Centre Director Andrew Williams has been announced as the winner of the Orwell Prize 2013, for his book "A Very British Killing", which investigates the killing of hotel receptionist Baha Mousa by British soldiers in Iraq. The judging panel stated:

He dissects and analyses with a clear-eyed determination to unpick the lies from the truths of this case, yet, for all its forensic detail, the book grips us emotionally, and has as keen a sense of storytelling as a horror story or courtroom drama. Ultimately, the greatest achievement of this incendiary, eloquent and angry book is that it humanises Mousa beyond the iconic and infamous figure he has become in his death. It was written in the spirit of Orwell's journalism.

Williams joins former winners of the prize including Francis Wheen, Fergal Keane and Tom Bingham

To read coverage of the prize click here

In an article for the Guardian, Orwell prize-shortlisted author Andrew Williams writes on why he felt compelled to spend years investigating the death of an Iraqi civilian in a British army base in Basra in 2003.

Andrew comments,

legally it was "interesting" but then I saw the postmortem report and photographs of Baha Mousa. I can still feel the shock. They were visceral confirmation that this wasn't just an "interesting" legal case. How could that have happened?

Investigating this question provided the shocking story behind Andrew's shortlisted book: A Very British Killing

Read the full article here

Centre Director Andrew Williams' "A Very British Killing" has been shortlisted for the prestigious Orwell Prize

In addition, administrators of the George Orwell prize have taken the unprecedented step of sending all seven shortlisted books to David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband in hope that they take heed of the urgent issues raised in these nominated books. Jean Seaton, Director of the Prize stated that:

..the books we will send the leaders warn them of, in [the case of] A Very British Killing, their huge, human responsibilities as leaders for asking difficult questions and protecting decency and proper justice."

Read the Independent's coverage of the announcement of the Orwell Shortlist here 

For further information about the reception and impact of "A Very British Killing" to date, click here