Telegraph Media Group wins award for The Expenses Files investigation

William Lewis, Editor of The Daily Telegraph, accepted the Reporters World Award from King Juan Carlos of Spain at a ceremony at the Palace Hotel in Madrid.

The award from El Mundo, the respected Spanish newspaper, was made in recognition of the international impact of the expenses coverage.

More than 40 politicians announced their resignation in the wake of the investigation, including the Speaker of the House of Commons, which dominated the news agenda for weeks.

El Mundo said the award had been given to Telegraph Media Group for its coverage "not only because it was the most eye-catching and relevant series of articles published in the last decade by any European newspaper but also because it had real consequences for the British citizens and for their politicians.

"Every journalist should feel happy about what The Telegraph has done because it proves that our trade is still alive and that its preservation is absolutely crucial for society".

In his acceptance speech, Mr Lewis said: "This is a tribute to the hard work, tenacity and inspiration of a group of talented young journalists back in London who had the courage to take on the British political establishment and win – emphatically.

"Not in living memory has a political story provoked such outrage among the British people. Politicians of all parties were forced to swallow a toxic cocktail of anger and ridicule.

"It is refreshing that a newspaper was able to perform what must be its primary moral duty – holding those in power to account."

The award is made annually in honour of two El Mundo journalists, Julio Fuentes and Julio Anguita Parrado, who were killed while covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Jose Luis Lopez de Lacalle, a journalist killed by an Eta terrorist.