Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

Just Treatment @justtreatment.org · 1d

🚨 The UK Government is set to cave on drug prices - effectively signing a giant cheque to Big Pharma.

Today, alongside @38degrees.bsky.social, we handed in 250,000 signatures to the Department of Health, telling ministers: don’t accept this dangerous deal.

3 23 27

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 1d

If you tolerate this, your water will be next...

🚨Don't let Thames Water get away with polluting our rivers for another 15 years!

Sign our petition before 21 October✍️
vist.ly/4aaga

2 45 67

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 4d

Unbelievable - Thames Water wants to pollute ILLEGALLY for the next 15 years

If they get away with this, other water companies will copy

If you don't want sewage until 2040 (!) please sign our
petition to @ofwat.bsky.social

We'll be handing it in on 21st October

weownit.org.uk/act-now/peti...

Thames Water want to pollute illegally until 2040. Ofwat must say NO.

Thames water want to make at deal with Ofwat, to pollute illegally for 15 years

weownit.org.uk

4 68 99

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 1d

💩Thames Water wants Ofwat to let them carry on pouring sewage into our rivers beyond the next general election.

😡And the one after that.

😡😡And the one after that.

✍️Sign our petition today and tell Ofwat this cannot happen!

vist.ly/4a9yj

1 97 110

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 2d

Greater Anglia comes into public ownership today🎊🎉

Passengers are one step closer to a railway that is run in their interest, not the interest of shareholders from around the world.

Time for a railway that is run for us.

Image of a Greater Anglia train with the text "Greater Anglia brought into public ownership".

5 27 120

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 3d

Excellent news

Here's what needs to happen to make public ownership of rail a huge success weownit.org.uk/why-public-o...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Rail operator Greater Anglia transfers to public ownership

Greater Anglia describes renationalisation as a step towards a

www.bbc.co.uk

4 22 110

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 4d

Unbelievable - Thames Water wants to pollute ILLEGALLY for the next 15 years

If they get away with this, other water companies will copy

If you don't want sewage until 2040 (!) please sign our
petition to @ofwat.bsky.social

We'll be handing it in on 21st October

weownit.org.uk/act-now/peti...

Thames Water want to pollute illegally until 2040. Ofwat must say NO.

Thames water want to make at deal with Ofwat, to pollute illegally for 15 years

weownit.org.uk

4 68 99

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 4d

🚨Urgent: Thames Water want permission from Ofwat to ILLEGALLY pollute rivers and seas until 2040.

🤮They want your bills to fill their pockets with gold, while they fill your rivers with sewage.

✍️Sign now. Tell Ofwat to say NO to Thames Water before Tuesday 21st October.

Thames Water want to pollute illegally until 2040. Ofwat must say NO.

Thames water want to make at deal with Ofwat, to pollute illegally for 15 years

weownit.org.uk

31 280 230

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 5d

We Own It is hiring!

⭐Operations Lead, 2.5 days a week, to keep our organisation running smoothly

⭐Communications and Campaign Support, 3 days a week, to get the message out and support campaigns

Join our team and win public services for people not profit! ✊

weownit.org.uk/about-us/vac...

Work with us

weownit.org.uk

14 15

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 5d

It's great that the government is bringing rail franchises into public ownership

But we also need
🚄publicly owned trains, no profits leaking out
🚄democratic passenger watchdog
🚄⬇️ fares e.g. 1/3 off with national railcard
🚄investment like Switzerland

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Greater Anglia nationalisation will deliver 'value for money'

The transport secretary says the move will bring value for money, but she did not promise lower fares.

www.bbc.co.uk

1 21 56

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 5d

And water is a natural monopoly, we can't have competition, so we need public ownership - normal in 9/10 countries around the world

Here's why we can afford it, starting with Thames Water dieterhelm.co.uk/publications...

2 26 48

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 5d

Lewisham's 🔴Labour council🔴 wants public ownership of Thames on the table

🕑There's only so long this government can hold out against the tide of public opinion

💧Lower our bills; clean up our seas; democratise our water. Public ownership of Thames Water NOW. www.salamandernews.org/lewisham-cou...

Lewisham council urges government to consider nationalisation of failing Thames Water

Green opposition councillors brought a motion calling for Thames Water to be brought back into public ownership. The Labour group passed an amended motion, but keeps nationalisation on the table.

www.salamandernews.org

2 29 65

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 5d

Completely infuriating

Competition & Markets Authority said requests from 5 private water companies to increase bills AGAIN were "largely unjustified"

But your bills will still rise

This is all unjustified

There is no market, PUBLIC OWNERSHIP NOW

news.sky.com/story/custom...

Customers of five water firms are facing higher than expected hikes to bills

While most claims for extra cash were found to be unjustified, rises to bills on top of what Ofwat has allowed look set to be granted at each company

news.sky.com

19 35

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 5d

WE are being forced to pay more for the privilege of being ripped off by water companies.

