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humbertrawlinson.bsky.social

@humbertrawlinson.bsky.social
432 followers 77 following 14 posts
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Good Law Project @goodlawproject.org · 09/10/2026
Isn’t it strange how, when you start being paid by private companies instead of elected by the public, the people become the “mob”? Palantir’s record deserves scrutiny – from politicians and the public. bit.ly/47avtHW
theguardian.com
Palantir’s Tom Watson says ‘mob rule’ must not dictate awarding of government contracts
Former Labour deputy leader says tech firm would work with a Reform UK government on immigration crackdowns
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
The only 4 constituencies where rejoining the EU wasn’t the preferred option were those of Lee Anderson, Farage, Tice and Lowe. In those 4, the top answer was ‘don’t know’. Confirming that Brexit has no real support at all. Not surprising for a total shitshow. And makes red lines seem very silly.
Independent front page. 

Voters across Britain back rejoining EU
Reversing Brexit is most popular option in 646 of 650 constituencies, finds new electoral survey of 12,000Bar chart showing
Which EU relationship respondents most wanted the Uk government to propose

EU membership 35%
Single market 6%
Customs Union 5%
Uk govt position  18/19%
Starts quo 8/9%
Don’t know 16%
Loosen ties 11%
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Good letters in The Times on Canada’s moves towards the EU. Seems we’re far happier to discuss the strategic sense of Canada rethinking its allies and trade arrangements, than we are to discuss our own not-so splendid Brexit isolation. Looking very foolish again, UK.
EU suggestion of Canadian membership

2 of the letters 

Sir, Gerard Baker is right ("Grin and bear it, Andy, and stick with Trump", comment, Sep 18)……

….The problem is that the US is neither as reliable nor as reliably friendly as it once was. If it is willing to impose tariffs on friends, that economy becomes rather less reassuring. If the US prevents the UK regulating to protect our children, those new industries are not as positively transformative as we may have thought. And if Washington no longer thinks European security is its concern, then all that military might counts for little as far as we re concerned. Ultimately, the UK has little choice but to try and limit its dependence on a partner that is far less reliable than it was, and to do so, in part, by working more closely with its European neighbours. Managing this without further irritating the US president must be the ambition.
Anand Menon
Professor of European, KCL; director, the UK in a Changing Europe

Sir, Mark Carney's address to the European parliament was
extraordinarily impressive. It was a vision of what politics can be when it looks beyond the next poll, election or headline. Carney spoke of Europe and Canada building something together based on democracy, freedom, sovereignty and resilience. He offered both a dream and a practical route towards it: co-operation in defence. energy, critical minerals, technology, Al, trade and education. What struck me most was the clarity and scale of his thinking. He spoke of the challenges confronting western democracies but did not simply complain about them: he asked what could be built in response.
His metaphor of the forest was particularly memorable: a single tree mav be brought down by the storm. but a forest will endure because its roots are interconnected. I am 80 and I cannot remember recently hearing a western political leader speak with quite this combination of ambition, seriousness and intellectual clarity.
Thomas Kendall
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Horrific aftermath of Russian strikes on Ukrainian civilians. Russia killed three people and injured nine more, including two children, by a guided aerial bomb strike on a residential building in Sumy. (The video shows a 7-year-old boy being rescued from the rubble.)
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Holger Hestermeyer @hhesterm.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
How is this news? billionaire oil person says uk needs to drill more and tax less, though, of course, he‘s actually in Monaco. And he would do more in the uk if the state subsidised him more. Dear BBC, that‘s like me saying the uk‘s problem is underpaid law profs. www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
Billionaire Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says he has lost confidence in UK
Ineos founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe tells the BBC he thinks the country is "on the slide" and calls for more investment in the North Sea.
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Why does the BBC have as one of its lead news stories this morning another Britain-hating interview with Jim 'the UK has been colonised by immigrants' Ratcliffe? What public interest is this serving?
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We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 18/09/2026
Sewage dumping in our seas likely caused her infection and led to her wearing a colostomy bag But George is not resting until we have our water in public hands, so that it never happens to other people The government must stop burying their head in the ground - public ownership of water now
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Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
It is not humiliating for him, since he has no sense of dignity, but it is humiliating for the rest of us that the president of the United States serves as a subordinate press officer of the Kremlin. (1/2)
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We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 17/09/2026
"Water privatisation is one of the biggest cons in British history" @rebeccalongbailey.com sent a powerful message to the government in Parliament: we shouldn't just bring water into public hands; we must give households a seat on the board Public ownership now
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We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 15/09/2026
Water industry deniers always talk about the costs of public ownership of water. They never talk about the savings. Billpayers' money is being siphoned off from the water sector to benefit overseas shareholders and hedge funds. Returning water to public ownership in England is a no-brainer.
Screenshot of a Daily Mirror article from 14.09.2026: "Public ownership of water industry could save £22billion, MPs are told". The lede says "Labour MP Paul Davies, who led a Westminster Hall debate, said scrapping the “disastrous” privatised model could also help restore public trust in the sector"
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
US Justice Dept and Reform donor Ben Delo. Pled guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act. Built a company designed to flout US law; willfully failed to implement and maintain even basic anti-money laundering policies. $10 million criminal fine. 30 months of probation, waived by Trump.
justice.gov
 
