UK
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UK mass surveillance found unlawful by Europe’s highest human rights court
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights today ruled that the UK’s mass interception programmes, disclosed by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, unlawfully breached citizens’ rights to privacy and free expression. Continue reading
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UK Crony Capitalism: High Court: Day 4
Today in the High Court, Government’s lawyers set out their defence to our legal challenge over PPE contracts handed to “VIP” companies. Government claims that companies in the VIP Lane did not materially benefit from their special treatment, and that it was simply a different route by which they could win contracts. Continue reading
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The Telegraph – Millions of phones tracked to analyse behavioural change after vaccination
Millions of people were ‘unwittingly tracked’ via their phone after receiving a vaccination, to identify patterns of travel post-jab. Continue reading
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COVID19 – the end of scientific discussion?
I haven’t written a blog for a while. Instead, I have been sorting out two complaints about my blog made to the General Medical Council. Also, a complaint from NHS England, and two irate phone calls from other doctors, informing me I shouldn’t make any negative comments about vaccines. Continue reading
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70+ MPs launch cross-party campaign against COVID passes
Further to Sir Keir’s comments about vaccine passports being un-British and against the “British instinct”, over 70 MPs have launched a cross-party campaign opposing their “divisive and discriminatory use”. MPs and peers from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Conservative parties have signed a pledge to oppose the move. Continue reading
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The US Isn’t An Israel Puppet, Israel Isn’t A US Puppet: It’s One Empire
Nearly 200,000 protesters attended a pro-Palestine demonstration in Central London on Saturday afternoon, another clear sign that support for Palestinian rights is becoming increasingly mainstream and the imperialists are losing control of the Israel narrative. Continue reading
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The UK risks becoming a world leader in online censorship
The emergence of a free and open internet was one of the greatest achievements of liberal democracies. The creation of a decentralised web allowed ordinary citizens in countries all over the world to share and receive information. Now, fears about crime and moral panics about disinformation mean that many liberal democracies are making the web… Continue reading
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View: Big Brother Watch on the ‘Vaccine Passport’
Our Director Silkie Carlo to Julia Hartley-Brewer after a closer look at the Covid vaccine status feature on the NHS app reveals plans for more than just international travel… Continue reading
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Statewatch News 21 May 2021 Issue 10/21
21 May 2021 — Statewatch News (Issue 10/21, also available as a PDF) Vacancy: Finance and Administration Worker We are looking for a Finance and Administration Worker to play an active role in our small team, in a committed but relaxed working environment. You will be responsible for maintaining our financial and administrative procedures, ensuring compliance… Continue reading
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21 May 2021: Costing the earth
21 May 2021 — DeSmogUK Honestly, we’d really rather not be writing about the UK’s most prominent climate science denial group on a windswept Friday afternoon (or, indeed, any afternoon, tbh). But in what feels like an alarming pattern of recent weeks, yet another high profile figure has joined the Global Warming Policy Foundation, a thinktank… Continue reading
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Chilling – Not In a Good Way
Dave Llewellyn sat next to me in the public gallery of the Salmond trial as we witnessed the defence witnesses – largely female – who shredded the prosecution case. A few weeks ago, seven detectives of the Serious Crime Squad raided Dave’s home at 5am, handcuffed him and questioned him over conspiracy to murder –… Continue reading
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IRR News 20 May 2021: Stop and search – more concerns about PCSC Bill
If anti-racism is about social justice, social justice is about rights, and this week on IRR News we focus on legislation and police practices that erode rights, as well as asking what should be done in complicated circumstances when the rights of different groups seemingly collide. Continue reading
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Ignore Starmer’s moral posturing. He’s the one we should blame for stoking antisemitism
No one should be surprised that Britain’s rightwing prime minister, Boris Johnson, has had barely anything to say about Israel’s pummelling of Gaza, with nearly 200 Palestinians reported to have been killed by airstrikes and many hundreds more seriously wounded. Continue reading
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UK Crony Capitalism: High Court update
Today the High Court heard our lawyers detail waste, mismanagement – and yet more special treatment for politically connected companies placed in the “VIP” Lane. Continue reading
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Racism, mental health and pre-crime policing: the ethics of Vulnerability Support Hubs – New Medact report!
Racism, mental health and pre-crime policing: the ethics of Vulnerability Support Hubs – our latest report, out today – exposes how a counter-terrorism police-led project blurs the boundaries between security and mental health care in disturbing and dangerous ways, through documents obtained in a series of long-running Freedom of Information requests. Continue reading
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medConfidential Bulletin, 17th May 2021
The countdown has already begun. The Government’s plan is to copy your entire GP medical history – including all the most sensitive parts – and make it available for third parties to apply for and buy access. Even though Matt Hancock Directed it to happen he’s not going to tell anyone about it. Neither will Boris. Continue reading
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UK Crony Capitalism: Tuesday in Court
On Tuesday, our legal challenge to the PPE procurement scandal will be heard in the High Court. It’s the first day of a mammoth five day hearing. Continue reading
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LETTER FROM LONDON: The Troubling Sentencing of Craig Murray
The troubling conviction of former British diplomat Craig Murray for contempt of court in connection with his coverage of the prosecution of the prominent Scottish nationalist politician Alex Salmond on sexual assault charges has now produced an equally troubling sentence by a tribunal of the Scottish High Court of eight months in prison for Murray. Continue reading
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UK Crony Capitalism: It never stops
Good Law Project has uncovered remarkable evidence that a Tory Minister brought a former Chair of the Tory Party, a man who now runs a lobbying firm, into the heart of Government to work on the massive multi-billion PPE procurement process. Having got his feet under the table that former Chair lobbied to win PPE… Continue reading
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Craig Murray Sentenced to 8 Months in Prison
Craig Murray, an ex-British ambassador and blogger, has been sentenced to eight months in prison after being found guilty in March of contempt of court during the 2020 trial of former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond. He was given three weeks to turn himself into police, pending his appeal. Judge Lady Dorrian issued the sentence,… Continue reading
The New Dark Age 