Pippa Crerar: Powerful Career, Awards and ITV Role

Introduction

Pippa Crerar is a British political journalist and broadcaster known for breaking major stories from inside Westminster.

She is the Political Editor of The Guardian and a co-presenter of ITV’s Peston. Her reporting has covered governments, elections, political leadership and the conduct of senior public figures.

Crerar became nationally recognised through investigations into Dominic Cummings’ lockdown journey and the gatherings later known as Partygate.

Her work has earned several major journalism honours. In May 2026, she was named Political Journalist of the Year at the Press Awards.

Pippa Crerar Quick Profile

Who Is Pippa Crerar?

Pippa Crerar is one of the leading figures in modern British political journalism.

She reports on the decisions, conflicts and personalities shaping the British government. Her work frequently focuses on Downing Street, Parliament, cabinet ministers and the relationship between political decisions and ordinary people.

A political editor must do more than repeat official announcements. The role involves developing sources, checking confidential information, questioning political claims and explaining why a story matters.

Crerar has built her reputation by combining original reporting with clear political analysis. Her stories have frequently led national news coverage and created pressure for official answers.

Education and Journalism Training

Crerar studied at Newcastle University, where she developed the writing and analytical skills that later supported her journalism career.

Newcastle University lists her among its notable English graduates working in journalism and public life.

She later received professional journalism training at City, now known as City St George’s, University of London.

Her connection with the university continued after graduation. In January 2025, she returned to speak with journalism students about sources, political contacts, public-interest reporting and the discipline required to write clearly.

Crerar entered professional journalism through the Scott Trust bursary programme in 1999–2000.

The scheme supports aspiring journalists by helping with training, living costs, mentoring and newsroom experience. It has provided an entry route into journalism for people who might otherwise face financial or professional barriers.

Building Experience at the Evening Standard

Crerar spent around a decade working for the Evening Standard.

Her roles included political correspondent and City Hall editor. These positions placed her close to the political decisions affecting London, its public services and its local government.

City Hall reporting requires a detailed understanding of transport, housing, policing, budgets and mayoral policy. It also requires a journalist to follow decisions that may initially appear local but later develop into national political issues.

This period helped Crerar build contacts and understand how political institutions work away from the public stage.

It also strengthened her ability to turn complicated policy discussions into direct stories that could be understood by a broad audience.

Deputy Political Editor at The Guardian

Crerar later joined The Guardian as Deputy Political Editor.

The role gave her further experience of national government, Westminster reporting and political analysis.

She worked across major political stories while developing the source network needed to uncover information that had not yet been officially announced.

Her work at the newspaper demonstrated that strong political reporting depends on both access and independence. Journalists need contacts, but they must also remain willing to challenge the people providing information.

That approach later became an important part of her public advice to young reporters.

Political Editor of the Daily Mirror

In 2018, Crerar became Political Editor of the Daily Mirror.

The appointment made her responsible for leading the newspaper’s political coverage during a period dominated by Brexit, leadership changes, elections and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Writing for a popular national newspaper influenced her reporting style. Stories needed to be accurate and detailed while remaining clear to readers who might not follow Westminster every day.

Crerar later told City journalism students that working for a tabloid improved her news judgement and made her writing more disciplined.

She explained that reducing a complex political story to a limited word count requires the journalist to identify what matters most.

Her experience also placed her alongside other journalists working in television and ITV political reporting, where difficult national issues must be explained quickly and clearly.

Dominic Cummings Lockdown Investigation

One of Crerar’s most important investigations was published in May 2020.

Working with Guardian journalist Matthew Weaver, she helped reveal that Dominic Cummings had travelled from London to County Durham during the national COVID-19 lockdown.

Cummings was serving as a senior adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the time.

The story created a major public debate because people across the country had been instructed to restrict travel and avoid contact with family members.

The investigation raised a simple but important question: were senior government figures following the same rules as everyone else?

Crerar’s work received major industry recognition. She was named Political Reporter of the Year at the 2020 Press Awards.

The investigation also demonstrated the importance of cooperation between news organisations when a story has strong public-interest value.

Pippa Crerar and Partygate

Crerar’s profile grew further through her reporting on gatherings held in Downing Street during COVID-19 restrictions.

From November 2021, she broke a series of stories about events attended by government staff and senior political figures.

The reports became part of the wider Partygate scandal.

At the time of the gatherings, members of the public were living under rules that limited meetings, travel, funerals and family contact.

The difference between public restrictions and conduct inside government made the investigation especially important.

The stories continued despite official denials and incomplete explanations. Further evidence gradually emerged, keeping the issue at the centre of national politics.

The investigation led to police action, official inquiries and long-term damage to Boris Johnson’s government.

Crerar received several journalism awards for the reporting, including honours from the Society of Editors and the British Journalism Awards.

Her Partygate work remains one of the strongest examples of how investigative storytelling can reveal information with direct national importance.

Return to The Guardian as Political Editor

In May 2022, The Guardian officially appointed Pippa Crerar as its Political Editor.

She returned to the newspaper after four years at the Daily Mirror.

As Political Editor, she leads and contributes to coverage of Downing Street, government departments, elections, political parties and constitutional issues.

The position is one of the most senior reporting roles in British newspaper journalism.

It requires a balance between breaking exclusive stories and providing wider context about government decisions.

