Reposted by Marcus ChownMarcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 6hOften, when services such as health services are privatised/outsourced, it initially looks as if it’s cheaper. But what happens is that NHS in-house expertise is lost & private firms, having the NHS over a barrel, ramp up prices. Can see this too with Care Homes, almost all of which are privatised. 13216
Reposted by Marcus ChownMarcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 3hYes, and when the private sector screws up, it is the NHS that must pick up the pieces, at whatever cost. A textbook example of the government privatising the profit and socialising the risk 193
Reposted by Marcus ChownRichard, Toad the Just, Earl of Sausagetoad 🇬🇧 🇺🇸🌊 @richardlordtoad.bsky.social · 15hThey all knew, but sucked-up anyway... 12243482331
Reposted by Marcus ChownDigital Brain @yourdigitalbrain.bsky.social · 2hA man dug a tiny waterhole in the Brazilian rainforest, then set up a camera to see who would show up for a drink 441576325
Reposted by Marcus ChownMark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 3hUsing phone calls, travel movements and location data, Der Spiegel has traced the recent drone attack on a German airport back to the elite SSD unit of the Russian military intelligence service GRU. When are the authorities going to start saying we’re at war and have been for a long time?spiegel.de(S+) Leipziger Flughafen: Das sollen die Männer hinter der Drohnen-Attacke seinErmittler meinen zu wissen, wer den Leipziger Flughafen mit Drohnen angegriffen hat. Ihren Auftrag erhielten die Verdächtigen nach SPIEGEL-Recherchen wohl von einer Spezialeinheit des russischen Gehei... 20288129
Reposted by Marcus ChownMother Jones @motherjones.com · 3hMost Americans can agree on one thing, regardless of their political affiliation. We hate data centers. So why does Trump love them?motherjones.com"The single most toxic issue in the midterms": How America turned on data centers.On the latest episode of "Stress Test": The AI building boom has become the season’s sharpest attack line—and candidates are running scared. 1912530
Reposted by Marcus ChownA Voice Crying in the Wilderness @cryingwilderness.bsky.social · 07/10/2026 16548641068
Reposted by Marcus ChownPeter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 2hBREAKING: Prime Minister Andy Burnham tells German chancellor Friedrich Merz that he wants to "bring the UK closer to Europe" while speaking in Berlin 👏 712412
Reposted by Marcus ChownPrem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 7hPrivate equity owners of Boots sell it to another PE group from Canada for £6.74bn. Debt-laden PE has no long-term interest. Everything is a commodity. No UK tax levied on dividends paid to foreign owners, which sweetens cash extraction. PE dominates town centres, when it crashes ...theguardian.comCanada’s Weston family buys Boots for $8.9bnFormer Selfridges owners buy UK high street institution from long-term backer Stefano Pessina 33441230
Reposted by Marcus ChownDavid Corn @davidcorn.bsky.social · 12hThe problem is he believes this. 5235195
Marcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 3hYes, and when the private sector screws up, it is the NHS that must pick up the pieces, at whatever cost. A textbook example of the government privatising the profit and socialising the risk 193
Reposted by Marcus ChownRon R Gray @sixpixeldesign.bsky.social · 5hBecause it was the left and Labour that argued against Thatcher giving everything away to the oligarchs, the right still refuse to acknowledge how catastrophic it was. They would rather maintain the status quo than admit they were wrong, Thatcher was wrong and their opponents where right all along. 041
Marcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 3hJust to take your 3) The public subsidy to the railways is now four times what it was when they were publicly owned. And we have the highest train fares in Europe. 182
Reposted by Marcus ChownMarcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 7hPrivatisation in a nutshell: 1) Steal from us something we own. 2) Sell us back an inferior service 3) Charge us a higher price. The pattern is the same everywhere: royal mail, water, railways, the NHS, public services, council services… 13322145
Marcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 6hWhat we have are privatised monopolies. The profit motive has no place in our NHS, where founding principle is “care according to need not ability to pay.” 0129
Marcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 6hOften, when services such as health services are privatised/outsourced, it initially looks as if it’s cheaper. But what happens is that NHS in-house expertise is lost & private firms, having the NHS over a barrel, ramp up prices. Can see this too with Care Homes, almost all of which are privatised. 13216
Reposted by Marcus ChownPaul Sandham @sandypuke.bsky.social · 7hI recently bought a book of 6 first class and 10 Second class stamps. I think 30p Lee could have fed his entire constituency for a month on what it cost me!!! 032
Marcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 6hWhat we have are privatised monopolies. The profit motive has no place in our NHS, where founding principle is “care according to need data ability to pay.” 161
Marcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 7hPrivatisation in a nutshell: 1) Steal from us something we own. 2) Sell us back an inferior service 3) Charge us a higher price. The pattern is the same everywhere: royal mail, water, railways, the NHS, public services, council services… 13322145
Reposted by Marcus ChownPrem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Failures of privatisation. Royal Mail to cut up to 2,500 jobs Foreign-owned RM doesn't meet letter delivery targets even after regulator lowered them. Postage: 1st class, £1.80, 2nd class 91p. When privatized in 2013: 1st class 60p; 2nd class 50p. Poor service at triple price. Customers fleeced.bbc.co.ukRoyal Mail plans to cut 2,500 head office jobsThe postal service firm wants to cut the head office and other jobs by the end of 2027. 86816394
Reposted by Marcus ChownByline Times @bylinetimes.bsky.social · 8h🟡 From This Month’s Magazine Finding the Right Energy to Tackle Our Existential Climate Dread By @johnmitchinson.bsky.social John Mitchinson finds an inspiring warmth in the reality-checking work of climate justice activist Mikaela Loachsubscribe.bylinetimes.comFinding the Right Energy to Tackle Our Existential Climate DreadJohn Mitchinson finds an inspiring warmth in the reality-checking work of climate justice activist Mikaela Loach 0208
Reposted by Marcus ChownGeorge Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 8hThis looks like a crucial investigation to me, building on an essential body of work by @bylinetimes.bsky.social Please help to support it. subscribe.bylinetimes.com/lightuptheda...subscribe.bylinetimes.com#LightUpTheDark – Byline TimesDark Enlightenment: The US Far-Right War on British Institutions Help Byline Times Fund aN URGENT New INVESTIGATIVE SERIES #LightUpTheDark What is the Dark Enlightenment? The extraordinary anti-DEI me... 3285140
Reposted by Marcus ChownDave Johnson @dcjohnson.bsky.social · 8hNow we find out later, from leaks. Democracies only function when there is an honestly informed public... www.the-express.com/news/us-news...the-express.comStark numbers show US has lost 81 planes and $3.3BN worth of helicopters in IranA new report shows the scaled of US losses during the conflict with Iran, which began in February. 187
Reposted by Marcus ChownDave Johnson @dcjohnson.bsky.social · 8hI'm so old I remember war correspondents, and news reports telling the public in a democracy about what was happening in wars... Now we find out later, from leaks. www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-at...cbsnews.com"They hit us bad." Newly obtained footage, witness accounts detail Iran attack — and U.S. retreat — at major post in KuwaitCBS News obtained new video from a person on the ground showing an Iranian attack on a U.S. base at the beginning of the war. 193
Reposted by Marcus ChownRichard Murphy @richardjmurphy.bsky.social · 8hIs France signalling the end of neoliberalism? As a matter of fact, people will only stand for abuse from a financial system designed to oppress them for so long. France and maybe Spain seem to be indicating they've had enough. youtu.be/CpRl1ajsj-k?...youtu.beIs France signalling the end of neoliberalism?YouTube video by Richard J Murphy 812163
Reposted by Marcus ChownAdam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 07/10/2026From the new Private Eye 492558923
Marcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 7hGovernment spending stimulates and mainatins the economy. Without it, there would be no economy. Even the money in our pockets is government debt in circulation. Look at the wording on bank notes. They are IOUs from the Bank of England/Government. 2144
Reposted by Marcus ChownFionna O’Leary @fascinatorfun.bsky.social · 8hMemories of Mandelson & Palantir come to mind The head of a lobbying firm, Roland Rudd, paid by the UAE to promote its interests in Westminster, is also advising the UK government on how Britain can use sport and culture to project influence overseas democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-u...democracyforsale.substack.comRevealed: UAE lobbyist advising UK government on sport and foreign policyFGS Global chair Roland Rudd accused of "blatant conflict of interest" for advising ministers on foreign affairs while his firm lobbies for UAE embassy 25633
Reposted by Marcus ChownJim Waterson @jim.londoncentric.media · 8hHardly an original take but it is Quite Annoying to imagine how much the UK (and me, and you!) would all have more cash today if Donald Trump hadn't decided to start bombing Iran for *reasons*. Where's the White House impact assessment on my nursery fees. www.ft.com/content/2cb1...ft.comIran war blows near-£12bn hole in Britain’s public financesFT estimates show inflation and soaring borrowing costs have slashed chancellor John Healey’s headroom in half 426856
