Richard at UKverified
@ukverified.bsky.social
I don't claim the past was better but progress isn't what it used to be with inequality, poverty and political disillusionment on the rise.
Interests: Politics, news and current affairs.
Interests: Politics, news and current affairs.
Rotten Boroughs: "Michael Situ has resigned as the Cabinet Member for Housing at Southwark Council - the same borough where Chancellor Rachel Reeves broke renting rules."
#ukpolitics
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
#ukpolitics
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
London housing boss quits over Rachel Reeves-esque landlord licence mistake
Southwark Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Michael Situ, admitted he did not obtain the correct permissions to let out his Peckham properties
www.standard.co.uk
November 17, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Rotten Boroughs: "Michael Situ has resigned as the Cabinet Member for Housing at Southwark Council - the same borough where Chancellor Rachel Reeves broke renting rules."
#ukpolitics
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
#ukpolitics
www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...
November 17, 2025 at 9:17 AM
When extremists gain power then bad things happen. A shocking tale of the treatment that some young women were subject to in Franco's Spain.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Patronato: My mum was a 17-year-old free spirit in Franco's Spain - so she was locked up and put in a coma
Marina's mother was held against her will in a convent in 1960s Spain under Franco's regime.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 16, 2025 at 6:21 PM
When extremists gain power then bad things happen. A shocking tale of the treatment that some young women were subject to in Franco's Spain.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Sir Robbie Gibb, "An analogy would be a fixer for Gordon Brown nominating Tony Blair’s chief spin doctor, Alastair Campbell, for a seat on the BBC board. Imagine the furore"... from those fulminating
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
The real threat to BBC impartiality
The BBC has suffered a week of mistakes, resignations and the threat of a $1bn lawsuit. But the biggest risks of bias are in the boardroom, not the ne...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Sir Robbie Gibb, "An analogy would be a fixer for Gordon Brown nominating Tony Blair’s chief spin doctor, Alastair Campbell, for a seat on the BBC board. Imagine the furore"... from those fulminating
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
Dieselgate: This time the 'dirty diesels' are Ford diesel cars sold between 2018 and 2018. Profit always takes precedence over standards and regulations. Whatever businesses might claim always remember that the bottom line is profit.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
About 1m Ford diesel cars sold in UK with defective emissions controls, court told
Ford denies having created ‘defeat devices’ in legal action on behalf of 1.6 million owners against five carmakers
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Dieselgate: This time the 'dirty diesels' are Ford diesel cars sold between 2018 and 2018. Profit always takes precedence over standards and regulations. Whatever businesses might claim always remember that the bottom line is profit.
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
The US is planning for the long-term division of Gaza into a “green zone” under Israeli and international military control, where reconstruction would start, and a “red zone” to be left in ruins.
A plan the international community should have nothing to do with.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
A plan the international community should have nothing to do with.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
US military planning for divided Gaza with ‘green zone’ secured by international and Israeli troops
Exclusive: Almost all Palestinians have been displaced to ‘red zone’ where no reconstruction is planned
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 4:27 PM
The US is planning for the long-term division of Gaza into a “green zone” under Israeli and international military control, where reconstruction would start, and a “red zone” to be left in ruins.
A plan the international community should have nothing to do with.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
A plan the international community should have nothing to do with.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Liberal Democrat MP Charlie Maynard on Thames Water, “What is the government doing letting a bunch of people run the largest water utility in the country and behave this way?”
What indeed?
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
What indeed?
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Thames Water tried to make MP pay its legal fees of up to £1,400 an hour
Exclusive: Charlie Maynard accuses the utility of ‘retaliation’ over his push for government to gain control of company
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Liberal Democrat MP Charlie Maynard on Thames Water, “What is the government doing letting a bunch of people run the largest water utility in the country and behave this way?”
What indeed?
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
What indeed?
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Watch out, watch out, there's a scam about. Indeed, as there's a multitude of them out there with these being just the latest.
northeastbylines.co.uk/business/ban...
northeastbylines.co.uk/business/ban...
Banking, Lidl and other recent scams
A range of current scams to watch for
northeastbylines.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Watch out, watch out, there's a scam about. Indeed, as there's a multitude of them out there with these being just the latest.
northeastbylines.co.uk/business/ban...
northeastbylines.co.uk/business/ban...
