Gareth Mantle studied economics and politics at Bristol University before completing a Masters at Oxford University, where he wrote his thesis on how the Welsh Assembly has affected policy in Wales. A Labour activist, he has helped out on many campaigns and is currently the constituency-based researcher for Owen Smith, newly-elected MP for Pontypridd.

In defence of the scrounger

The Westminster government has spent much of its first 100 days delivering sharp kicks to so-called “scrounging” benefit claimants. It’s a campaign that is both unfair and makes little sense