Orwell Prize event asks ‘Why does it take a catastrophe?’

27 June 2018

Events

Each year, The Orwell Prize awards prizes for the writing and journalism which comes closest to George Orwell’s ambition ‘to make political writing into an art’. Prizes were awarded in three categories: for books, for journalism (commentary and reportage) and The Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain’s Social Evils, which rewards innovative reporting on social issues in the UK. The awards were introduced at the RSA by CAMRI’s Jean Seaton, and for the first time in its history, The Orwell Prize Ceremony 2018 featured a panel debate – ‘Why does it take a catastrophe?’ – interrogating why the reporting which might have helped prevent the fire at Grenfell Tower was not more widely picked up, and what we can do to make sure such crucial stories are heard in the future.

Watch the whole evening below;