Pippa Crerar: The Journalist Behind Major Westminster Scoops

Introduction

Pippa Crerar is a British political journalist. She is currently The Guardia’s political editor, a post she has held since 2022. Her Guardian profile remained active with new political reporting in September 2026.

She also works across television and radio. As of July 2026, the House of Commons Register of Journalists’ Interests lists her as a presenter on ITV’s Peston and BBC Radio 4’s The Week in Westminster.

Many readers know her for something else. Big scoops.

Her reporting has included stories about Dominic Cummings during the Covid lockdown, the Downing Street gatherings later called Partygate, the 2024 election-betting story and the government’s planned change of direction on winter fuel payments.

Pippa Crerar Quick Facts

Who Is Pippa Crerar?

Pippa Crerar reports on British politics. Her work is mainly linked with Westminster, government, Parliament and the people making national political decisions.

She has worked in political journalism for more than two decades. Her career has taken her through several major British newspapers, including the Evening Standard, Daily Mirror and The Guardian.

Actually, her career was not built around one newspaper.

She moved between reporting roles, senior political jobs, radio and television. That makes her current public profile much wider than a traditional newspaper post.

Early Life and Education

Crerar has Scottish roots and studied English at Newcastle University.

In an August 2026 interview, she recalled that journalism was not an obvious career plan during her school years. She had considered becoming a doctor or an architect.

Her first taste of reporting was fairly simple.

While at Newcastle, she reviewed theatre productions. She explained that the work also gave her access to plays she could not otherwise afford to see.

That small start mattered.

After university, she trained in journalism at City University in London. Her studies were supported through the Scott Trust Bursary. The Guardian says she received the bursary in 1999–2000.

Crerar has spoken directly about its effect.

The Guardian Foundation records her saying that without the bursary she could not have afforded her journalism training at City University. It also gave her newsroom experience and professional contacts.

How Pippa Crerar Started Her Career

Crerar went on to work at the Evening Standard.

She spent around a decade there. Her roles included political correspondent and City Hall editor, putting her close to London government and political reporting.

She later worked at The Guardian as deputy political editor.

Then came another major move.

Daily Mirror Political Editor

In 2018, Crerar joined the Daily Mirror as political editor.

Her time at the Mirror included several stories that brought her much wider public attention.

One arrived during lockdown.

Dominic Cummings and the Lockdown Story

In 2020, Crerar worked on reporting about then-prime minister Boris Johnson’s adviser Dominic Cummings and his movements during Covid restrictions.

The Guardian later highlighted the investigation when announcing Crerar’s return to the newspaper as political editor. It also noted the awards connected with the reporting.

Her work received national journalism recognition.

This period helped put Crerar’s reporting in front of a much larger audience.

Partygate Reporting

Her name became even more closely linked with Westminster investigations from late 2021.

Starting in November 2021, Crerar broke a series of stories about gatherings held in Downing Street while Covid restrictions were in force. The story became widely known as Partygate.

The reporting generated sustained political attention and brought Crerar several journalism awards.

At the Society of Editors’ 2022 Media Freedom Awards, she won both Political Journalist of the Year and Journalist of the Year – National while working for the Daily Mirror.

Return to The Guardian

The next career change came in 2022.

On 10 May 2022, Guardian News & Media announced that Crerar had been appointed The Guardian’s political editor. She succeeded Heather Stewart.

It was actually a return.

Crerar had previously worked for the newspaper as deputy political editor before moving to the Mirror.

Her job now puts her at the head of The Guardian’s Westminster political coverage.

As of September 2026, her Guardian profile still identifies her as the newspaper’s political editor and shows new reporting published during the month.

Major Reporting at The Guardian

Crerar continued breaking political stories after returning.

ITV’s official announcement about her joining Peston points to several examples, including reporting on the 2024 election-betting controversy and the government’s winter fuel payment policy change.

Her winter fuel reporting received specific recognition at the 2026 Press Awards.

The award judges said Crerar was first to report that the government planned to reverse its approach to cuts in winter fuel payments.

Pippa Crerar on ITV’s Peston

Her television role grew in 2025.

ITV announced on 4 September 2025 that Crerar would become a co-presenter of Peston, working alongside Robert Peston.

She kept her Guardian job at the same time. ITV explicitly confirmed that arrangement in its announcement.

Her broadcasting role is still documented in 2026.

The House of Commons Register of Journalists’ Interests dated 13 July 2026 lists her as a presenter on Peston.

