UK
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Israeli minister Tzipi Livni given diplomatic immunity for UK visit By Harriet Sherwood
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) and Hickman and Rose have been prosecuting Livni before the British courts for years on the grounds alleged war crimes against Palestinian civilians and their property during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip 2008-2009, codenamed operation “Cast Lead”. The article includes important information and quotations said by… Continue reading
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‘Neither criminals, nor animals!’ Britain’s immigration detainees speak out By Jasmine Sallis
The UK immigration authorities and their commercial partners are trying to suppress a wave of protests sweeping British detention centres. In the past week hundreds of asylum-seekers detained at four high-security facilities have started hunger-strikes against draconian Home Office policies. Continue reading
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Britain: Anti-terror legislation used to pursue whistleblower By Ben Trent
Anti-terror legislation has been used to pursue a whistleblower, who revealed details of the relationship between Britain’s tax authorities, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HRMC), and top companies accused of tax avoidance. In March, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC), headed by Labour MP Margaret Hodge, revealed further details in the case of… Continue reading
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A Farage Farrago: Contradictions at the Heart of the UK Independence Party By Tony Mckenna
In Westminster, the drip-drip of financial corruption — expense account abuse, the flipping of houses — is supplemented by a spectacle of “on-message” politicians whose speeches are slick with the shiny artificiality of well-oiled PR productions. A never-ending parade of besuited, perfectly manicured politicians, staring out at the camera, eyes glazed with faux sincerity, features… Continue reading
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The fraud of the official campaign against the United Kingdom Independence Party By Jordan Shilton
The latest poll results indicate that the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) could challenge for first place in European elections due later this month. Supposedly to counter this danger, a cross-party campaign has been launched involving the three major parties, Labour and the governing Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Continue reading
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NHS Care.data safeguards jettisoned by govt. By Kelly Fiveash
Vital safeguards for protecting patients’ privacy when NHS England records are shared with companies were scrapped by peers on Wednesday night. A proposed tweak to the Care Bill, tabled by Lord Owen, would have brought in independent, statutory oversight to better protect the handling of patient information across the health service, following the care.data debacle. Continue reading
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UK: The Police, Squat Evictions and Housing Precarity By Izzy Köksal
A recent tweet by Lambeth MPS brags about the eviction of a squatted doctors surgery in Brixton on a rainy January morning: ‘another crime generator closed down!’ they exclaimed. Happily, the twitter account was met with a barrage of abuse, but this tweet shows how the police are often found intervening in what is a… Continue reading
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England’s mean unpleasant land By Michael Dickinson
Michael Dickinson was found guilty of ‘insulting the dignity’ of the Turkish Prime Minister with one of his collage caricatures. Imprisoned and deported from Istanbul, where he had lived since 1986 working as a teacher, the 64 year old artist, actor and writer arrived back in England homeless and broke, and is currently sleeping rough… Continue reading
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Hospital closure clause – last chance to amend it this Wednesday By Becky Jarvis
38 Degrees are working with Baroness Finlay to amend the hospital closure clause in its final Lords debate to give some power back to local commissioners. Continue reading
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NHS: “The worst thing a UK government has done to its people in my lifetime” By Marcus Chown
I’m a science writer. I usually write about the big bang and parallel universes black holes. But I was born in the NHS, my wife is an NHS nurse and I can see that the NHS is rapidly disappearing down a black hole. The NHS is one of the fairest, most efficient and cost-effective healthcare… Continue reading
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UK Government and GM Industry Secret Collusion Exposed
“Members of the public will be shocked by the extent to which foreign GM companies have muscled their way in to Government departments, developing a cosy relationship with ministers” said Dr Helen Wallace, Director of GeneWatch UK. “Ministers and officials are not acting in the public interest but colluding with the industry to push ahead… Continue reading
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Three crucial safeguards for medical records proposed by leading voices on care.data By Caroline Malloy
Public health professor Allyson Pollock has called on parliament to pass three crucial amendments in next week’s care.data debate to ensure public health, not commercial interest, is at the heart of the new NHS IT system. Continue reading
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Big Banks Started Laundering Massive Sums of Drug Money In the 1980s … And Are Still Doing It Today
For More Than 30 Years, the Big Banks Have Been Key Players In the Drug Trade. It has become mainstream news that at least some of the big banks are laundering staggering sums of drug money. But you may not know the scope or history of the problem. Continue reading
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Osborne’s flagship employment scheme fails on launch date By Symon Hill
George Osborne’s headline policy at the last Conservative Party conference, known as “Community Work Placements” or “Help to Work” has launched today. However, the scheme is already in jeopardy, having failed to generate the voluntary sector participation it requires. Continue reading
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G4S given job of community placements
G4S is the biggest winner of “Help to Work” contracts, the latest workfare programme which started yesterday. G4S is currently under investigation for fraud. As part of this contract G4S will seek placements in voluntary groups, which will be responsible for reporting claimants for benefit sanctions if they fail to comply with the placement. Continue reading
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David Cameron praises ‘Health Heroes’ while he destroys the NHS By Tim Crocker-Buqué
In a Daily Mail campaign the Prime Minister deploys his personal tragedy and patronises health care workers as ‘angels in aprons’. Misleading rhetoric provides cover for Cameron’s legislative demolition of the NHS. Continue reading
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UK Government Ignores Scotland’s Opposition to GM Crops in EU
UK environment secretary Owen Paterson’s has failed to represent Scotland after admitting breaching an agreement to make Scotland’s opposition to genetically modified (GM) crops clear to European ministers. Continue reading
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Fourteen questions for new NHS Boss Simon Stevens
The new head of the NHS, Simon Stevens, appears before the Health Select Committee today. Here are fourteen questions OurNHS hopes MPs will ask him. Continue reading
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The only ‘parity’ for mental health is that it is being cut and privatised as well By Peter Beresford
Mental health services are amongst the hardest hit by cuts and privatisation. A new Charter suggests how people can build alliances and fight back. Continue reading
