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Sebastian Payne

Whitehall Correspondent

Sebastian Payne writes about British politics for the FT. He was previously political leader writer and digital opinion editor. Before he joined the FT, he was a reporter and editor at The Spectator and The Daily Telegraph.

He also presents the weekly FT Politics podcast and writes a regular notebook column for the opinion pages.


Email Sebastian Payne @SebastianEPayne (link opens in a new browser window)
Email Sebastian Payne @SebastianEPayne (link opens in a new browser window)

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  • Tuesday, 4 August, 2020
    UK Government
    Health official Wormald leads race to become UK’s top civil servant

    New cabinet secretary will be crucial to Boris Johnson’s plans to shake up Whitehall

  • Monday, 3 August, 2020
    Cyber warfare
    Liam Fox’s trade dossier stolen and leaked by Russian hackers

    NCA investigates theft of US-UK trade documents used by Corbyn during 2019 election campaign

  • Monday, 3 August, 2020
    Conservative Party UK
    Tories criticised for not taking sexual misconduct claims seriously

    Allegations of rape against an MP are a matter for police, says chief whip Mark Spencer

  • Monday, 3 August, 2020
    UK foreign policy
    UK’s high commissioner in Delhi to lead expanded Foreign Office

    Philip Barton must oversee merger of two departments while maintaining diplomatic clout

  • Sunday, 2 August, 2020
    Conservative Party UK
    Tory party criticised for not suspending ex-minister arrested on suspicion of rape

    Conservative MP given bail after being questioned by police over four alleged incidents in London

  • Sunday, 2 August, 2020
    UK trade
    UK trade secretary to criticise ‘punitive’ US tariffs on Washington trip

    Liz Truss heads to meet American officials to assess progress on reaching bilateral trade agreement

  • Sunday, 2 August, 2020
    UK politics & policy
    Johnson targets shake-up of English planning system

    Proposals aim to stimulate building and tackle acute housing shortage

  • Friday, 31 July, 2020
    AnalysisUK politics & policy
    Conservatives’ grip on ‘red wall’ holding firm

    In Dudley North support for Boris Johnson’s government is unchanged despite criticism over Covid crisis

  • Friday, 31 July, 2020
    AnalysisUK politics & policy
    Johnson’s ‘handbrake’ turn on restrictions evaporates No 10 ebullience

    Prime minister has tightened requirements even as he faces pressure to get economy back on track

  • Promoted Content
  • Friday, 31 July, 2020
    UK politics & policy
    Boris Johnson loyalists rewarded with peerages

    UK prime minister hands places in House of Lords to Brexiters, his brother and a Russian newspaper proprietor

  • Wednesday, 29 July, 2020
    Coronavirus economic impact
    Tourist-dependent Cornwall needs to break through the fear

    Lockdown is easing but the summer season in England’s rugged south-west has taken a big hit

  • Wednesday, 22 July, 2020
    InterviewConservative Party UK
    Amber Rudd: ‘The prime minister is clearly more comfortable with men’

    Former UK cabinet minister hits out at Boris Johnson and the government’s ‘devastating’ approach to Brexit trade talks

  • Friday, 17 July, 2020
    Coronavirus economic impact
    Johnson encourages cautious return to work in offices

    UK prime minister says people can go back to work at ‘discretion’ of employers

  • Thursday, 16 July, 2020
    UK politics & policy
    Report on Russian interference in UK politics to be released

    Security committee investigation expected to highlight links with Tory party donors

  • Thursday, 16 July, 2020
    FT Magazine
    Inside Westminster’s coronavirus blame game

    What went wrong with the UK government’s pandemic response and why? As an inquiry looms, the search for a scapegoat is on

  • Wednesday, 15 July, 2020
    Conservative Party UK
    Senior Tory kicked out of party after intelligence committee coup

    Julian Lewis has whip removed after working with rivals to defeat PM’s choice for key role

  • Wednesday, 15 July, 2020
    UK politics & policy
    Patel bullying report being ‘held back’ by Downing Street

    Officials say inquiry into allegations home secretary breached ministerial code was completed ‘weeks ago’

  • Sunday, 12 July, 2020
    UK politics & policy
    Boris Johnson set to curb Huawei role in UK’s 5G networks

    Ban to take effect within months after pressure from Conservative party rebels and Washington

  • Friday, 10 July, 2020
    UK trade
    Turkish foreign minister says trade deal with UK ‘very close’

    Ankara has already set a post-Brexit bilateral trade target of $20bn

  • Wednesday, 8 July, 2020
    Coronavirus pandemic
    Jeremy Hunt says Sage gave ‘wrong’ advice at start of pandemic

    Former health secretary criticises scientific advisers for failing to propose test and trace strategy

  • Tuesday, 7 July, 2020
    UK business & economy
    Wary optimism on high street as town centres face an uncertain future

    As customers return to Southwold, Adnams and other businesses reflect on life after lockdown

  • Friday, 3 July, 2020
    Travel & leisure industry
    Johnson warns of local lockdowns ‘for some time to come’

    PM asks public to show restraint as English pubs prepare to reopen on Saturday

  • Tuesday, 30 June, 2020
    Brexit
    Theresa May attacks appointment of UK national security adviser

    Former prime minister tells MPs that David Frost is ill-equipped for the role

  • Monday, 29 June, 2020
    AnalysisUK Government
    Cummings and Gove join forces in battle against Whitehall ‘blob’

    PM’s adviser and cabinet minister target what they see as ineffectual, pro-EU officials to change how government works

  • Sunday, 28 June, 2020
    UK politics & policy
    Sedwill steps down as UK’s top civil servant

    Cabinet secretary to leave in September as part of controversial overhaul of Whitehall

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