BBC Radio and Other Broadcasting

Crerar also works with the BBC.

The same July 2026 parliamentary register lists her as a presenter on BBC Radio 4’s The Week in Westminster.

It records occasional appearances with Sky News, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and international outlets too.

So her day-to-day work now covers several formats: newspaper reporting, political analysis, television and radio.

Parliamentary Press Gallery Role

Crerar has also held a professional role inside Westminster journalism.

In December 2020, the UK Parliament identified her as Chair of the Parliamentary Press Gallery while she was Daily Mirror political editor.

She appeared before the Commons Committee on Standards in that role.

This was a professional journalism position rather than political office.

Awards and Career Recognition

Crerar has received repeated recognition from British journalism organisations.

Her confirmed awards include:

• 2022 Society of Editors Journalist of the Year – National
• 2022 Society of Editors Political Journalist of the Year
• 2023 Society of Editors Political Journalist of the Year
• 2024 Society of Editors Political Journalist of the Year – Highly Commended
• 2026 Press Awards Political Journalist of the Year

There is another current update.

On 16 September 2026, the Society of Editors named Crerar on its shortlist for the 2026 Political Journalist of the Year award. The ceremony is scheduled for 11 November 2026, so that result had not been decided at the time this article was prepared.

Is Pippa Crerar Married?

Public professional profiles have previously referred to Crerar having a husband and children.

Still, personal details are not the main part of her public career, and current authoritative sources do not establish enough information to justify publishing names, a marriage date or a detailed family history.

For that reason, those details are best kept limited.

Pippa Crerar Salary and Net Worth

Reliable public records do not give a verified figure that would support publishing a personal net-worth estimate.

Her July 2026 parliamentary declaration confirms several forms of professional work, including The Guardian, ITV and BBC broadcasting, occasional media appearances, plus speaking and event work through Kirby Jones Management. It does not publish a total salary or personal wealth figure.

So guessing a number would be misleading.

Pippa Crerar’s Public Presence

The Guardian lists her public X account as @PippaCrerar.

Her strongest professional presence, though, comes through published reporting, television appearances, radio work and Guardian political programmes.

Follower totals change quickly. There is little value in freezing one into a long-term profile.

Interesting Facts About Pippa Crerar

Her route into journalism has a few useful details.

She once considered medicine or architecture. Theatre reviews helped introduce her to journalism while she was studying English. And financial support through the Scott Trust Bursary helped make professional journalism training possible.

She has also worked on both sides of a major newspaper career move. She left The Guardian, became Daily Mirror political editor, then returned to The Guardian in a more senior political role.

That is a fairly unusual career path.

Where Is Pippa Crerar Now?

As of September 2026, Pippa Crerar remains political editor of The Guardian.

She is also active in broadcasting through ITV’s Peston and BBC Radio 4’s The Week in Westminster, alongside other media appearances.

Her latest Guardian work shows that she remains directly involved in day-to-day Westminster reporting.

Final Thought

Pippa Crerar’s career grew from theatre reviews and journalism training into senior Westminster reporting.

The key moments are clear.

The Evening Standard built her political reporting experience. The Daily Mirror period brought the Cummings and Partygate investigations. Her return to The Guardian placed her in one of Britain’s senior newspaper political jobs. Television and radio have since made her work visible beyond print.

And she is still reporting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Pippa Crerar?

Pippa Crerar is a British political journalist and the political editor of The Guardian.

What does Pippa Crerar do now?

As of September 2026, she works as The Guardian’s political editor and has broadcasting roles with ITV and BBC Radio 4.

Does Pippa Crerar present Peston?

Yes. ITV appointed her as a co-presenter of Peston in 2025, and the role appears in the July 2026 parliamentary journalists’ register.

Where did Pippa Crerar study?

She studied English at Newcastle University and later trained in journalism at City University in London.

What stories is Pippa Crerar known for?

Her major reporting includes the Dominic Cummings lockdown story, Partygate, election-related betting reporting and the winter fuel policy reversal story.

Did Pippa Crerar work for the Daily Mirror?

Yes. She became the Daily Mirror’s political editor in 2018 before returning to The Guardian in 2022.

Has Pippa Crerar won journalism awards?

Yes. Her confirmed honours include political journalism awards from the Society of Editors and the 2026 Press Awards.

Is Pippa Crerar still at The Guardian?

Yes. Her Guardian profile identifies her as political editor and shows new work published in September 2026.

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