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Simon Lock

@simonlock.bsky.social
1.2K followers 534 following 137 posts

Reporter at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) focusing on transnational corruption. Also very partial to some local/family history.

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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
This is going to be like the "World Series" of baseball isn't it.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
So in other words, law firms are essentially now in charge of marking their own homework - and no one else can check it. Forget toothless, the SRA has essentially had its entire lower jaw removed. www.law360.com/articles/252...
law360.com
BREAKING: Carter-Ruck Wins Battle To Shield Privileged Docs From SRA Probes - Law360 UK
The Solicitors Regulation Authority cannot compel law firms to disclose documents protected by clients' legal professional privilege during misconduct investigations, a London judge ruled Monday, pote...
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Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
my brilliant colleague @robertshrimsley.bsky.social on the threat from Elon Musk’s X platform www.ft.com/content/f270...
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Rob Davies @byrobdavies.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Chelsea in Honest deal shock.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
I worked on the original investigation with @byrobdavies.bsky.social and others. I think it's hard to understate just how far the rot spreads. Abramovich took over Chelsea in July 2003. The first football agreements routed offshore via BVI companies (for "scouting services") began within 4 months!
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Pitch: Instead of penalties (arbitrary, overly tense etc), if the scores are still level at 90 minutes, why not introduce... a second ball? #MultiBall
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Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
“Scottish Water is absolutely something that UK gov't could learn from. It was established quite deliberately as a public corporation. There are upsides and downsides to that - it's not beyond criticism. But compared to privatised English companies, it has been a stable model that's performed well.”
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Meanwhile, in the BBC comment section.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteri...
en.wikipedia.org
Betteridge's law of headlines - Wikipedia
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Latest from myself at TBIJ, working alongside the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC): Digital payments giant Wise is under investigation by prosecutors in Belgium over concerns its accounts have been used by criminals to launder the proceeds of fraud, corruption and drug trafficking.
thebureauinvestigates.com
Money transfer giant Wise investigated for half a billion in…
Prosecutors looking into whether digital finance firm has been used to launder proceeds of fraud, corruption and drug trafficking
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Yup, sounds about right.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
A security... reward?
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
So Amy Winehouse's father's lawyers, (Russells): - Made false claims that her friends stole Amy's possessions to sell at auction - "Bombarded" (judges words) the same friends with multiple highly aggressive legal letters in quick succession. Any consequences? www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/most-ag...
lawgazette.co.uk
'Most aggressive lawyers in London' in Winehouse auction litigation
Singer's father instructed his solicitors to 'bombard the defendants with aggressive letters and the threat of litigation'.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
I'm here for this.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
Lightweight. Personally I yearn for the pre-money age. What was wrong with bartering with cows. Those were the days (I presume).
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
Did not realise this was now the standard measurement for ancient cities.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Which of his ten thousand on-the-side jobs will he work in the particular office for though.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Really need a 90s/00s obscure-sports-underdog movie but for curling.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
NEW from TBIJ w/ BBC - Mandelson recommended private villa to Epstein, less than a month after the latter's house arrest finished. He said the house offered "beautiful suites" and “privacy with accompanying rooms for your ‘guests’”: www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2026...
thebureauinvestigates.com
Mandelson emailed Epstein suggesting private villa ‘for your “guests”’
Redacted email deciphered by TBIJ shows former politician suggesting holiday home for convicted sex offender
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
Can't believe Paul Tweed's not a Private Eye fan.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Impeccable timing that YouTube has now started pitching "Visit the USA" adverts at me. I'm good thanks.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
I mean the test system is so broken that it effectively is over 6 months before you can get a test anyway.... BBC News - Learner drivers may have to wait six months before taking test www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Learner drivers may have to wait six months before taking test
A minimum learning period of up to six months could be introduced for learner drivers
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
"It's hard to put a leash on a dog once you've put a crown on its head"
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
Lo and behold the company in question is based in Belize. I feel like even by the incredibly low standard of offshore secrecy jurisdictions, Belize is just a complete and utter blackhole of transparency.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
As someone who needed to take [redacted] number of tests before I passed, and so was fully aware of just how broken the booking system was in practice, any improvement is a good sign. That said, I'm curious as to how this will actually work in practice. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
New law to clamp down on driving test bots
The Transport Secretary has announced new measures to tackle the continuing backlog of driving tests.
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Drew Sullivan - OCCRP @drewoccrp.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