"Tim Davie’s predecessor as BBC director general [Tony Hall] is leading calls to end political appointments to the broadcaster’s board amid concerns over the influence of Robbie Gibb."
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Ex-BBC boss leads calls for end to political appointments to board
Tony Hall urges government to bolster BBC’s independence as MPs and union seek Robbie Gibb’s removal from board
www.theguardian.com
November 15, 2025 at 10:41 AM
"Tim Davie’s predecessor as BBC director general [Tony Hall] is leading calls to end political appointments to the broadcaster’s board amid concerns over the influence of Robbie Gibb."
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
2024 - "what we got was a complacent general election campaign focusing entirely on the faults of the incumbents and a series of hostages to fortune on tax that have left the new government hobbled ever since."
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/14/l...
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/14/l...
Labour's Biggest Problem Is Not a Lack of Leadership but a Lack of Ideas
Until Keir Starmer's party decides what it really stands for, the question of who leads them will remain a hollow one, argues Adam Bienkov
bylinetimes.com
November 14, 2025 at 7:36 PM
2024 - "what we got was a complacent general election campaign focusing entirely on the faults of the incumbents and a series of hostages to fortune on tax that have left the new government hobbled ever since."
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/14/l...
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/14/l...
When healthcare becomes Financialised: When a doctor is not solely concerned as to what's best for his patient but also as to what's the most rewarding treatment option for him financially.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Hospitals knew a heart device led to more patients' deaths - but they kept using it
Almost half of patients given a heart pump, after the NHS had raised concerns about it, died soon after.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 1:51 PM
When healthcare becomes Financialised: When a doctor is not solely concerned as to what's best for his patient but also as to what's the most rewarding treatment option for him financially.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Looking after themselves, private care providers. As for those they're meant to care for or their employees then it's a different story.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Private care providers in three English regions make £250m in three years
More than third of profits analysed went to firms owned by private equity or based in tax havens, research finds
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Looking after themselves, private care providers. As for those they're meant to care for or their employees then it's a different story.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
The crisis at the BBC: Who was the leaker and who were those behind the leaking and what were their motives? Was it a purely political, was it for business reasons or even a nexus of the two? Whatever, it will not be to the benefit of public service broadcasting.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/11/b...
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/11/b...
'BBC Bias' Memo Was Authored by Lobbyist Tied to Pro-Trump Tech Giants
The leaked memo that fuelled Trump’s attack on the BBC was written by a lobbyist at a firm paid by US tech giants tied to the President
bylinetimes.com
November 12, 2025 at 7:02 PM
The crisis at the BBC: Who was the leaker and who were those behind the leaking and what were their motives? Was it a purely political, was it for business reasons or even a nexus of the two? Whatever, it will not be to the benefit of public service broadcasting.
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/11/b...
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/11/b...
"When Deborah Turness, the now departed BBC News chief, was first invited to a meeting with the corporation’s board a few weeks ago, there was little to suggest it would be a particularly significant encounter."
#ukpolitics
www.theguardian.com/media/ng-int...
#ukpolitics
www.theguardian.com/media/ng-int...
‘Make no mistake – this was a coup’: the extraordinary downfall of the BBC’s top bosses
The whirlwind that started when Deborah Turness came under attack at a board meeting is part of a wider political story, some say
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:00 PM
"When Deborah Turness, the now departed BBC News chief, was first invited to a meeting with the corporation’s board a few weeks ago, there was little to suggest it would be a particularly significant encounter."
#ukpolitics
www.theguardian.com/media/ng-int...
#ukpolitics
www.theguardian.com/media/ng-int...
The Pity of War: Remembrance, how it has changed but how will it be remembered in future?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The challenge of commemorating WW1 without any living veterans
What do displays of national pride mean when they are no longer accompanied by the mass shared grief that gave rise to them?
www.bbc.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 11:10 AM
The Pity of War: Remembrance, how it has changed but how will it be remembered in future?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
"The BBC only has itself to blame for its handling of a serious error in a documentary on Trump. But its demise—as the US media landscape shows—would leave us all far worse off"
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
The BBC is in a fight for its survival
The BBC only has itself to blame for its handling of a serious error in a documentary on Trump. But its demise—as the US media landscape shows—would l...
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 8:22 PM
"The BBC only has itself to blame for its handling of a serious error in a documentary on Trump. But its demise—as the US media landscape shows—would leave us all far worse off"
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
Despite the much publicised view of Donald Trump and others, London has been crowned the Best City In the World for the 11th year in a row.
