Canary website announces closure after citing vicious campaign against it

Closure follows mounting pressures

The Canary announced it would close indefinitely, saying the strain on its finances and operations had become unsustainable. The outlet said it had faced multiple attacks and allegations it described as malicious lies from former employees.

In a statement, the Canary said it was taking the step with sadness and regret after 11 years. It accused former staff of lies, defamation and harassment, and also cited ongoing attacks by the state and others seeking to destroy it.

Access to funds disrupted

The outlet said it had encountered difficulty paying staff and contractors after Lloyds Bank unexpectedly blocked access to a substantial amount of its money earlier this year. During the summer, staff were told that nearly all additional funding had been spent and that redundancies were possible. They were also told about £400,000 had been set aside to support operations through the rest of the year; the Canary later faced problems accessing its funds.

Concerns and staff allegations

In May, chief executive Steve Topple told staff that he and other members of management had serious concerns about the organisation’s integrity and its reputational risk. Employees have also alleged that management asked them earlier this year to sign non-negotiable non-disclosure agreements. They said they were told refusal could lead to changes to their employment contracts.

Payments reported up to date

Topple said employee pension contributions were up to date as of 30 September. He also said freelancers had been paid through that date.