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Richard Brooks

@rbrooks45.bsky.social
828 followers 127 following 91 posts

Private Eye hack, author of Post Mortem (@privateeyenews.bsky.social), Bean Counters (Atlantic, 2018), The Great Tax Robbery (OneWorld, 2013). Co-founder @taxwatch.bsky.social.

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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
As Labour promises fresh welfare clampdown, at the other end of the spectrum it’s already relaxing rules on fat cat boardroom pay. Full details in @privateeyenews.bsky.social In the Money…
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Rokos has been at loggerheads with HM Revenue & Customs. In the mid-2000s he’d invested in two film companies that government lawyers said were “finance schemes that were intended to generate losses in their first year of trading”.
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Full story by ‘Gold Digger’ online and in the latest issue: www.private-eye.co.uk/in-the-back You can contact Gold Digger with financial stories at: golddigger@private-eye.co.uk
private-eye.co.uk
Private Eye | In the Money : Rokos & rolling in it
BILLIONAIRE Chris Rokos must be hoping he gets better advice on his offshore flit to Greece than he has on previous tax ruses.
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Number crunching: AI safety From the new Private Eye, out now.
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Nothing says “AI bubble” like the industry’s biggest player opposing the caution that others agree on in the interests of, er, human survival.
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Current @privateeyenews.bsky.social In the Money: how disqualification is no disqualification in UK’s wild west insolvency game; the bubbly signals on Nvidia’s balance sheet; how tier 1 investor visa system was scammed; and much more.. still on sale…
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
After horrific events in Teesside, mayor Ben Houchen blamed “drugs trade”. Yet he gave the security contract at Teesside freeport to a co whose “managing director” was still serving 11 year sentence for organised drugs crime - despite having been told this- see @privateeyenews.bsky.social for story
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
As PM-in-waiting in mid-July, Andy Burnham reportedly told Labour MPs Britain had become an “outsourced state with little accountability” and he wanted to see more “insourcing”.
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
🎧 New PAGE 94 Podcast OUT NOW This week: DELO OR NO DELO The team and Richard Brooks discuss Reform UK's new sugar-daddy, the likelihood of AI wiping out the world (just 10%) and the Men In Black coming to a port near you. Watch: youtu.be/GqNXMniIPMQ
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
As crypto moneybags Ben Delo promises further £35m for Reform, current @privateeyenews.bsky.social sets out his money laundering backstory. Buy the mag for full story.
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Reform conference shock From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
That Reform oyster bar sting in full The new Private Eye is out now.
A photo of the front cover of issue 1683 of Private Eye magazine with the caption “ON SHELVES NOW!” Heading reads “THAT REFORM OYSTER BAR STING IN FULL” and features an image of Nigel Farage eating an oyster, with speechbubbles reading: “How many would you like?”, “500,000 please!”, “Shellfish?”, “You bet I am!”, “It is not a good year for Nigel”, “Don’t swallow anything he says!”, “Watch out, he could be dodgy!” and “He’s too slimy for me!” The bottom caption reads “PUBLIC ‘NOT LISTENING’ TO FARAGE EXCUSES SHOCK!”
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Most recent @privateeyenews.bsky.social has a Teesside ‘regeneration’ summer special - featuring 8 figure accounting errors, unpaid debts, taxpayer bailouts and much more…
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
More than a decade after @privateeyenews.bsky.social exposed the extent of offshore-owned property, money laundering through shell companies and much else, a look in current issue at failed promises to deal with the problem and a chance for government to take on the offshore game…
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
In latest @privateeyenews.bsky.social, the Teesside shambles goes on: missed payments from businessmen who’ve cashed in on regeneration for £100ms of taxpayer’s money, undocumented loans, 8 figure errors in public body accounts. Available to read online - www.private-eye.co.uk/in-the-back
private-eye.co.uk
Private Eye | Teesside: Plot twisters
THERE are dysfunctional public bodies and then there’s Lord (Ben) Houchen’s Tees Valley (TVCA) Authority and its wholly owned South Tees Development Corporation (STDC).
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Brilliant piece on very important point - opacity of the court system. As George says, if we could have seen more about the Post Office convictions, could have hastened exposure of the miscarriage of justice. Only one example. Obvious case for reform.
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
In latest @privateeyenews.bsky.social, the Teesside shambles goes on: missed payments from businessmen who’ve cashed in on regeneration for £100ms of taxpayer’s money, undocumented loans, 8 figure errors in public body accounts. Available to read online - www.private-eye.co.uk/in-the-back
private-eye.co.uk
Private Eye | Teesside: Plot twisters
THERE are dysfunctional public bodies and then there’s Lord (Ben) Houchen’s Tees Valley (TVCA) Authority and its wholly owned South Tees Development Corporation (STDC).
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Pete Miles @petermiles.eurosky.social · 16/08/2026
Just fancy that... @privateeyenews.bsky.social
JUST FANCY THAT!

