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Toby Helm
@tobyhelm
Toby Helm is the Observer's Political Editor
London
guardian.co.uk/profile/tobyhe…
Joined June 2009
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  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    Apr 26, 2020
    Downing Street trying to get us to say trust in government not declining and to rewrite this story with new headline. Request refused. We are not edited by Downing Street.
    user avatar
    Ash Paul
    @pash22
    Apr 26, 2020
    Public trust plummets in Britain's handling of #coronavirus pandemic, new @ObserverUK poll reveals theguardian.com/world/2020/apr… via @tobyhelm
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    Apr 26, 2020
    I am told Downing Street also barred Sunday Times from asking questions at its briefing because they dared to criticise govt's response to Coronavirus. Surely not so in an advanced democracy.
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    Jun 2, 2020
    Real number of people being tested for coronavirus is around 40,000 a day not 200,000 as govt suggests, according to Kate Lamble of BBC's More or Less. Double counting, tests sent out but not done, all being counted as tests done. Worse than just misleading.
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    Jun 19, 2022
    The Times has some explaining to do to readers of their early Staurday edition. Do they stand by it or not? Carrie Johnson and the curious case of the vanishing Times story
    Carrie Johnson and the curious case of the vanishing Times story
    From theguardian.com
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    Apr 28, 2020
    They rang and asked us to put in a statement from them saying faith in government to handline the crisis was not falling and asked us to change the headline. The offer was firmly declined. Is that enough information.
    user avatar
    Peter Hitchens
    @ClarkeMicah
    Apr 28, 2020
    Do please describe @tobyhelm, precisely how Downing Street tried to get you to change your story and your headline. I think a lot of people might find that educational.
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    Oct 18, 2020
    It is truly awful how Johnson and Gove now say a No Deal Brexit will be the EU's fault. From the two men who did more than anyone to drive the disaster forward, discredit the EU, and risk everything for political gain.
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    May 29, 2020
    The Prime Minister said it was up to the people to decide what they thought about Dominic Cummings. Since then million have signed a petition demanding he be sacked. And rising.
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    Apr 26, 2020
    I am also told that if any other newspaper helped the Sunday Times they would be barred from asking questions at the briefing too. Surely none of this can be true.
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    Oct 8, 2016
    Hard Brexit in real trouble as MPs across all parties demand Commons vote on leaving single market. Which would not be passed. Big moment.
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    Oct 23, 2022
    A not unlikely scenario is Johnson gets 100 just. Mordaunt drops out. Most of her MPs go to Sunak giving him close to roughly twice as many as Johnson in final indicative vote of MPs. If Johnson then wins among members with big maj of MPs not wanting him...it is utter chaos.
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    May 30, 2020
    KEY Figs from our @OpiniumResearch poll in @observer. Tory lead down over Lab from 26 pts in late March to 4pts now. Down 8pts in week. 2/3s don't believe C'ings. 81% say he broke rules. 52% of Tories say shld quit. 68% of public say he should go, 66% that PM shld fire C if not.
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    May 28, 2020
    The press conference element of the daily briefing being subject to ever greater control. PM shields scientific advisers from questions, avoids every question about Cummings himself, takes no follow ups. State control of media.
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    Sep 29, 2022
    Hearing Liz Truss speaking on local radio saying the mini budget is going according to plan in the face of terrifying evidence is unsustainable. Blind to reality, which was the problem in the first place
  • user avatar
    Toby Helm
    @tobyhelm
    Aug 28, 2019
    I have been covering the Europe debate since the early 1990s. The core argument of the anit EU brigade in the Tory Party was always that the EU was taking power from the UK parliament. Now they shut down parliament. Unsurprising there is uproar.