The Guardian and Observer journalists Amelia Gentleman and Carole Cadwalladr have jointly been named journalist of the year by the Political Studies Association for their work on the Windrush scandal and the use of personal data in political campaigning respectively.
The pair were honoured at a ceremony in London on Tuesday evening and the award was the second to be handed to Cadwalladr in as many days.
Judges chose @ameliagentleman for her coverage of the Windush scandal, praising her for ‘the clarity and empathy in her writing, which effectively highlighted individual stories of Windrush victims’. #PSAAwards
— The Political Studies Association (@PolStudiesAssoc) November 27, 2018
. @carolecadwalla was also named Journalist of the Year for her persistence & resilience in pursuing investigative journalism on subjects such as personal data. #PSAAwards
— The Political Studies Association (@PolStudiesAssoc) November 27, 2018
The journalist of the year award was presented to Gentleman on Tuesday evening by the Conservative peer Sayeeda Warsi. Cadwalladr was unable to be present at the event.
Also among the winners was the Labour MP David Lammy who has been a prominent voice on the Windrush scandal that Gentleman uncovered, as well as the Grenfell Tower fire and other issues. He was named politician of the year.
It was an honour to win the @PolStudiesAssoc Politician of the Year award. I dedicated it to my parents, the whole Windrush generation, and my friend Khadija Saye who lost her life in Grenfell Tower. #PSAAwards https://t.co/EYsgaiyfp9
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) November 27, 2018
Lammy, accepting the award, told the audience: “I am delighted, but humbled to win the PSA Politician of the Year award. During this tumultuous period in British politics, I have done my best to amplify the voices of those who do not have a platform to speak.”
The 2018 International Recognition Award went to the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, for handling negotiations in a “cool, consistent and rational manner”, in what some may interpret as a pointed reference to the state of governance and politics in the UK.
Barnier was not present at the awards, he sought to strike a conciliatory tone, saying: “While I still believe Brexit is a lose-lose scenario for the EU and the UK, our method in these negotiations – thanks to both sides – has allowed us to reach the best deal possible in these difficult circumstances. We have always worked with the UK, never against them.”
On Monday, Cadwalladr was handed the Foreign Press Association media award for print and web story of the year, for which Gentleman was also nominated.
A Guardian News and Media spokesman said: “We are incredibly pleased that Amelia Gentleman and Carole Cadwalladr have each been recognised by the Political Studies Association for two groundbreaking stories of huge public importance.”
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