Robert Mooney

Award-winning experienced Contributor with a demonstrated history of working in the media production industry. Skilled in Photography, Copywriting, Storytelling, Final Cut Pro, and News Writing, developed from writing for a range of news outlets. Strong media and communication professional, graduated from a degree at Leeds Trinity University in Journalism BA (Hons) with a 2:1 in July 2019. I am now looking to apply my skills and experience to a role working within the Journalism and Marketing professions, as well as the wider media industry.

Metro •

It's hard to meet people who understand what it means to be demisexual

It’s hard to meet people who understand what it means to be demisexual It’s hard to meet people who understand what it means to be demisexual When I got to college aged 16 it seemed like everyone was comfortable discussing the ins and outs of sex and relationships. Then there was me. Secretly, the idea of having a sexual relationship freaked me out, which made me not only feel like I was weird but that I was the odd one out from my friends. So I did what everyone does when they have a proble
Shout Out UK •

Racing Pride: A driving force for LGBTQ+ representation in motorsport

During this year’s Pride Month, a number of events are being held across the UK to celebrate the achievements of those who come under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Among those is the world of motorsport. That’s where Racing Pride comes in. Launched at the start of this month, the initiative aims to positively promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the motorsport industry, from the drivers themselves to technological and commercial partners. A driving force in the race for LGBTQ+ representation in motorsport on ev
Shout Out UK •

Stonewall and LGBT 50 years on: Have we come far enough?

This Friday and Saturday mark fifty years from the Stonewall Riots, an event which inspired and triggered the LGBT rights movement as it is today, not to mention giving rise to many changes which have happened in the years since. So as we mark the fiftieth anniversary of such a significant event, has the situation for the LGBTQ+ people changed and if so, how much? With the aim of gay liberation, the riots set off a number of actions which resulted in the first Pride parades a year later. But in
Shout Out UK •

Gay's The Word: A significant place in LGBTQ+ history

The movement, more specifically Pride Month, was started to commemorate the Stonewall Riots, which occurred fifty years ago this week in Greenwich in New York City. However, in the UK, it all started with, among others, Gay’s The Word, a bookshop specialising in LGBTQ+ fiction and non-fiction. Not only has the store been a must-go attraction for any LGBTQ+ people in London but since its opening in 1979, it has been a base for activism and support for those who need a community of people like the
PoliticsPad •

PoliticsPad Investigates: Will the youth vote swing the vote in the US Mid-terms?

With the mid-term elections coming as soon as tomorrow, is it time to reflect on the impact that young people could have on this election? Back in July, a poll carried out by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Atlantic found that only 28% of young people surveyed were planning on voting. Nearly four months on, the attitudes around voting appear, according to press coverage, to have enthused thousands of young people to come out in a rebellious vote against the Republicans, who curren
PoliticsPad •

PoliticsPad Explains: Reclassifying Cannabinoids

While much of the attention in Politics will focus on the Mid-term Elections in the US, back in the UK, today will be a debate on the reclassification of cannabinoids. The debate, led by Ben Bradley, Member of Parliament for Mansfield, will be held in Westminster Hall. While synthetic cannabinoids may currently be treated as a Class B drug, their use in the treatment of conditions such as epilepsy makes them a controversial substance. Formally, the substance was, along with other psychoactive s
PoliticsPad •

PoliticsPad Podcast and more – PoliticsPad

Check out the PoliticsPad Podcast, the first of a variety of multimedia coming to the website, including infographics explaining political issues and interviews with prominent political figures, including the MP for Pudsey, Horsforth and Airborough, Stuart Andrew, a key supporter of the LGBT+ Conservatives group. This podcasts includes content surrounding the reclassification of synthetic cannabinoids for medicinal use and the mid-term elections in the United States, where Americans will get th
PoliticsPad •

Sky News calls for independent commission for election debates – PoliticsPad

The issue of political debate is something that in recent weeks, has come up for debate itself. Sky News, with the backing of some political leaders already, have called for genuine independently monitored and run debates. These would be much like those held around the 2010 elections, however, Sky Make Debate Happen argues that debates in such a format have not happened since. A petition on the Parliament.uk website, started by the Sky News Director of News-Gathering & Operations, Jonathan Levy
PoliticsPad •

Parliament Week 2018: What’s been on for young people – PoliticsPad

Parliament Week 2018, apart from an opportunity for all hell to break loose with Bexit, is a great time for young people to learn about the workings of Parliament. This, while done in many different ways in different schools, is also done through a range of activities suggested by Parliament itself and some of its related organisations. Among the events and suggested activities is MP for a Week, a game that teachers can play with their students to get a feel for what it might be like to be in a
PoliticsPad •

The Gender Pay Gap: Westminster Hall Debate – PoliticsPad

On Wednesday 5th December, a debate was held in Parliament’s Westminster Hall on the gender pay gap, a controversial issue which has been the focus of government work since 2010, when the Equality Act put into law the requirement for any company with over 250 employees to report the average gender pay gap in their company. Stella Creasy, Member of Parliament for Walthamstow, moved the motion to debate issues around the gap, including the consequences the gap has for women in the workplace. This
PoliticsPad •