Reposted by Marcus ChownReuters @reuters.com · 7hUS President Donald Trump campaigned for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton in San Antonio, Texas, on October 7 urging supporters to help Republicans win key midterm races. The rally was interrupted repeatedly by protesters reut.rs/4zmtADX 97422
Reposted by Marcus ChownGrady Booch @booch.com · 16hMs Hamilton coined the term “software engineering”. 7635200
Reposted by Marcus ChownThe New York Times @nytimes.com · 14hMargaret Hamilton, who led the 100-person team that wrote the onboard software for the Apollo missions, has died.nyti.msMargaret Hamilton, Whose Software Guided the Apollo Missions, Has DiedMargaret Hamilton, the first female programmer hired to work on the space project at M.I.T., was 90. 311776741
Reposted by Marcus ChownDr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com · 14hThis picture will always be iconic. RIP Margaret Hamilton who wrote the software that successfully guided NASA’s Apollo missions through the moon. 4542301134
Reposted by Marcus ChownAdam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Listening to Kemi Badenoch list her many supposed triumphs you wouldn't have any idea that the Conservatives just suffered their worst set of election defeats in their history and are now polling eight points lower than when she first took over as leader 2141073
Reposted by Marcus Chownerin mccann @mccanner.bsky.social · 23h“We just went through the month of September without a hurricane, and that has not happened in what we call the satellite era, basically since the 1970s,” one hurricane expert said. Signs point toward Isaias being the first Atlantic hurricane of 2026 — in October! www.nytimes.com/2026/10/07/w...nytimes.comTropical Storm Isaias Heads Toward Gulf Coast and Is Forecast to Become a HurricaneThe storm will move north toward the Gulf Coast of the United States over the next few days, forecasters said. 74718
Reposted by Marcus ChownMarcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Childcare for those earning more than £100,000, an inheritance tax cut for the 4.72 per cent of people that pay it… The Tories are no longer even pretending they give a toss about the majority of people in the UK. 810341
Reposted by Marcus ChownCNN @cnn.com · 07/10/2026Danish artist Jens Galschiøt unveiled a sculpture depicting a naked US President Donald Trump surrounded by golf equipment. It was unveiled on the grounds of the European Parliament building in Strasbourg. 48913337
Reposted by Marcus ChownAmee Vanderpool @girlsreallyrule.bsky.social · 21hA new gold statue showing Donald Trump, naked and balanced atop the back of a meek man, has been unveiled today in the European Parliament building in Strasbourg. The eight-foot installation, titled The Orange Plague, is attributed to "The King of Injustice." 22315123
Reposted by Marcus ChownMarcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Need more corgi poo bags 2304
Reposted by Marcus ChownPrem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 23hUK govt plans £1bn energy bills help for poorer households. How about cutting energy profit margins, 100% windfall tax on excess profits before turning to the public purse. UK energy sector is mostly foreign-owned. Dividends paid without any UK tax deduction. End this perk, raise billions.theguardian.comChancellor plans major intervention to help poorer UK households with rising energy billsExclusive: Officials working on further radical changes that would change how much energy companies could charge customers 25620270
Reposted by Marcus ChownReuters @reuters.com · 22hLIVE: WHO update on global health issues, possible plague outbreak in Russia youtube.com/live/e0F-2wD...youtube.comLIVE: WHO update on global health issues, possible plague outbreak in RussiaYouTube video by Reuters 065
Reposted by Marcus ChownM Meerkat @kackbro.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Truth 👇 Bomb 💣......... 39286273477
Reposted by Marcus ChownJules⚖️📨 @northjules.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Authoritarianism advances when the people meant to restrain power decide serving the leader matters more than serving the law. Courts, watchdogs, oversight, ethics—democracy weakens when every guardrail becomes optional. 86849
Reposted by Marcus ChownMarcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Yes. That’s always been the case with the Tories. But in the past they’ve been clever enough to lie about the fact they exist to enrich the 1% at the expense of the 99%. But not Badenoch! 13415
Reposted by Marcus ChownMarcus Chown @marcuschown.bsky.social · 07/10/2026If there is one thing that encapsulates the moral bankruptcy of America it is this. 0175
Reposted by Marcus ChownPaul K - Tricolour glitter @paulkcmf.bsky.social · 07/10/2026It's all about the rich and protecting their money at the cost of those that have much less 001
Reposted by Marcus ChownIan @ianpadg.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Kemi is going back to the future! Corruption Selfservatism Food banks Austerity Broken housing markets Broken water markets Broken energy markets Mail services in ruin Schools falling apart Prisons full NHS wards closed Poor, poorer Rich, richer 021