as the greatest ever.
161
Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 21/09/2026
Sorry my initial reply was garbled. I guess you broadly got the message.
010