Ian Birrell
Freelance
Ian has shown his exceptional talent over the past year with a stream of fabulous features that focus on big issues from around the world. His eye for an original tale is combined with rare story-telling ability, elegant writing, fearless reporting and sharp analysis, all underpinned by his unique skill at getting people in tough or traumatised situations to share their personal stories, combined with the hard slog of research.
His first entry from The Mail on Sunday is a powerful piece exposing the horrifying repression of indigenous people by a nation famed for supposed liberalism. Ian travelled to Greenland to report on how a secretive campaign of enforced sterilisation by Denmark had slashed the population in half of its former colony - and continued until just five years earlier. His investigation led to an extraordinary Sunday newspaper story that was surprising, informative and very disturbing, delivering an incredible read exploring controversial issues based on clinical research, diligent reporting and empathetic writing.
Ian’s second article, also from The Mail on Sunday, saw him return to the war zone in Ukraine, which he has covered so comprehensively and to such acclaim since 2014. This was another superb report from the country that examined some of the key issues bubbling beneath the surface in society that subsequently erupted across the media - such as the shortages of military manpower, the exhaustion of fighters on the frontline, the many men hiding from mobilisation and the horrifying decimation of the population. Typically, it was agenda-setting, informative and, above all, another stunning read.
The third entry, from UnHerd, is an extraordinary feature that explores how fatal overdoses from illicit drugs became the leading cause of death for young people aged 10 to 18 years old in parts of Canada. Ian’s compelling narrative, rooted on very moving interviews with families ripped apart by fentanyl, is utterly heartbreaking - yet it does not shy away from asking tough questions about society’s confused approach to both drugs and vulnerable young people.
This trio of features showcase the work of a fearless freelance who consistently delivers journalism of originality and importance for a mass market readership. His articles are agenda-setting, brave, challenging and compassionate. Yet they are always beautifully written, hugely-readable even when exploring highly-complex issues, and often highlight profound issues of major public interest - as shown in these three examples.