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Student loan terms to be made clearer in England. But there has been decades of mis-selling. Why no compensation? £325bn UK student loan debt, £295bn in England. Most European countries don't charge Uni tuition fees. England does. What chance of buying a home, starting a family?
bbc.co.uk
Student loan terms to be made clearer in England
Changes will spell out that governments can change rules and that career choices affect repayments.
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 14/09/2026
Your regular reminder: If the Russians stop fighting, the war ends. If the Ukrainians stop fighting, their land will be occupied, their leaders will be killed, their history and language will be erased, their children will be kidnapped to serve Russia.
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We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 13/09/2026
Privatisation means our water only serves shareholders, while we get hosepipe bans, sewage and higher bills Stephen Fry sent this message to Keir Starmer and Steve Reed in February 2025. They failed to listen Andy Burnham needs to listen because more than 8 in 10 of us agree with Stephen Fry
Graphic of a quote by Stephen Fry: "“The Prime Minister and Environment Secretary should step in, stop the crisis at Thames Water by taking it into special administration and then bring it into permanent public ownership so it works for all of us... It's a scary moment, but it doesn't have to be. It could open the door to sorting out the sewage crisis once and for all.”"
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Thames Water hit by £2bn bill for finance costs and advisers’ fees. Result of years of borrowing to pay dividends, cost passed to customers. TW has violated terms of its licence, has numerous criminal convictions. Must be brought into public ownership. archive.ph/FXmvV
ft.com
Thames Water hit by £2bn bill for finance costs and advisers’ fees
Embattled UK utility faces mounting costs as government debates moving ahead with temporary nationalisation
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Charles Fourier @charlesfourier.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Bill Bryson’s words seem appropriate to post right now
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Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 08/09/2026
Spot on 🎯
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Canadian PM Mark Carney: I’ve met Putin in the past, multiple times. He only understands strength and directness. And the message would be simple: get out of Ukraine, give back all of Ukraine to Ukraine, end this war, which is killing more than 30,000 of your people every single month.
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Return of the Blackshirts. Dozens of men dressed in black, wearing balaclavas blocked the road at Dover. Organised to frighten people Crime and Policing Act 2026: "the wearing or otherwise using of an item that conceals identity when in an area designated by police" is a criminal offence.
theguardian.com
Black-clad protesters in balaclavas block road at port of Dover in Kent
Port authorities say access roads ‘free flowing’ again after large group forces road closures in both directions
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The New World @thenewworldmag.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
The action in Dover came as a surprise because hard right groups are getting better at operating below the radar. There will be more “protests” like this to come ✏️ Matt Muir
thenewworld.co.uk
Dover was no “spontaneous protest” – it’s an organised group and we know who they are
The action in Dover came as a surprise because hard right groups are getting better at operating below the radar. There will be more “protests” like this to come
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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Fascism on the streets of Dover
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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
A million times this question
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We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 02/09/2026
The new Prime Minister has challenged 40 years of privatisation 😮 Let's keep the pressure on for public ownership ✊
Two politicians, quotes on privatization and high bills.
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European Movement UK @europeanmovement.co.uk · 02/09/2026
“40 million pieces of paperwork per annum at nearly half an hour each. That is between 15 and 20 million hours of human endeavour per annum filling out Brexit paperwork.” Mike Galsworthy joined Tina Daheley on BBC Radio 2 to explain the extraordinary burden now facing British businesses.
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Recruiter places ‘phoenix’ firm in liquidation months after repurchase erased £3m debt, including £647k to HMRC. Back in business 3 days later by buying same assets. Process repeated. Employees, creditors, HMRC robbed Happens all too often, assets sold to connected persons. Need prosecutions.
theguardian.com
Recruiter places ‘phoenix’ firm into liquidation just months after repurchase erased millions in debt
New company reportedly quickly fell behind with promised repayments to administrator
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Richard Corbett CBE @richardcorbett.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Jaw dropping read (if you perservere to the end): "The Spreadsheet That Broke Britain" russincheshire.substack.com/p/the-spread...
