Exclusive: Friends of the Earth finds greatest sewage discharge in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset * ‘Tiny bit of rain and the sewage comes’: Brighton swimmers vent fury at sea pollution South West Water is doing more harm to the environment than any other water company in England, according to new analysis, with more sewage discharged in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset than anywhere else. Friends of the Earth analysed water companies’ environmental performance in six categories: sewage spills, water quality at bathing sites, pollution incidents or warnings at bathing sites, severity of sewage pollution at bathing sites, the percentage of rivers rated below the standard for good ecological health, and the affordability of bills. Continue reading...

Historian warns of unchecked power in Big Tech firms, drawing parallels to British East India Company. US lawmakers urged to rein in tech giants.

Cross-party group backs call last month from science and technology committee to look at alternative options A second parliamentary committee has urged Labour to scrap Palantir’s £330m contract with the NHS, increasing pressure on the next prime minister over government deals with the controversial US tech company. MPs on the health and social care select committee want the NHS to cut ties with Palantir and find a replacement for its system, which is supposed to unify and analyse huge amounts of often highly sensitive NHS health data. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer has said the Reform UK leader has exploited tragedy to create ‘grievance and division’, against the wishes of the victim’s family