Dennis Leech | Lightnews

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Sep 27

I stand with @DeclassifiedUK.org - I've just signed my name. Join me in telling Westminster that you care about freedom of the press.
secure.declassifieduk.org/page/178447/...

Defend Press Freedom

I stand with Declassified UK - I've just signed my name. Join me in telling Westminster that you care about freedom of the press.

secure.declassifieduk.org

UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose @iipp-ucl.bsky.social · Apr 12

✍️Governments and businesses serve vastly different purposes.

IIPP Director @mazzucatom.bsky.social and Co-Deputy Director @rainerkattel.bsky.social expand on these key differences, arguing for public sector reform to focus on long-term capability building.

🔗Read more here: buff.ly/o02kLJZ

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Apr 8

No new drilling in the North Sea! - secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/...

No new drilling in the North Sea! Sign now

Oil companies want to keep drilling – and are pushing the UK government to backtrack on its commitments. But we have to stop drilling for oil. Now. Will you join me and call on Prime Minister Keir Sta...

secure.avaaz.org

Jonathan Portes @jdportes.bsky.social · Mar 30

Fantastic article by @tomcalver.bsky.social: not only is the UK not a high-tax country, taxes on *middle-income* earners are low by international standards.

If taxes are to rise - and they should - it can't/won't be just on "the rich".

www.thetimes.com/comment/colu...

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Mar 22

Keir Starmer's Government Votes to Block UN Plan to Tackle Global Tax Avoidance – Byline Times bylinetimes.com/2025/02/04/k...

Keir Starmer's Government Votes to Block UN Plan to Tackle Global Tax Avoidance

The UK has joined with the United States and a handful of other rich nations in rejecting the UN push

bylinetimes.com

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Mar 13

www.ft.com/content/0c5a...

UK social safety net among weakest in rich world, analysis finds

Think-tank report comes as Keir Starmer seeks to convince Labour MPs to back welfare spending cuts

www.ft.com

Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · Mar 7

Appeal Court *very slightly* reduces sentences on some of the 16 peaceful climate protesters, jailed for total of 41 years. This isn’t justice. People desperate for climate action to save lives treated like organised criminals, while big oil & gas get away with ecocide @defendourjuries.bsky.social

Just Stop Oil: Co-founder's sentence reduced in Court of Appeal

Sixteen climate protesters were jailed last year for their roles in Just Stop Oil demonstrations.

www.bbc.co.uk

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Feb 24

Don’t be fooled. They lie as easily as they breathe.
open.substack.com/pub/annpetti...

Don’t be fooled. They lie as easily as they breathe.

Their real purpose? The demolition of democracy.

open.substack.com

Nadia Whittome MP @nadiawhittomemp.bsky.social · Feb 6

This January, global temperatures were a shocking 1.75°C above preindustrial levels, making it the hottest on record.

It is our moral duty to do everything we can to stop climate change in its tracks.

This is why the Heathrow expansion and Rosebank development cannot happen.

New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · Jan 22

"These airports are funnels for UK cash to go overseas - I'd like to hear the rationale for how that generates growth benefits in the UK."

@alchap.bsky.social explains why airport expansions won't create the growth the chancellor wants

The New York Times @nytimes.com · Jan 22

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, whose appeal to President Trump for mercy on behalf of immigrants and the LGBTQ community made headlines on Tuesday, was also critical of Trump during his first term.

Bishop Budde is the first woman to serve as the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.

Who Is Mariann Edgar Budde, the Bishop Who Made a Plea to Trump?

The first woman to serve as the spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, Bishop Budde had a message for President Trump during his first term, too.

www.nytimes.com

Declassified UK @declassifieduk.org · Jan 17

📽️ "The BBC is a mouthpiece of the British foreign policy establishment, not a public service broadcaster".

What the BBC is not telling you about Israel, Keir Starmer and Gaza

👉 Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/Q_n3Ng2JC-8?...

What the BBC will NOT tell you about Israel, Keir Starmer and Gaza

YouTube video by Declassified UK

youtu.be

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · Jan 13

Tony Blair tells Brits to stop self-diagnosing with depression as 'UK can't afford spiralling benefits bill'.

Multi-millionaire declares war on the less well off.

Mental health problems caused by insecurity, poverty, lack of healthcare, mostly due to govt policies.
www.lbc.co.uk/news/tony-bl...

Tony Blair tells Brits to stop self-diagnosing with depression as 'UK can't afford spiralling benefits bill'

Tony Blair has warned British people against self-diagnosing with mental health conditions, pointing to the country's spiralling sickness benefits bill.

www.lbc.co.uk

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · Dec 29

HMRC says it failed to collect around £500bn in tax since 2010. Others says £1,400bn.

£570bn held by UK residents in financial accounts in tax havens. Tax dodged.

Companies dodge taxes by profit shifting to low/no tax havens. No HMRC estimates.

Govts hit the poor, don't upset corporations/rich.

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Dec 27

Here is the link to this very important, intelligent and morally empathic article by Israeli economics professors Ariel Rubinstein and Motty Perry that you can read without having to first go through the Haaretz paywall.

arielrubinstein.org/articles/Per...

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Dec 25

www.haaretz.com/opinion/2024...

It's impossible not to know what's going on in Gaza | Opinion

***

www.haaretz.com

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Dec 25

www.haaretz.com/opinion/2024...

It's impossible not to know what's going on in Gaza | Opinion

***

www.haaretz.com

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Dec 18

I've just signed this petition. Will you add your name and share too?

Henry Tapper @henrytapper.bsky.social · Dec 16

In praise of the NHS, those who work for us and for its patients!