russincheshire.substack.com
The Spreadsheet That Broke Britain
The absurd error behind austerity, stagnation and the rise of populist rage.
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We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 29/08/2026
"We can take control of our future" Ash Smith's (@windrushwasp.bsky.social) petition secured a parliamentary debate on Monday 14th September on a public ownership of water referendum DO YOUR BIT. Take just 2 mins to ask your MP to attend the debate and support a referendum: vist.ly/5gjst
"“About 160,000 of your signatures have secured a debate in parliament on the 14th of September on a petition to call for a referendum to bring water into public ownership...Let’s make this thing count for us. We do not have to be treated like this. We can take control of our future.” Ash Smith, Windrush Against Sewage Pollution
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
I know this isn't terrorism. You know this isn't terrorism. The authorities know this isn't terrorism. But, once again, they have labelled protesters "terrorists", as part of the long-running programme to ensure that no one dares protest about anything any more. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Seven charged with damaging Trump’s Scottish golf course accused of ‘terrorist connection’
Course at Donald Trump’s Turnberry resort was painted with words ‘Gaza is not 4 sale’ and clubhouse was sprayed with graffiti
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RedStateBlues @coolsprings.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
If 10yrs on, £Billions wasted and zero benefits later makes you angry enough about Brexit, then don’t be checking this out to see just how much we threw away, risked and lost, so we could crow about sovereignty and put flags on roundabouts instead. what-europe-does-for-me.europarl.europa.eu/en/focus
what-europe-does-for-me.europarl.europa.eu
What Europe does for me - #EUandME
How does Europe affect our everyday lives? How does it impact our jobs, our families, our health care, our hobbies, our journeys, our security, our consumer choices and our social rights? And how is E...
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Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Fake US thinktank set up and funded by Israel sought to game AI for propaganda www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
theguardian.com
Fake US thinktank set up and funded by Israel sought to game AI for propaganda
In effort to prime chatbots to make pro-Israel arguments the site published 124 reports, over 560,000 words in nine days, Guardian analysis shows
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
I mean… this is a painful watch. Here we are, Brexit Britain, in our not-so-splendid isolation, being battered on trade, less secure, less reliable, less trusted… just so much less… Canada wants in and we still can’t admit what arrogant, clueless fools we were for throwing it all away.
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
England water industry was privatized for £7.6bn in 1989. Since then They have extracted £88.4bn in dividends Dumped tons of sewage in rivers Lost 1 trillion litres of water a year to leaks Built no new reservoirs They are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy but claim to be worth £144bn. Rogues.
leftfootforward.org
The case for nationalisation of water companies
England’s privatised water companies are leaders of predatory practices. In 1989, the industry was privatised for £7.6bn and had no debts. It joined Chile and a few US states&...
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Chris Grey @chrisgrey.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Remember how Brexit was supposed to bring the "regulatory agility" for rapid medicine authorisation and make the UK a "world-leading" medicines regulator? Well, that turned out to be yet another illusion. Good new @ukandeu.bsky.social analysis here: ukandeu.ac.uk/the-uk-us-me...
ukandeu.ac.uk
The UK-US medicines deal and the hidden costs of Brexit - UK in a changing Europe
Vilija Vėlyvytė argues that the UK-US medicines deal which will see the NHS pay more for new medicines is an unexpected cost of Brexit.
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
The death toll from the Russian strike on the shopping mall in Kryvyi Rih has risen to five. Fifty-two people were injured, including six children. Twenty are in serious condition. 📹: Horrific moments of the Russian strikes on the shopping mall
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
China tax crackdown forces wealthy investors to assess their offshore trusts. $1.2 trillion wealth held in tax havens. When will UK act? HMRC failed to collect £500bn since 2010. No report on losses from profit shifting, offshore excursions. Capital gains, dividends taxed at lower rates than wages.
reuters.com
China tax crackdown forces wealthy investors to assess their offshore trusts
A growing campaign to tax offshore wealth is forcing wealthy Chinese people to rethink their trust structures and investment holdings, lawyers and advisors say, as Beijing sharpens its focus on capita...
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
A second wave of the fuel crisis has hit Russia. Russians are complaining about kilometer-long lines at gas stations and saying this wave "will be much more difficult and worse" than the previous one. 📹: A compilation of videos of Russians whining over the fuel crisis across Russia.