67 Years since the UN Headquarters Opened in New York: What has changed?

At a time when, looking at the state of politics around the world, it doesn’t seem that hopeful, it is good to look back at the progress made by some of the better outcomes of politics internationally in years gone by. With the 67th Anniversary of the United Nations Headquarters opening in New York, what has this organisation, originally set up by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace, security, developing good relations between different countries and a commitment to better
PoliticsPad •

John Bercow constantly under fire in recent weeks – PoliticsPad

John Bercow, The Speaker of the House of Commons, has recently come under fire for a number of reasons, from the fact that he had been seen to have been politically biased, with one MP remarking that it was not appropriate for a Speaker to have a pro-remain sticker on his car. Rightly frustrated with factual inaccuracies stated by MPs, Bercow quickly corrected the Member for Gravesham that it was in fact his wife’s car and that he hoped that the member was not attempting to suggest that a wife i
PoliticsPad •

The Speaker: A look at the role and its quirks

The role of the Speaker has always been to chair and maintain order of the sittings in the House of Commons but beyond this, it is fairly unknown as to what the extent of the Speakers responsibilities are. In the main, the role of the Speaker, an office currently held by MP for Buckingham, John Bercow, is to Chair debates and proceedings in the House of commons, with full powers to demand an MP withdraw their remarks if what they say is deemed unparliamentary , suspend a sitting of Parliament i
PoliticsPad •

Local Government Cuts threaten vital services – PoliticsPad

In recent weeks, the government has come under increasing pressure, after a number of blows regarding its funding of local councils. While not the most exciting subject, in January, the Public Accounts Committee, the nearest thing to a watchdog the government has to keep them in check on their spending, released a damning report saying that a reduction in council funding is causing local authorities to increase rates locally, damaging their local area. Further to this, In Scotland, Cosla (the C
PoliticsPad •

Students mobilise for Climate Protests in day of action – PoliticsPad

In a show of solidarity with many around the rest of the world, students in schools in sixty towns and cities walked out in a Strike for the Climate today. Inspired by the action of those in countries such as Belgium and Germany, the Strike 4 Youth movement mobilised today in order to show politicians that they are serious about asking them to take action to stop climate change affecting their future. While there is some opposition to the movement, largely from teachers unions who believe not t
PoliticsPad •

Profile: Greta Thunberg

With the Climate movement having invaded the UK today, it was only right to profile the person who started much of it around the world. Greta Thunberg, aged 16, became the youngest person to address the UN Climate Change Conference, hailed by some to be the smartest in the room and by others as the only one talking any sense, even in the YouTube comments. A month before, Thunberg had addressed TEDx Stockholm, promoting her #SchoolsStrike4Climate movement. In January, Greta arrived at Davos, the
PoliticsPad •

Interview with Stuart Andrew, MP for Pudsey, Horsforth and Aireborough – PoliticsPad

This week, PoliticsPad interviewed Stuart Andrew, Member of Parliament for Pudsey, Horsforth and Aireborough at his local constituency office. The interview focused on what he would like to see done besides Brexit, his work as Patron of LGBTory (LGBT+ Conservatives), being openly gay himself, and his apparent voting record, which he disputes, saying that TheyWorkForYou.com is not a reliable source of information. Stuart, who is also Parliamentary Undersecretary of State and Minister of State fo
PoliticsPad •

LTSU Elections: Interview with Joseph Nelson, Candidate for President – PoliticsPad

With the 2019 Leeds Trinity Student Union Elections coming up from the 4th to the 8th March, this week will feature interviews from a number of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates. To kick us off is Joseph Nelson who is standing for the role of President. A student at the university for three years, Joseph studies Theology and would like to focus his efforts, if elected, on better financial support for placements, to push for better representation throughout the university and to c
PoliticsPad •

LTSU Elections: Interview with Lewis, Candidate for Vice-President – PoliticsPad

Continuing the run of interviews with candidates for the 2019 Leeds Trinity Student Union Elections, I interviewed current LGBT+ Officer and Vice-President Candidate, Lewis Benn. With a year’s experience of representing the LGBT+ Community at Leeds Trinity University, Lewis now wants to make sure that every student in the university is fairly represented, focusing on a louder student voice, promotion of inclusivity and in his own words ‘A louder, prouder campus, that supports your identity, aspi
Shout Out UK •

In bed with George Osborne: An unacceptable step too far

The purpose of the press in this day and age is debatable. However, according to certain academics’ views, it is thought that the press functions to hold governments and big organisations to account. Carl Bernstein once described journalism as, ‘The best available version of the truth’. With the appointment of George Osborne, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, as the editor of The Evening Standard, I would say that these two statements couldn’t be further from the truth. While I accept tha
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