My new home! One month in and so much healthier. — Henry Tapper (@henrytapper.bsky.social) December 16, 2024 at 7:47 AM Thankyou for reading this. This is my first public blog since November 14th. On Friday 14th November I was…

In praise of the NHS, those who work for us and for its patients!

My new home! One month in and so much healthier. — Henry Tapper (@henrytapper.bsky.social) December 16, 2024 at 7:47 AM Thankyou for reading this. This is my first public blog since November 14th. On Friday 14th November I was knocked off a Santander bike and suffered broken bones, a beat up brain and an inability to explain myself. These impacts have reduced over the past month but I am far from 100%.

henrytapper.com

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Dec 15

Keynes also said: “Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.”

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Dec 15

This means the government is failing to prioritise dealing with what is an emerging crisis of future pensioner poverty. This is because millions of workers are in underfunded defined contribution schemes.

Gov are protecting short term profits before workers' living standards in retirement.

Rachel Reeves puts pensions review on hold to avoid extra burden on UK business

Some experts argue current savings rates will leave people without adequate retirement pots

www.ft.com

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Dec 14

www.ft.com/content/d102...

Rachel Reeves puts pensions review on hold to avoid extra burden on UK business

Some experts argue current savings rates will leave people without adequate retirement pots

www.ft.com

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · Dec 14

Finance Curse

2023: £18.8bn raised in new shares on London Stock Exchange. Share buybacks £46.9bn

Major companies pay 70%+ of profits in dividends

UK ranks 28 among 31 OECD countries for investment in productive assets

Can't grow economy by indulging the City.
leftfootforward.org/2024/12/the-...

The government shouldn’t pin all of its hopes for economic growth on the finance industry

Such a strategy was tried in 1970s and came to grief in the mid-1970s secondary banking crash.

leftfootforward.org

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · Dec 14

Thames Water customers face £263 bill rise, it is downing in £18bn debt.

After extracting billions in dividends shareholders won't invest. Thames wants to raise capital from customers, but shareholders will own company and extract even more cash.

Rip-off.
metro.co.uk/2024/12/11/c...

Water customers face huge bill this Christmas

'A higher water bill is the Christmas present nobody asked for.'

metro.co.uk

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · Dec 14

Wessex Water’s Malaysian owners under investigation for corruption

Won't happen in England, Govts protect companies

Wessex is serial offender, dumps sewage in rivers, paid £78m dividend last yr, £3bn debt; 47 criminal convictions; but no investigation.
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-w...

Revealed: Wessex Water’s Malaysian owners under investigation for corruption

Malaysian anti-corruption investigators have launched probe into YTL Power subsidiary over £700m public contract

democracyforsale.substack.com

Richard Murphy @richardjmurphy.bsky.social · Dec 14

Growth has disappeared – so what is Rachel Reeves going to do now ? youtu.be/cmgqyeR3OZs?... The latest figures for the UK’s GDP suggest that growth is flatlining, and the problem with that for Labour is that everything they said they’d do was based on growth happening. So, what now, Rachel Reeves?

Growth has disappeared – so what is Rachel Reeves going to do now ?

YouTube video by Richard J Murphy

youtu.be

Isabella M. Weber @isabellamweber.bsky.social · Dec 12

NEW PAPER: The 2022 fossil fuel price jumps caused an oil and gas profit explosion. We show the US reaped the largest profit increase (USD 275bn) of any country. Big Oil claims this benefits the American people. In fact, 51% went to the richest 1%, only 1% to the bottom 50%. A 🧵

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · Dec 12

Bankers and private sector execs to scrutinise public sector spending to 'bring private sector into the heart of government'.

Insane move by the UK Chancellor - Execs engaged in tax abuse, money laundering, frauds to decide the fate of NHS and public services.
news.sky.com/story/banker...

Bankers to scrutinise public sector spending to 'bring private sector into the heart of government'

The government is braced for difficult decisions as it said all spending must contribute to its stated aims or it won't be funded. It's the first line-by-line spending review in 17 years.

news.sky.com

Dennis Leech @leechd.bsky.social · Dec 12

The most disproportional election ever, in terms of how we voted and the parliament we got.https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/latest-news-and-research/publications/a-system-out-of-step-the-2024-general-election/

Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · Dec 10

By my reckoning, last Wednesday marked the first time that MPs have voted in favour of a bill to introduce proportional representation for elections to the Commons

A symbolic turning point?
bylinetimes.com/2024/12/10/b...

'Britain's Deeply Unfair Two-Party Electoral System is Dying and MPs Know It'

Startling new research reveals that this year's General Election was the 'most disproportionate ever' with millions of votes wasted

bylinetimes.com

Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · Dec 10

By my reckoning, last Wednesday marked the first time that MPs have voted in favour of a bill to introduce proportional representation for elections to the Commons

A symbolic turning point?
bylinetimes.com/2024/12/10/b...

'Britain's Deeply Unfair Two-Party Electoral System is Dying and MPs Know It'

Startling new research reveals that this year's General Election was the 'most disproportionate ever' with millions of votes wasted

bylinetimes.com

Yanis Varoufakis @yanisvaroufakis.bsky.social · Dec 6

Lest we are too sick in the stomach to continue seeing what Israel is doing: Dozens killed in Gaza. Patients and staff at Kamal Adwan Hospital soaked in blood after multiple Israeli drone strikes on the besieged medical facility. www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblo...

‘Soaked in blood’: Israel hits Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital multiple times

Israeli quadcopter drones carry out multiple deadly bombing raids on the besieged Kamal Adwan Hospital in north Gaza.

www.aljazeera.com

Add to Home Screen

Light up
your news

Add to Home Screen

Light upyour news

Sign in to Lightnews

Sign up to start reading

Connect Bluesky

Connect with Bluesky

Light up
your news