Liz Bates has built a notable career at the centre of British politics, first as a Westminster journalist and later as a government special adviser. Her professional journey has taken her from economic research and political reporting to prominent roles at the Yorkshire Post, Channel 4 News and Sky News. In recent years, she has moved behind the scenes of Westminster, working as a special adviser to senior Labour politician Steve Reed.
Her personal life has also attracted attention because of her marriage to Labour MP Jake Richards. The couple have a young daughter, making their family particularly connected to British political life. For readers wondering who is Liz Bates, her story is best understood through both her journalism career and her transition into political communications.
Quick Bio of Liz Bates
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Liz Bates |
| Profession | Journalist and political adviser |
| Nationality | British |
| Hometown | South Yorkshire |
| Education | Economics, University of Manchester |
| Postgraduate degree | Political Journalism, City University London |
| Early career | Economic research |
| Former employers | PoliticsHome, Yorkshire Post, Channel 4 News, Sky News |
| Sky News role | Political Correspondent |
| Government role | Special Adviser |
| Husband | Jake Richards |
| Children | One daughter |
| Political connection | Adviser to Steve Reed |
Who Is Liz Bates?
So, who is Liz Bates? She is a British political journalist and former Sky News political correspondent who has spent much of her professional life reporting from Westminster.
According to her Sky News biography, Bates is from South Yorkshire and studied Economics at the University of Manchester before completing a master’s degree in political journalism at City University in London. Before entering journalism full-time, she worked in economic research.
Her background in economics and political journalism gave her a useful combination of analytical and reporting skills. She subsequently developed a reputation for covering Westminster, political parties, MPs and government policy.
Liz Bates’ Journalism Career
Bates began her political journalism career with PoliticsHome, where she worked as a political reporter. She later became Westminster correspondent for the Yorkshire Post, giving her a prominent position covering national politics from Parliament.
Her work during this period included political exclusives and reporting that attracted considerable attention. In 2019, she was appointed Political Correspondent at Channel 4 News after working at the Yorkshire Post. Contemporary reporting described her as being from Rotherham and highlighted her previous work for PoliticsHome and the Yorkshire Post.
Her move to Channel 4 News represented an important step in her career. The role gave her a national television platform and allowed her to report on major developments in British politics.
She later joined Sky News in 2022 as a political correspondent. Sky News describes her as having almost a decade of experience as a Westminster lobby journalist at the time she joined the broadcaster.
Liz Bates and Sky News
The name Liz Bates Sky News husband often appears alongside searches about her because her professional and personal life both connect closely with Westminster.
At Sky News, she covered political news from Westminster and across the UK. Her reporting included interviews, political investigations and coverage of government affairs. She also worked on Sky News’ The Open Secret, a podcast series examining allegations of inappropriate behaviour and the political culture surrounding Westminster.
Her time at Sky News helped establish her as a recognisable political journalist. She was regularly involved in reporting stories from the heart of British government and politics.
However, describing her simply as a current Sky News correspondent is now outdated. By 2025, she had moved into political advisory work.
Liz Bates as a Special Adviser
One of the most significant changes in her career came when Bates moved from reporting on politics to working inside government.
In September 2025, she became a special adviser to Steve Reed. Government transparency records subsequently listed Bates among the special advisers involved in meetings with senior media figures. A 2026 government record, for example, lists her as a special adviser attending a meeting concerning the Government’s Plan for Change.
The move is particularly interesting because special advisers operate very differently from journalists. A journalist observes, investigates and reports political events, while a special adviser provides political, strategic or communications advice to a minister.
Bates later discussed this career transition publicly in an August 2026 episode of the Commons People podcast. The programme described her as a former political journalist who became a special adviser in Keir Starmer’s government and explored the difference between reporting a political story and working inside government.
Her change of career therefore represents a move from the media side of Westminster into the political and governmental side.
Is Liz Bates Married?
For anyone asking, is Liz Bates married, current information indicates that she is.
Liz Bates is married to Jake Richards, a Labour politician and Member of Parliament for Rother Valley. Earlier reports described the pair as engaged, but more recent reporting confirms that they married. PoliticsHome reported that Richards married Bates and that they have a young daughter.
The relationship has attracted interest because both individuals are closely connected to Westminster. Bates spent years reporting on British politics, while Richards went on to become a Labour MP.
Their professional backgrounds also mean that both have experience of political life from different perspectives.
Who Is Liz Bates’ Husband Jake Richards?
Jake Richards is a Labour MP who represents Rother Valley. Before entering Parliament, he worked as a barrister, specialising in public and family law.
He is also the son of journalist and broadcaster Steve Richards, meaning politics and journalism have played a significant role in his wider family background.
Richards was elected to Parliament in 2024 and subsequently held a government ministerial role. His marriage to Bates has made the couple an interesting example of a Westminster relationship involving both journalism and frontline politics.
Does Liz Bates Have a Baby?
Yes. Recent reporting confirms that Liz Bates and Jake Richards have a daughter.
Earlier online profiles sometimes described the couple as engaged and referred to their child, reflecting information from an earlier stage of their relationship. More recent reporting now describes Richards as married to Bates and confirms that they have a young daughter.
Because the couple generally maintain a relatively private family life, detailed information about their daughter is not widely publicised. It is therefore more appropriate to focus on the confirmed fact that they have one child rather than speculate about private family details.
Liz Bates Age and Date of Birth
The exact Liz Bates age is not clearly established by authoritative public sources.
Although some biography websites publish estimated ages or dates of birth, her official Sky News biography does not provide an exact birth date. For that reason, claims about a precise date of birth should be treated cautiously.
The same applies to searches for her exact date of birth. Without a reliable primary source confirming the information, it is better to avoid presenting an unverified birthday as fact.
Liz Bates Instagram and Social Media
There has also been interest in Liz Bates Instagram and other social-media accounts. During her journalism career, she was publicly associated with the X/Twitter username @wizbates, and Sky News previously referenced that account in connection with her reporting.
However, social-media profiles can change when a person moves from journalism into government work. Readers should therefore distinguish between historical accounts associated with her journalism career and any current personal or professional profiles.
Liz Bates’ Changing Role in British Politics
Bates’ career is notable because it illustrates how Westminster professionals can move between journalism and political communications.
She began by researching economics, developed her career as a political reporter, became a Westminster correspondent, moved into national television journalism and eventually worked as a political correspondent for Sky News. Her later move into the role of special adviser placed her on the other side of the political media relationship.
In 2026, her continuing involvement in government communications was documented through official transparency records. The Commons People podcast also provided a rare public discussion of her experiences as a special adviser and her understanding of how political communications work from inside government.
Final Thoughts
Liz Bates has developed a career that extends well beyond television journalism. From her beginnings in economic research and political reporting to senior Westminster journalism and her later work as a government special adviser, her professional path reflects the changing relationship between politics and the media. Her marriage to Labour MP Jake Richards and their daughter also place her within a family with strong Westminster connections. For readers of Brit Current, Bates remains an interesting figure to follow because her experience offers a perspective on British politics from both inside and outside government.
