Nick Davies makes Paul Foot Award shortlist

The shortlist of journalists in the running for the Paul Foot Award, which recognises campaigning journalism published in 2011, has been announced.

Nick Davies, the Guardian journalist who exposed the extent of phone hacking at the News of the World and won a number of awards for his investigation, is among those shortlisted.

The award organisers recognise Davies' "painstaking investigation into phone hacking", adding that "2011 sets the turning point with explosive revelations, the fallout from which continues across politics and the media".

Also shortlisted is Jon Austin from the Basildon Echo for his series of articles about Dale Farm and "in particular, a major investigation into the ownership of property in Ireland by travellers based in the UK, facing eviction".

Jonathan Calvert and Claire Newell make the list for a series of the Sunday Times titled the "Fifa World Cup scandal", which the panel of judges are recognising for "exposing corruption in the contests to host the World Cup finals".

Katharine Quarmby, who writes for the Guardian, Times, Mail on Sunday, Prospect Magazine, Disability Hate Crime Network, Big Issue, Scotsman, Sunday Times, Mencap Viewpoint Magazine, Disabled Go, Huffington Post and the Telegraph is named for her campaign to "raise awareness of disability hate crime".

David Rose has been selected by judges for an article pubished in the Live Magazine, Mail on Sunday/Mail Online on "UK aid to India", which questioned "why the UK is still sending millions of pounds in aid to India when India’s economy is booming".

Zoe Smeaton, a journalist with UBM Media title Chemist and Druggist Magazine is shortlisted for an investigative campaign which "uncovered more than £5 million in government payment errors, revealed the lengths being taken by an NHS agency to cover up the mistakes, and resulted in a £20 milliion compensation package for community pharmacy businesses".

Jerome Taylor is recognised for his role in the Independent's "ground-breaking campaign to allow reporters into the court of protection, setting legal precedents and shining a much needed spotlight on one of Britain’s most closed judicial systems".

And the Observer's Mark Townsend makes the list for a series of articles on "the exploitation of women and children trafficked into the UK".

The overall winner of the award, which was set up by Private Eye magazine and the Guardian in memory of journalist and campaigner Paul Foot who died in 2004, will be announced next week.

The £5,000 prize will be presented on Tuesday (28 February) in London, with each of the runners up receiving ₤1,000.

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