July 2026: Tees Valley mayor Lord (Ben)

Houchen responds to Andy Burnham's proposal to give tax revenues to regional mayors: "I'll create a new rebate scheme to put money back into people's pockets".

May 2026: Tees Valley businessmen Chris

Musgrave and Martin Corney agree deal in principle to sell land they buy from Houchen's mayoral authority's development corporation, at £1 per acre, to Al company Anthropic -putting more than £400m in their pockets.
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
NON-EMERGENCY ALERT: IT’S PRIVATE EYE WEEK!
Bumper summer fun special edition of Private Eye out this week! 
56 pages of jokes and journalism, in shops and with subscribers from Wednesday.
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
In The Journalist, magazine of @nujofficial.bsky.social, @markffisher.bsky.social reviews Post Mortem, “a compelling account of the Post Office Horizons IT scandal”, published by @privateeyenews.bsky.social. Page 16 for full review - www.nuj.org.uk/static/92dd8...
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
The first forensic account of how the Post Office, the British government and a global IT company ruined the lives of thousands of innocent people. Post Mortem by Richard Brooks ➡️ www.private-eye.co.uk/books/post-m...
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Guardian story today about Palantir low corporation tax (its employees pay a lot) first reported by @privateeyenews.bsky.social In the Money in June - but as secondary to its low value U.K. presence and absence of U.K. directors, Mr Mosley not registered as one -
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Dan @mediadan.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
I really need to improve my social media search ability!! Richard Brooks’ investigative work is second-to-none and his efforts to lay out the background of the Post Office scandal deserve an enormous amount of credit.
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
If you’re in Dumfries & Galloway in September… kbtfringe.co.uk/event/events...
kbtfringe.co.uk
Post Mortem: The Truth behind the Post Office Scandal - KBT Fringe
Join investigative journalist Richard Brooks for an urgent exploration into the Post Office Horizon IT debacle’arguably the most profound miscarriage of justice in modern UK history. While politicians...
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Japan News, English language version of country's largest daily, reviews my book Post Mortem - "important read when looking at technology we rely on and the attitudes of govts and tech firms, including Fujitsu...". Let's hope the company's bosses read it. japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/culture/book...
japannews.yomiuri.co.jp
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
A cautionary devolution tale: hundreds of millions of pounds invested in Teesside but benefiting a couple of local businesssmen rather than the region, thanks to mayor Houchen. Full @privateeyenews.bsky.social report from last year online here: www.private-eye.co.uk/special-repo...
private-eye.co.uk
Special Report: Stripped Tees
IT WAS to be the UK’s largest regeneration scheme in decades, a model for regional devolution and the flagship post-Brexit freeport. But the redevelopment of the former steelworks on the south bank of...
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
A cautionary devolution tale: hundreds of millions of pounds invested in Teesside but benefiting a couple of local businesssmen rather than the region, thanks to mayor Houchen. Full @privateeyenews.bsky.social report from last year online here: www.private-eye.co.uk/special-repo...
private-eye.co.uk
Special Report: Stripped Tees
IT WAS to be the UK’s largest regeneration scheme in decades, a model for regional devolution and the flagship post-Brexit freeport. But the redevelopment of the former steelworks on the south bank of...
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
In latest @privateeyenews.bsky.social In the Money, Bank of England eases capital rules for banks at same time as its financial stability report warns of risky asset valuations and members of its financial policy committee worry about dangers of the move…
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Eye hack Richard Brooks tracked the companies and middlemen who cashed in on the crisis, and the government that let them get away with it. ➡️ Profits of Doom special report available to read for free: www.private-eye.co.uk/special-repo... 🧵2/2
private-eye.co.uk
Special Report: Profits Of Doom
As the greatest public health emergency for a century brought illness, bereavement and hardship to millions in the UK and presented taxpayers with a £75bn bill for extra health spending, a smaller ban...
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
The Eye exposed Covid profiteering back in 2021, long before this week’s inquiry findings that nearly £10bn of PPE was written off as wasted, and that a “VIP lane” fast-tracked the politically connected. 🧵1/2
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
It's Private Eye day 🎉 To mark the appointment of yet another Prime Minister we have a brand new issue for you... on shelves now! Or subscribe at www.subsonline.co.uk Either way make sure you get your copy!
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
As the evidence of their nefarious use mounts, the government tries turning the UK into a stablecoin playground. More in latest @privateeyenews.bsky.social
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
How @privateeyenews.bsky.social exposed Covid waste and profiteering back in 2021. Profits of Doom special report available to read here- www.private-eye.co.uk/special-repo...
private-eye.co.uk
Special Report: Profits Of Doom
As the greatest public health emergency for a century brought illness, bereavement and hardship to millions in the UK and presented taxpayers with a £75bn bill for extra health spending, a smaller ban...
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
For all its professed commitment to “sovereign” tech capability, the UK government is remarkably ready to waive the rules to accommodate US data company Palantir. 🧵1/4
