Paul Lashmar: Investigative Journalist, Television Producer, Broadcaster, Author, Research Academic and Senior Lecturer at the City, University of London.

Paul's Phd explores the links between the intelligence services and the media and is his core research interest.

Since joining the Observer in 1978 Paul Lashmar has covered many of the most important stories of our time:  Mark Thatcher and Equatorial Guinea Coup,  Weapons of Mass Destruction, the Royal Family avoiding income tax, MI5 vetting of BBC staff, Spycatcher, and the Stalker Affair.

Working for the Observer, Independent on Sunday and Guardian newspapers, as well as ITV’s hard-hitting documentary series World in Action, the BBC’s Timewatch and a string of other notable productions, Paul has certainly made his mark.  

Paul passionately believes in a strong press unafraid of challenging those in positions of power and is troubled by the steady decline in investigative journalism across the mainstream media. Despite this there are still some terrific stories out there and with over thirty years working alongside the best in the industry Paul has the contacts and the nous to sniff out the stories others often miss.