Nice work by TBIJ on Carter-Ruck, a scumbag law firm always willing to help organized crime try to shut down journalism, or in this case, criminals to perpetuate a scam. These firms are not acting in the public interest. They should be made to pay restitution to any victims harmed in this case.
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Rob Davies @byrobdavies.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
I've been considering whether to do this for months. Now that Radiohead tickets are being offered for huge mark-ups on resale sites (as per our story today), I think the time has come. We're going to play a game of Catch The Ticket Tout. 🧵 www.theguardian.com/music/2025/s...
theguardian.com
Radiohead condemn ‘exploitative’ touts and resale sites ahead of tour
Band urges fans to avoid secondary sites, where more than 1,000 potentially fraudulent tickets for their shows have been found
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
The FA has brought 74 charges against Chelsea FC for a wide array of breaches between 2009 and 2022 - when a certain Roman Abramovich was in charge. Breaches include transactions with intermediaries and third party investments.
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Hannah Summers @hansummers.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
📢 Mentoring: At @tbij.bsky.social we are launching a mentorship programme open to both staff and freelance journalists interested in gaining experience and guidance on reporting on the family courts. Full details here 👉 tinyurl.com/42xdkk5b
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
Reminded of that time I submitted an FOI to the FCA for a copy of a contract they entered with a PR firm. They refused on "commercial sensitivity" grounds, I appealed saying they could redact some bits. They agreed and sent me this....
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Someone's really got a Bede in their bonnet about this.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
Just over a year since this excellent piece by @jacobsteinberg1.bsky.social and its only become truer. Vitesse has now had its licence revoked (a decision upheld by the Dutch courts), it can no longer play in professional leagues and may cease to exist. www.theguardian.com/football/art...
theguardian.com
Geopolitics comes to Vitesse: how ‘Chelsea B’ were swallowed by Abramovich associates | Jacob Steinberg
Fans of the Eredivisie club hoped takeovers would transform their fortunes, but instead they face an existential threat to their future
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Ed Siddons @edsiddons.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
The original story, a 5,000 word deep dive on the "most feared" libel firm in the UK is here: www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2023... Anyway, if you like the work, become a member today – TBIJ relies on donations and even small amounts go a long way: www.thebureauinvestigates.com/support-us
thebureauinvestigates.com
Britain’s fiercest libel firm can pursue anyone, anywhere
The government is trying to rein in firms like Carter-Ruck. It’s not easy
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
Vile firm reaps what it sows. Interesting update from SRA which comes off the back of Ed's mammoth piece on Carter Ruck back in 2023....
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Chaminda Jayanetti @cjayanetti.bsky.social · 06/08/2025
not a violin in the world small enough
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The Bureau of Investigative Journalism @tbij.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
NEW: Fake QR codes that trick people into handing over their card details have swept through public parking sites in the UK John is one of the hundreds of people who’ve been targeted by one of these so-called “quishing” scams (footage from @itvnews.bsky.social)
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
Latest investigation from my esteemed colleague @edsiddons.bsky.social - give it a read...
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Kakistocracy manifest.
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ryan cooper @ryanlcooper.com · 18/03/2025
mRNA vaccines are legit a near-miracle tech, there's one in testing that might be able to cure pancreatic cancer, and this fucking degenerate might take them from us arstechnica.com/health/2025/...
arstechnica.com
Report: mRNA vaccines are in RFK Jr’s crosshairs; funding in question
“Kennedy’s war on vaccines has started,” one researcher said.
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News Eye @newseye.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
The scenes in the Oval Office today will shame the US for decades. They’ll never be forgotten. A world leader, fighting for his country against the 21st century’s Nazis, came to the US and was attacked & abused by a gangster regime siding with the fascist invaders. A historic disgrace.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
Oh look, an even newer low.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Every day they reach new lows...
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Not even asteroids want anything to do with us
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
There must be one of those named adages already that anyone who describes themselves as "high IQ" (or views it as some positive attribute in e.g. leadership) is invariably a fucking moron.
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News Eye @newseye.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Powerful. Tomorrow’s front page of the most influential weekly publication in Germany. “BETRAYED. First Zelensky, Soon Us? The radical departure of the US from its allies.”
The full front cover is dominated by a picture of Zelenskyy. The word BETRAYED is written in German (VERRATEN) across his chest in yellow. The rest of the subtitle is underneath.
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
A betrayal as total as it is awful.
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Nute @nutedawn.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
Vance’s grotesqueness aside, the whole thing is one of the most horrific acts of betrayal ever committed by a democratic state against another. Just a moral abomination and a permanent stain on everyone who supports it
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
Richard I with a Top 6 finish? He should thank his lucky stars he got a cool nickname to make up for his abysmal ability to actually govern...
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Simon Lock @simonlock.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
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