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Meet and Discreet: how Ministry of Defence waived the rules with un-minuted meeting between defence secretary and Palantir’s bosses Karp and Mosley, a week before signing ‘strategic partnership’. In latest @privateeyenews.bsky.social, chance to read online here - www.private-eye.co.uk/hp-sauce
private-eye.co.uk
Private Eye | Palantir : Meet and discreet
FOR all its professed commitment to “sovereign” tech capability, the UK government is remarkably ready to waive the rules to accommodate US data company Palantir.
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Farage feels the heat The new Private Eye is out now.
A photo of the front cover of issue 1679 of Private Eye magazine with the caption "on shelves now." The cover reads “FARAGE FEELS THE HEAT” with smiling sun emojis on either side of the headline. It features a photograph of Nigel Farage standing in front of colourful beach huts, wearing sunglasses, giving a thumbs-up and holding an ice cream. Speech bubbles read: “Where’s your lolly, Nigel?”, “He’s going into meltdown” and “It’s not a scoop – it’s flake news!”
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
Reminder of @privateeyenews.bsky.social review of George Cottrell’s How to Launder Money book from four months ago…
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
In @privateeyenews.bsky.social In the Money looks at the SpaceX float and deciphers the management speak to understand the very British efforts in the scale-up space. Chance to read online… www.private-eye.co.uk/columnists
private-eye.co.uk
Private Eye | In the Money : Economies of scale-up
The success of the record-breaking SpaceX flotation, with the share price shooting up like Elon Musk’s right arm at a Donald Trump rally, was no great surprise. It also gives a pointer to the way the ...
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
The publicly funded clean-up of the former Redcar steelworks has turned into a private windfall. Teesworks Ltd, 90% owned by two local businessmen, holds an option to buy the remediated land at £1 an acre. It’s now agreed in principle to sell 222 acres to AI firm Anthropic for £222m.
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Last week’s @privateeyenews.bsky.social In the Money revealed the Palantir UK set-up with hundreds of sales staff, no UK directors and minimal returns to U.K. company, limiting tax payments. Buy the mag for details!
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Tom Jamieson @tomjam.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
I endorse this message 👇👇👇
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
With regional devolution likely to be at the heart of a Burnham government agenda, a reminder of how badly wrong it can go when the local Mr Bigs aren't properly scrutinised...
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Britain sheds a Keir (surely tear? Ed) The new Private Eye is out now.
A photo of the front cover of issue 1678 of Private Eye magazine. The front cover reads “ANDY BURNHAM ARRIVES IN LONDON” and features an image of a royal procession with a golden carriage, guards and horses. Speech bubbles read “Who says it’s a coronation?” and “Long live the King of the North!” A banner at the bottom reads: “BRITAIN SHEDS A KEIR (SURELY TEAR? ED)”.
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Private Eye Magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Anti-Brexit activist Steve Bray has been criticised for making a racket during Starmer’s resignation speech yesterday. Perhaps there was one message he could have shouted that people would have been more amenable to: IT’S PRIVATE EYE WEEK! New edition in shops and with subscribers from Wednesday.
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Never mind who’s playing - who’s paying? Latest @privateeyenews.bsky.social In the Money has a guide to the World Cup’s questionable finances…
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Tees for Two. The @privateeyenews.bsky.social story of how a couple of businessmen are trousering £400m+ from a data centre deal at the heart of a publicly-funded regeneration scheme in which they have invested nothing is available to read online… www.private-eye.co.uk/in-the-back
private-eye.co.uk
Private Eye | Deal of the century : Teesside hustle
COMMERCIAL terms agreed in principle for a new data centre on the former steelworks site on the south bank of the Tees show how the publicly funded regeneration of one of the UK's most deprived region...
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solomonhughes.bsky.social @solomonhughes.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
(1)One good thing about Roy Hattersley is when he left the front bench he did not immediately join a privatised industry/lobbyist/set up a consultancy. He just stayed in politics via writing. He was among the last generation of Labour politicians who did not take this previously Tory route...
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Robbie Griffiths @robbieegrif.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Amazing and infuriating story about the taxpayer being ripped off in Teesside, revealed by Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social in the latest Private Eye magazine @privateeyenews.bsky.social
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Review of Post Mortem in Socialist Lawyer magazine: “Brooks brilliantly exposes how the whole Post Office scandal was fed by commercial interests put above the lives of its employees…”
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Richard Brooks @rbrooks45.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Tees for Two. The @privateeyenews.bsky.social story of how a couple of businessmen are trousering £400m+ from a data centre deal at the heart of a publicly-funded regeneration scheme in which they have invested nothing is available to read online… www.private-eye.co.uk/in-the-back
private-eye.co.uk
Private Eye | Deal of the century : Teesside hustle
COMMERCIAL terms agreed in principle for a new data centre on the former steelworks site on the south bank of the Tees show how the publicly funded regeneration of one of the UK's most deprived region...
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