They've not invested. Instead they've taken out £80 billion in dividends and loaded up those companies with £70 billion in debt.

Now they are being allowed to hike our water bills.

Image of BBC headline that reads "Water bills to rise further for millions after appeal"

4 53 84

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 6d

The public wants services that work for the public, not for profit. Are YOU the right person to help make that happen?

We've 2 vacancies: Communications & Campaign Support / Operations Lead
Deadline to apply: midnight Sunday 9 November
Apply via our website.
vist.ly/49r92

31 20

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 7d

This is scary

We need manufacturing capacity so we can't be held to ransom says
@nickdearden.bsky.social
theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Start by reversing the sale of previously publicly owned Vaccine Manufacturing + Innovation Centre www.bmj.com/content/376/...

www.politico.eu/article/brit...

Britain prepares NHS drug spending hike to stave off Trump tariffs

Officials briefed the Trump administration on fresh proposals for pharma pricing earlier this week.

www.politico.eu

2 25 34

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 7d

This is so wrong. Ministers should protect the public interest, not a handful of creditors clinging on to their bad investments

@ofwat.bsky.social and the government must prioritise households and the environment, cut Thames Water's debt in half right now with Special Administration

2 31 61

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 7d

🔥“Oligarch enterprises have taken control of so much of the key industrial infrastructure of this country.”

@paulsweeney.bsky.social nailing it at our joint Labour Conference panel event with @labourlist.bsky.social. #lab25

UK economy being 'sabotaged' by lack of state investment, warns Paul Sweeney MSP - LabourList

Labour must embrace investment in critical infrastructure as a tool to defeat Reform UK, Paul Sweeney MSP has warned.

labourlist.org

13 33

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

Simon Opher @simonforstroud.bsky.social · 7d

I have committed to keeping our NHS publicly owned and publicly funded.

Private finance is not welcome in our NHS, and must be ruled out at the Autumn Budget this November. @weownit.org.uk

7 19 50

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 7d

"Decency demands that Ofwat and the Government don’t allow themselves to be pushed around by a bunch of opportunistic hedge funds"

Ofwat must say NO to more sewage and setting a dangerous precedent

Excellent article on Thames Water in the Telegraph

www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...

Access Restricted

www.telegraph.co.uk

5 26

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 8d

Private companies incentivised to put asylum seekers in hotels rather than bedsits as they could earn EIGHT TIMES as much profit, says @paulkohlersw19.bsky.social

Hotel owners and private companies benefiting despite allegations of terrible conditions

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Asylum hotel provider makes £180m profit despite claims of inedible food and rationed loo paper

Asylum seekers and charities tell BBC of

www.bbc.co.uk

1 28 48

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

We Own It @weownit.org.uk · 9d

In December, Ofwat approved average bills going up 36% by 2030 - that's £597 a year.

🤑But for the water companies, that's not enough! Shareholders want more of your money, so they're appealing for even bigger bill increases.

END THE SCAM. Public ownership of water, starting with Thames Water.

Water bills: millions of households in England could face even bigger rises

CMA poised to give verdict after appeal by five firms for permission to increase bills higher than allowed by Ofwat

www.theguardian.com

1 37 56

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 8d

Are they actually joking ⁉️

5 private water companies want permission to raise your bills EVEN HIGHER

💧Bills already went up £10/month in April💧

There is no market, the rip off won't end until we end privatisation

Start by taking back Thames Water

www.theguardian.com/money/2025/o...

Water bills: millions of households in England could face even bigger rises

CMA poised to give verdict after appeal by five firms for permission to increase bills higher than allowed by Ofwat

www.theguardian.com

5 66 140

Reposted by Cat Hobbs

Campaign for Better Transport @bettertransport.bsky.social · 15d

📢NEW REPORT!

'Making the connection: Rail & the sustainable growth opportunity' calls for rail investment to deliver economic growth, reduce inequality & boost productivity - all without compromising environmental goals.

Read the full recommendations: https://ow.ly/8rYL50X3sW7

The railways deliver £26 billion per year in wider economic, social and environmental benefits

The rail sector supports 640,400 rail-related UK jobs

The UK railway sector adds £41.2 billion to the UK economy per year and is associated with £14.2 billion per year in tax revenue.

Between £2.50 and £4 is generated in the wider economy for every £1 invested in the rail sector.

1 3 5

Cat Hobbs @cathobbs.bsky.social · 12d

Thames Water creditors offering to save their own skins with 25% debt write off while carrying on polluting your rivers for the next 15 years?!

NO NO NO

Special Administration NOW. Cut the debt by 50%, invest every penny of your bills in stopping sewage

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Thames Water creditors ask for up to 15 years’ leniency from river pollution rules

Lenders say a ‘full return to legal, regulatory and environmental compliance’ under new rescue plan would not be completed until at least 2035-2040

www.theguardian.com

30 64