The Independent has been recognised as a publisher of provocative opinion articles, hard-hitting investigations and in-depth feature reporting in this year’s prestigious Press Awards.
This newspaper’s social affairs correspondent Holly Bancroft was shortlisted for the UK’s investigation of the year after exposing UK-Afghan special forces abandoned to the Taliban.
Rebecca Thomas, The Independent’s health correspondent, was also tipped for health journalist of the year for her work prompting an overhaul of the UK’s nursing regulator.
Zoë Beaty, who joined The Independent in 2024, is in the running as broadsheet feature writer of the year for her “uncanny ability to tap into the zeitgeist”.
Independent columnist Alan Rusbridger was also shortlisted for broadsheet columnist of the year for his provocative work challenging everyone from Elon Musk to Laurence Fox.
“Rebecca Thomas has an impressive track record when it comes to effecting change for both the public at large and for vulnerable people,” Ms Thomas’s nomination read.
This newspaper’s special correspondent Ms Beaty was recognised for her “her uncanny ability to tap into the zeitgeist and bring it to life through razor-sharp writing on the issues that truly matter to her audience”.
“Zoe Beaty is hard to beat. While our industry is now crammed with London-centric writers, Zoe’s background in local reporting from a tough Northern beat means that her work as special correspondent for The Independent often tells important stories about the UK that are regularly ignored by her peers,” it read.
The Press Awards also recognised Mr Rusbridger as one of “few people in the UK who can claim to understand the media, free speech and the role of journalism”.
“His columns are designed to provoke debate – and we hope the judges will recognise his work,” it read.
The nomination cited Mr Rusbridger’s prescient column which hit out at Elon Musk’s role in the riots following the Southport attack in July last year.
“Alan immediately targeted his column on Elon Musk, almost a week before the owner of X made the story personal between him and Keir Starmer,” it said.
The full shortlist for the Press Awards 2025 can be found here.
