Original Times article exposing Asif Hamid as a criminal: https://wirralinittogether.blog/2026/04/26/a-screenshot-of-the-sunday-times-asif-hamid-criminal-article-saved-here-in-the-event-it-ever-gets-deleted/

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Paul Cardin	10/04/2026 08:18 (1 minute ago)
to craig.manning@nqnw.co.uk

Dear Craig,
The following story is developing on Wirral. It looks very important, concerns the council leader, and I would like you to cover it.

https://wirralinittogether.blog/2026/03/30/fraudster-asif-hamid-and-wirral-council-leader-paula-basnett-have-very-close-ties-the-times-has-released-an-article-questioning-the-activities-of-asif-hamid-is-paula-basnett-next-watch-this-space-v/

many thanks,

Paul

about.me/paul.cardin

Copies of this email have been duplicated to news@liverpool.com (The Liverpool Echo) and liverpoolpost@substack.com (The Post, Liverpool)

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Update 14:02 10th April 2026

No responses yet

Update 07:52 23rd April 2026

No responses yet

Update 19:56 29th April 2026

Laurence at the Liverpool Post: ‘Still working on this and hopefully we will be able to publish soon’

Update 12:34 15th May 2026

Abi at the Liverpool Post:  “We are working on a story. We can’t say any more at this time but rest assured we are planning a piece on this.”

Update 4th June 2026

I sent a prompting email:

From: Paul Cardin
Date: Thu, 4 Jun 2026 at 08:03
Subject: Re: Asif Hamid
To: Laurence Thompson <laurence@livpost.co.uk>, abi@livpost.co.uk <abi@livpost.co.uk>

Hi Laurence, Abi,

Thanks to Warren Thornton, investigations into Wirral Council leader Paula Basnett, her husband Mark Basnett and criminal Asif Hamid have broadened, taken a more serious turn, and the implications become far more serious. See 2:21:00 onwards.

Warren Thornton covers corrupt councils: Wirral, Birmingham, Brent, Blackpool and Leicester

Any news on your article?

Thanks,

Paul Cardinabout.me/paul.cardin

There was no direct response to the above email.

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Update 14th July 2026

I sent a prompting email:

From: Paul Cardin 
Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2026 at 07:56
Subject: Fwd: Paula Basnett (and her husband, and Asif Hamid)
To: abi@livpost.co.uk <abi@livpost.co.uk>, laurence@livpost.co.uk <laurence@livpost.co.uk>

Hi Abi, Laurence,

Four months on, is there any news on your enquiries regarding Wirral criminal Asif Hamid, please?

You appear not to be responding to my emails now,

Many thanks,

Paul

Paul Cardinabout.me/paul.cardin

A response arrived the same day…

Laurence Thompson	14 Jul 2026, 14:49
to abi@livpost.co.uk, me

Hi Paul,

Thanks again for getting in touch. We’re still looking into this but it’s had to go on the backburner lately, mostly owing to my annual leave. We hope to get back onto it soon. 

Many thanks,

Laurence

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The original Sunday Times article (with paywall removed):

https://archive.md/UtQy9

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Return to Bomb Alley 1982 – The Falklands Deception, by Paul Cardin

Amazon link

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I’ve been very busy … I’ve needed to be. Below are 101 examples of Wirral Labour / Tory / LibDem scandals, abuse of disabled people, corruption, lies, cover-ups, distortions, conflicts of interest, whitewash investigations, kickbacks, cronyism, control of the local media, gags, bumper pay-offs and clean bills of health to the guilty … and much more … all gathered over the last 10 years.

http://paulcardin.substack.com