Paul Lashmar is a journalist, author, programme maker and university lecturer who has covered many of the major stories of the last 30 years.
He joined the Observer in 1978, and along with David Leigh formed the paper’s legendary investigative team that, in 1986, received the UK Press Awards “Reporter of the Year” title for revealing the M15’s political vetting of BBC Staff.
In 1989 he began work as a reporter for Granada TV’s late lamented ‘World in Action’ programme. During his three years there he made 12 programmes, including ‘The Firm’, an investigation into the Queen’s secret tax concessions that ignited the debate over the Monarch’s financial status.
He is now a recognised authority on the subjects of terrorism, intelligence, organised crime, business fraud and the Cold War, and has written extensively for the Independent on Sunday on the intelligence side of the ‘war on terror’.
He is currently a journalism educator and part-time staff member at Brunel University. He also works as an adviser to the Centre for Investigative Journalism at City University and is a member of the steering group for the Foundation for Investigative Reporting.