Hounam Wins Scoop of the Year Award

Media Awards

Scoop of the year went to Peter Hounam of The Mirror who obtained leaked documents on Chancellor Kenneth Clarke’s Budget last year. The papers were handed back to Downing Street and The Mirror chose not to jeopardise the Budget and the economy by publishing their contents.

SUCCESS: News of our award is revealed by the Press Association – by Emily Wilson

The Mirror won the Scoop of the Year award yesterday for our sensational Budget leak story.

Labour leader Tony Blair presented former Mirror man Peter Hounam with the coveted prize at the What The Papers Say Awards.

The Mirror won the award after we obtained leaked documents detailing in advance Chancellor Kenneth Clarke’s Budget.

Peter Hounam said: “I’m delighted to be accepting this award for investigative journalism.”

Mirror editor Piers Morgan said:

“I am delighted that Peter’s tenacioujs investigative journalism has been rewarded in this way.

“It is a great accolade for him and for The Mirror.” Top journalists and politicians at the cremony – who included the BBC’s Jeremy Paxman, John Snow of Channel 4 and MP Roy Hattersley – were moved to tears when seven-year-old Cathal Guerin accepted the Journalist Of The Year award on behalf of his murdered mother. Veronica Geurin, 36, was shot dead in Dublin in June while investigating some of Ireland’s most ruthless gangsters.

Cathal said: “I’m very honoured to be accepting this award on behalf of my wonderful mother.

“I will cherish it forever.”