UK
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UK’s GCHQ doing the NSA’s heavy lifting – George Galloway By John Robles
The United Kingdom has been co-opted by the United States to carry out illegal surveillance and spying on its own citizens and on European countries, their citizens and officials. According to UK Member of Parliament, George Galloway, the way that the UK spyies on and hacks the phones of European leaders, while being paid a… Continue reading
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Video: Snowden’s New Year Message
UK’s Channel 4 News always broadcast an ‘alternative’ message on Christmas Day, an alternative that is to the Queen’s Speech. This year, it’s Edward Snowden. Continue reading
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OurNHS in 2013 – some highlights
OurNHS is on a publishing break until the New Year. Why not check out some of our stories you may have missed? Continue reading
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The A-Z of Drones 2013 Part 1 By Chris Cole
Phase two of the UK government-industry programme, ASTRAEA, which aims to open up UK airspace to civil drones, came to an end this year. While the drone lobby is keeping up the pressure the public remain extremely sceptical. News that British drones may be heading to Africa came as a big surprise, and will no… Continue reading
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British NHS director promotes ‘restructuring’ of accident and emergency departments By Ajanta Silva
Keogh wants to implement a two-tier system of A&E services within five years. Up to 70 A&E units will become Major Emergency Centres, while the remaining 70-100 units will be downgraded to ordinary non-specialist Emergency Centres. At the same time, Keogh says people should be encouraged to get help from alternative sources—the NHS 111 emergency… Continue reading
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Click here to BEAT OFF Cameron’s SMUT ban By Jasper Hamill
Anyone using Chrome can now employ a simple extension called Go Away Cameron to bypass the new network-level “safety” filters implemented by the UK’s biggest ISPs: TalkTalk, Sky and this week, BT. Continue reading
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Mid Staffs and the great hospital scale-back? By Diana Smith
Mid Staffordshire hospital is ‘unsustainable’, we are told. But is the controversy being used to test drive a dramatic scaling-back of hospital provision, especially for mothers and children, elsewhere in the country? Continue reading
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UK youth unemployment hits one million By Joe Mount
More than 650,000 young people are classified as NEETs (not in education, employment, or training), or 9 percent of the total. The number of under-25s in work has fallen rapidly since 2008, reaching 49.9 percent in recent months, the lowest figure since records began in 1992. Continue reading
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UK reneges on promised independent inquiry on rendition, torture By Paul Mitchell
The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition has abandoned its promise to carry out an independent inquiry into Britain’s involvement in “extraordinary rendition”, detention”and torture carried out by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Instead, the inquiry will be undertaken by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), whose record is one of covering up the activities of the… Continue reading
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Workfare: Britain’s modern-day slavery By Tony Gosling
This new slavery is conducted by “ruthless” individuals housing and feeding Britain’s growing army of destitute citizens in exchange for labor. Home Secretary Teresa May triumphantly tells us the punishment for the modern slave-keeper will be “life imprisonment.” Continue reading
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How the Federal Reserve and the Bank of England are Fueling Massive Global Inequality By Steve Rushton
Benjamin works as the local authority manager for the U.K. campaign Move Your Money and is investigating how much public money authorities lost in the financial crisis. Founded in early 2012, Move Your Money — which has parallel groups like this oneoperating in the U.S. — has helped over 2 million people in the U.K.… Continue reading
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UK local government spending will have fallen by a third by 2015 By Barry Mason
Local government spending in England (excluding police, school and housing benefits) will have fallen by nearly 30 percent in real terms between 2008 and 2015. Spending in Scotland will have declined by 24 percent. Continue reading
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NHS regulations are unfair: they’ll stop us tax dodging! By Richard Whittell
The healthcare companies taking over NHS provision are lobbying regulators to allow their tax avoidance schemes to continue. Continue reading
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Isa Muazu and the Perversion of Refugee Law By Akwesi Shaddai
Just as British wars abroad are justified by spurious claims about concern for human rights, it seems that the battle for rights at home has itself already been lost. It is well known that on-going conflicts throughout Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Somalia and elsewhere have resulted in millions being displaced from their country of origin.… Continue reading
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Hospital closure clause battle heats up today By Caroline Molloy
Stormy scenes are likely in parliament today as the government tries to “rush through” changes that will make it far easier to close hospitals without public consultation. The changes face fierce opposition from doctors, 38 Degrees, the British Medical Association and charities. Continue reading
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“Why I do and why you should fight for our #NHS” By Glen Chisholm
By the law of averages it is highly unlikely that if you’re reading this in the UK, that you have had no experience of the NHS. I’ve had many myself; from being born in an NHS hospital to trips for sports injuries over the years, from treatment for a heart problem to watching my father… Continue reading
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UK parliamentary pay: Party leaders taking MPs back 200 years By Tony Gosling
The paralysis that is British parliamentary democracy took a further excruciating nosedive this week with all three party leaders ‘agreeing’ that MPs should have their real pay levels reduced! Continue reading
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Britain: Disabled widow commits suicide after benefits withdrawn By Mark Blackwood and Paul Mitchell
Despite being partially sighted, only able to walk with the aid of a cane and in constant pain due to slipped discs, Jacqueline Harris, a 53-year-old former nurse from Bristol, England, was pronounced fit for work in November 2012, following a government Work Capability Assessment (WCA). Continue reading