Liz Bates joins Channel 4 News as Political Correspondent

Channel 4 News has appointed Liz Bates as Political Correspondent.

Liz joins the programme from the Yorkshire Post, where she is currently the Westminster correspondent.

“I’m excited to join the exceptional team at Channel 4 News,” said Liz.

“As an institution it continually sets the bar high and I’m looking forward to working with the best in the business.

“I also hope that with my background, I will be able to reach out beyond the Westminster bubble and deliver political coverage that is authentic and relevant, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Previously she was the political reporter for PoliticsHome website, communications officer for John Healey MP and economic researcher for economist John Kay.

Originally from Rotherham, Liz scooped the lobby earlier this year with a video of the Labour MP Chris Williamson telling a Sheffield Momentum meeting that Labour had been “too apologetic” about anti-Semitism. His remarks which were exclusively revealed by the Yorkshire Post Westminster correspondent, led to his suspension by the Party.

Ben de Pear, editor of Channel 4 News added: “Liz is a first rate journalist who has produced a series of notable exclusives but also impressive in how she relentlessly pursued and secured Boris Johnson recently for an interview.

“She has a completely new and fresh take on politics and its place in British society which really impressed us. She will be a wonderful addition to the newsroom.”

Channel 4 News has also confirmed that Paul McNamara will continue in his role covering the politics beat after a successful stint reporting from Westminster.

Paul joined the programme in 2015 as a reporter and has had a string of scoops including the election expenses expose and the series on Britain’s homeless “Out in the cold” which was nominated for a RTS Award. His recent doorsteps with Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage were viral TV moments.