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
UK govt to pay KPMG and EY up to £456mn to train civil servants. Continuation of policy started by Thatcher; opened the door to privatisation, PFI, outsourcing, deregulation, consultancy cult. Firms mired in scandals get govt contracts, inside access to ministers, policy makers. archive.ph/hTdhS
ft.com
UK government to pay KPMG and EY up to £456mn to train civil servants
Deal marks largest contract awarded to Big Four firms in at least a decade
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Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Tice is such a prejudiced, small-minded little man. He wears his ignorance with actual pride and becomes aggressively vengeful when challenged. Someone this dim but this entitled shouldn’t have a hope of being in power. That’s how our country is broken… people like him being able to eye up govt.
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Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 16/08/2026
❌ Brexit has broken Britain. It has also made our country broke... 🇪🇺 EU membership could offer a £92bn boost to our economy. It is not an opportunity we can afford to lose. ✉️ Write to your MP and tell them to push for EU membership - it only takes a minute.
bestforbritain.org
Tell your MP that EU membership will supercharge our economy - Best for Britain
Write to your MP and tell them that membership of the European Union will deliver upwards of £92bn to our economy. Take
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Count Binface @countbinface.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
A brief note for Nadhim Zahawi.
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Russia killed 437 #Ukrainian civilians in July and injured 2,610 more (these are just the official numbers). This is a 30% increase compared to the previous month. Unfortunately, this horrible statistics just keeps getting worse - each month is the numbers are higher than during the previous one.
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Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Green groups call for Andy Burnham to break his silence on climate change: www.theguardian.com/environment/... Pleased to be a signatory to this joint letter organised by @gndrising.bsky.social: www.gndrising.org/updates/gree...
theguardian.com
Green groups urge Andy Burnham to break silence on climate crisis
More than 50 organisations say PM urgently needs to show leadership and prepare British people for scale of change needed as UK struggles through another heatwave
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Cold War Steve @coldwarsteve.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
The Haywain 2026
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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
UK students to pay up to 7.1% interest on loans. UK student debt £325bn, England £295bn; expected to hit £500bn by 2040s. Who can afford to afford to buy home, start family/business? England must copy Scotland, abolish university tuition fees. Write-off tuition debt.
gov.uk
Student Loans Interest Rates and Repayment Threshold Announcement
The Department for Education today 10 August 2026 confirmed annual updates to interest rates for undergraduate and postgraduate Income Contingent Student Loans, repayment thresholds for Plan 1 Income ...
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Bellingcat @bellingcat.com · 12/08/2026
New European Union sanctions have recently been announced for two vessels that Bellingcat has previously reported on as part of Russia’s shadow fleet that has been smuggling grain from occupied areas of Ukraine. eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-conten... www.youtube.com/shorts/5FUm6...
youtube.com
Who's buying Russia's smuggled grain?
YouTube video by Bellingcat
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Bellingcat @bellingcat.com · 12/08/2026
We also mapped the now EU-sanctioned vessel Irtysh’s (IMO: 9664976) journey from the sanctioned Port of Sevastopol in occupied Crimea to Houthi-controlled Yemen. www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/10... youtube.com/shorts/OrTUa...
bellingcat.com
Russia’s Grain Smuggling Fleet Continues Undeterred - bellingcat
Bellingcat has identified yet another Russian-flagged vessel exporting grain from occupied Crimea to Houthi-controlled Yemen.
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Kevin Schofield @kevinschofied.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Unearthed Video Shows Suella Braverman Praising Afghan Schemes She Now Says Were 'Appalling' www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/uneart...
huffingtonpost.co.uk
Unearthed Video Shows Suella Braverman Praising Afghan Schemes She Now Says Were 'Appalling'
The former Tory home secretary once said it she was “very proud of the high number” who moved from Afghanistan to the UK.
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
🎧 New PAGE 94 Podcast OUT NOW This week: ENTIRELY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE The team discuss the Conservatives’ new policy on convicted Neo-Nazis (pro), the AI data centres hoovering up power and water, and the extraordinary story of Professor Jason Arday. Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvPM...
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