A spokesperson for the White House reportedly claimed it was fake news.
#ukpolitics
secretldn.com/london-best-...
A spokesperson for the White House reportedly claimed it was fake news.
#ukpolitics
secretldn.com/london-best-...
London Has Been Crowned The Best City In The World For The 11th Year In A Row – Triumphing Over The Likes Of New York, Paris, And Tokyo
For the eleventh year on the trot, our captivating capital city has topped the global charts as the best city in the world.
secretldn.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Despite the much publicised view of Donald Trump and others, London has been crowned the Best City In the World for the 11th year in a row.
A spokesperson for the White House reportedly claimed it was fake news.
#ukpolitics
secretldn.com/london-best-...
A spokesperson for the White House reportedly claimed it was fake news.
#ukpolitics
secretldn.com/london-best-...
The Covid Contracts: "Massive government spending without basic checks for quality." but a nice little earner for politically connected VIPs.
#ukpolitics
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
#ukpolitics
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Revealed: the billion-pound PPE contractor with a Tory MP on site
Special report: Uniserve was paid £1.4bn for Covid contracts that included supply of £178.5m in never-used equipment
www.theguardian.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:42 PM
The Covid Contracts: "Massive government spending without basic checks for quality." but a nice little earner for politically connected VIPs.
#ukpolitics
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
#ukpolitics
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
The BBC: A "Director General with no substantive journalistic record and a Board with negligible experience of what it is to be a journalist in the 21st century."
The environment in which BBC staffers work and with a hostile media environment.
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
The environment in which BBC staffers work and with a hostile media environment.
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
The BBC has bigger impartiality problems than its coverage of Trump
It is the BBC’s entire governance structure–rather than individual stories–that should cause most concern
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 6:38 PM
The BBC: A "Director General with no substantive journalistic record and a Board with negligible experience of what it is to be a journalist in the 21st century."
The environment in which BBC staffers work and with a hostile media environment.
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
The environment in which BBC staffers work and with a hostile media environment.
#ukpolitics
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/media/...
Trouble ahead: We tend to think England's water problems are manifest but by next summer we could find the current situation could become even worse.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
England facing drastic measures due to extreme drought next year
Government and water companies are devising emergency plans for worst water shortage in decades
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Trouble ahead: We tend to think England's water problems are manifest but by next summer we could find the current situation could become even worse.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
"The notorious VIP Lane was a discreet, fast-track channel that led to billions of pounds worth of public contracts being awarded to politically connected suppliers, primarily without any formal competitive tendering procedures and shielded from public view"
www.bylinesupplement.com/p/we-need-to...
www.bylinesupplement.com/p/we-need-to...
We Need to Talk About Michael Gove and Crony Covid Contracts
Gove claims he had no “active role” in the procurement of Covid PPE during the pandemic, yet evidence suggests he was involved in multiple VIP deals worth over £1billion, reports Russell Scott
www.bylinesupplement.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:55 PM
"The notorious VIP Lane was a discreet, fast-track channel that led to billions of pounds worth of public contracts being awarded to politically connected suppliers, primarily without any formal competitive tendering procedures and shielded from public view"
www.bylinesupplement.com/p/we-need-to...
www.bylinesupplement.com/p/we-need-to...
Reform UK make headway in Robert Jenrick's 'backyard' gaining their first seats on his local council. Are they coming for you Robert?
#ukpolitics
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#ukpolitics
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reform UK win first Newark and Sherwood council seats
Kay Smith and Michelle Home won two seats after a by-election in Newark and Sherwood.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Reform UK make headway in Robert Jenrick's 'backyard' gaining their first seats on his local council. Are they coming for you Robert?
#ukpolitics
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#ukpolitics
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Shelter Cluster: "Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinian families in Gaza face winter rains and cold without adequate protection, as Israeli restrictions continue to block the entry of lifesaving shelter materials."
www.nrc.no/news/2025/oc...
www.nrc.no/news/2025/oc...
Three weeks into ceasefire, Gaza shelter aid still blocked as winter nears
www.nrc.no
November 7, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Shelter Cluster: "Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinian families in Gaza face winter rains and cold without adequate protection, as Israeli restrictions continue to block the entry of lifesaving shelter materials."
www.nrc.no/news/2025/oc...
www.nrc.no/news/2025/oc...