Her return also connected her work with the wider Guardian Media Group, where journalism, editorial leadership and public communication operate across print, digital, audio and international platforms.

Her Guardian author page remained active with new political reporting and podcast appearances throughout June 2026.

Election and Government Reporting

Crerar has continued to produce major stories under Conservative and Labour governments.

Her reporting has examined policy changes, political appointments, election campaigns, cabinet disputes and the internal operation of Downing Street.

She has also covered political developments through Politics Weekly UK, where journalists discuss the meaning behind the week’s most important events.

Podcast reporting allows more time for explanation than a short newspaper article or television interview.

Crerar uses this format to discuss why a story has emerged, which political groups are affected and what may happen next.

Her work combines breaking news with the kind of political commentary that helps audiences understand the forces operating behind public announcements.

Joining ITV’s Peston

In September 2025, ITV announced that she would join Peston as co-presenter.

The programme covers major political, economic and social stories through interviews, discussion and data.

She joined Robert Peston and the programme’s existing team while continuing her role at The Guardian.

Her appointment reflected the growing connection between newspaper reporting and television analysis.

A newspaper political editor may spend days developing a story, but television requires the same information to be explained clearly within minutes.

Crerar’s experience in both tabloid and broadsheet journalism prepared her for this type of communication.

On Peston, she helps examine political claims, question guests and interpret the information behind government decisions.

Podcast and Broadcast Work

Crerar is also closely associated with Politics Weekly UK, one of The Guardian’s main political podcasts.

She regularly joins other Guardian journalists to examine Westminster developments and major changes in government policy.

Her broadcasting work is based on the same qualities seen in her newspaper reporting: preparation, evidence and direct explanation.

Rather than treating politics only as competition between parties, she often connects political decisions with their possible effect on communities and public services.

This approach makes complex stories easier to follow without removing the details needed to understand them properly.

Journalism Awards and Recognition

Crerar has received repeated recognition from major British journalism organisations.

Her investigation into Dominic Cummings’ lockdown journey earned her the Political Reporter of the Year title at the 2020 Press Awards.

Her Partygate reporting brought further awards in 2022.

At the Society of Editors’ Media Freedom Awards, she received National Journalist of the Year and Political Journalist of the Year. The Daily Mirror’s Partygate coverage also won Investigation of the Year.

She received the Politics Journalism award at the 2022 British Journalism Awards.

Crerar was again named Political Journalist of the Year at the 2023 Media Freedom Awards.

Her latest major success came in May 2026, when she won Political Journalist of the Year at the Press Awards.

The judges recognised her reporting after Labour’s 2024 general election victory, including her exclusive about the government reconsidering cuts to winter fuel payments.

Reporting Style and Work with Sources

Crerar has spoken publicly about how she handles political sources.

She has said that her first question is why a source wants to provide particular information.

Understanding motivation helps a journalist decide whether information is reliable, incomplete or being shared to damage another person.

She has also explained the importance of keeping professional relationships with politicians separate from personal friendship.

Political journalists need access to ministers, advisers and officials, but close access must not prevent critical reporting.

Crerar has said that she only pursues information when the resulting story is in the public interest.

This principle can be seen in her most important investigations. The stories focused on the conduct of powerful public figures rather than private matters with no wider importance.

Why Pippa Crerar’s Work Matters

Political journalism gives the public information that governments may not release voluntarily.

It can reveal whether rules have been followed, whether policies are changing and whether public statements match events happening behind closed doors.

Crerar’s investigations have shown how persistent reporting can move a story from a newsroom discussion to the centre of national debate.

Her career also demonstrates that political reporting now operates across several formats.

She writes newspaper reports, contributes to podcasts, appears on television and helps explain political data to viewers.

This wider media presence allows the same investigation to reach readers, listeners and television audiences.

Current Status in 2026

As of June 2026, Pippa Crerar remains Political Editor of The Guardian.

Her author page shows that she continues to report on government leadership, Downing Street, policy decisions and changes inside British politics.

She also continues her broadcasting work as a co-presenter of ITV’s Peston.

Her 2026 Political Journalist of the Year award confirms that she remains a leading and active figure in British political media.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Pippa Crerar?

She is a British political journalist, Guardian Political Editor and co-presenter of ITV’s Peston.

What is Pippa Crerar famous for?

She is known for major Westminster investigations, particularly the Dominic Cummings lockdown story and Partygate.

Where did Pippa Crerar study?

She attended Newcastle University and later trained in journalism at City.

When did her journalism career begin?

She entered professional journalism through the Scott Trust bursary programme in 1999–2000.

Did she work for the Daily Mirror?

Yes. She became the newspaper’s Political Editor in 2018.

When did she return to The Guardian?

Her appointment as Guardian Political Editor was announced in May 2022.

Is Pippa Crerar on ITV?

Yes. She joined ITV’s Peston as a co-presenter in 2025.

What award did she win in 2026?

She won Political Journalist of the Year at the 2026 Press Awards.

Conclusion

Pippa Crerar has built her career through source development, clear writing and investigations focused on public accountability.

Her reporting on Dominic Cummings and Partygate brought information from inside government into public view.

She has since expanded her influence through her leadership role at The Guardian, political podcasts and ITV’s Peston.

Her latest Press Awards success shows that her reporting continues to shape political discussion in 2026.