Gulf of Mexico
@homecrafted.bsky.social
I don't have much to say, so mostly reposts. Interested in arts + crafts; gardening, nature + environment; current affairs
And if you don't already live in a flood risk area, new homes being built nearby can put yours in one (due to increased surface water and insufficient drainage installed by developers).
One in nine new homes in England built in areas of flood risk.
People live in constant fear, difficulty in getting affordable insurance and selling the property.
Planning laws being weakened, developers not held to account. Must invest in flood defences.
People live in constant fear, difficulty in getting affordable insurance and selling the property.
Planning laws being weakened, developers not held to account. Must invest in flood defences.
One in nine new homes in England built in areas of flood risk, study shows
Figures from Aviva also show number of homes being built in risky areas is on the rise
www.theguardian.com
February 19, 2026 at 1:21 AM
And if you don't already live in a flood risk area, new homes being built nearby can put yours in one (due to increased surface water and insufficient drainage installed by developers).
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Bank CEOs get huge pay rises, salaries back to pre-crash highs.
NatWest CEO pay up from £4.9m to £6.6m.
Lloyds Bank CEO, up 20% to £7.4m.
Govt abolished cap on on bankers' bonus, regulation weakened, licence to be reckless.
Bankruptcy risk for banks abolished because people always fund bailouts.
NatWest CEO pay up from £4.9m to £6.6m.
Lloyds Bank CEO, up 20% to £7.4m.
Govt abolished cap on on bankers' bonus, regulation weakened, licence to be reckless.
Bankruptcy risk for banks abolished because people always fund bailouts.
Bank bosses get huge pay rises in sign top City salaries back to pre-crash highs
Nat West CEO’s £6.6m pay package for 2025 is largest for group since disgraced Fred Goodwin’s £7.7m in 2006
www.theguardian.com
February 14, 2026 at 7:56 AM
Bank CEOs get huge pay rises, salaries back to pre-crash highs.
NatWest CEO pay up from £4.9m to £6.6m.
Lloyds Bank CEO, up 20% to £7.4m.
Govt abolished cap on on bankers' bonus, regulation weakened, licence to be reckless.
Bankruptcy risk for banks abolished because people always fund bailouts.
NatWest CEO pay up from £4.9m to £6.6m.
Lloyds Bank CEO, up 20% to £7.4m.
Govt abolished cap on on bankers' bonus, regulation weakened, licence to be reckless.
Bankruptcy risk for banks abolished because people always fund bailouts.
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Unbelievably this wasn’t even raised on SkyNews just now during the interview with Reform's head of policy Zia Yusuf.
If UK news shows won’t call this boll**** out let’s do it ourselves
If UK news shows won’t call this boll**** out let’s do it ourselves
🚨Reform leader Nigel Farage has posted on X
“1 million people living in this country don’t speak any English at all. 4 million people living in this country barely speak passable English”
It’s racked up 2 million views
AND IT’S COMPLETELY UNTRUE
youtu.be/o56Tw8vSEfE?...
“1 million people living in this country don’t speak any English at all. 4 million people living in this country barely speak passable English”
It’s racked up 2 million views
AND IT’S COMPLETELY UNTRUE
youtu.be/o56Tw8vSEfE?...
Farage’s latest video has racked up 2 million views - AND ITS COMPLETELY UNTRUE
YouTube video by Peter Stefanovic
youtu.be
February 15, 2026 at 9:42 AM
Unbelievably this wasn’t even raised on SkyNews just now during the interview with Reform's head of policy Zia Yusuf.
If UK news shows won’t call this boll**** out let’s do it ourselves
If UK news shows won’t call this boll**** out let’s do it ourselves
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
A conservative network led by Michael Gove and Nigel Farage’s senior adviser James Orr has spent more than half a million pounds pushing a far-right agenda – some of it fuelled by profits from Russian oil 🛢️⬇️
https://goodlaw.social/wyg8
https://goodlaw.social/wyg8
Putin’s megaphone: Orbán’s far-right push into UK universities is fuelled by Russian oil | Good Law Project
Good Law Project has uncovered a network funded by Hungary’s authoritarian leader Viktor Orbán, that uses profits from refining Russian oil to platform far right and anti-trans campaigners in the UK
goodlaw.social
February 15, 2026 at 11:44 AM
A conservative network led by Michael Gove and Nigel Farage’s senior adviser James Orr has spent more than half a million pounds pushing a far-right agenda – some of it fuelled by profits from Russian oil 🛢️⬇️
https://goodlaw.social/wyg8
https://goodlaw.social/wyg8
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
The Today programme this morning interviewed Diana Furchgott-Roth, a senior staff member at the Heritage Foundation, about Trump's climate policies, during which she came out with the zinger: “a lot of people like it a bit warmer.”
How is it in the public interest to platform anti-science tripe?
How is it in the public interest to platform anti-science tripe?
February 13, 2026 at 9:20 AM
The Today programme this morning interviewed Diana Furchgott-Roth, a senior staff member at the Heritage Foundation, about Trump's climate policies, during which she came out with the zinger: “a lot of people like it a bit warmer.”
How is it in the public interest to platform anti-science tripe?
How is it in the public interest to platform anti-science tripe?
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
🤯60% of Wes Streeting's donors are from private health.
Good to see your texts with Mandelson. The public also has a right to know if health policy is being driven by unaccountable lobbying
Wes Streeting, release your messages with private healthcare. weownit.org.uk/news/wes-str...
Good to see your texts with Mandelson. The public also has a right to know if health policy is being driven by unaccountable lobbying
Wes Streeting, release your messages with private healthcare. weownit.org.uk/news/wes-str...
Open letter to Wes Streeting: release your messages with your private healthcare donors
The public has a right to know that health policy is not driven by quid pro quo relationships.
weownit.org.uk
February 12, 2026 at 6:23 PM
🤯60% of Wes Streeting's donors are from private health.
Good to see your texts with Mandelson. The public also has a right to know if health policy is being driven by unaccountable lobbying
Wes Streeting, release your messages with private healthcare. weownit.org.uk/news/wes-str...
Good to see your texts with Mandelson. The public also has a right to know if health policy is being driven by unaccountable lobbying
Wes Streeting, release your messages with private healthcare. weownit.org.uk/news/wes-str...
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Pleased to sign this letter. Sorry that I had to
70 parliamentarians have written to the Home Office saying the settlement proposals are unfair & need a significant rethink
February 12, 2026 at 6:52 PM
Pleased to sign this letter. Sorry that I had to
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Govt to spend £5bn to pay off 90% of the English councils debts for supporting children & young people with special educational needs.
The real problem is privatisation and profiteering by corporations, huge wealth transfer from public to private
How long before the write-off needs to be repeated?
The real problem is privatisation and profiteering by corporations, huge wealth transfer from public to private
How long before the write-off needs to be repeated?
£5bn council SEND debts to be paid off by government
It comes days after the Local Government Association warned that eight in 10 English councils would face bankruptcy, if they had to honour deficits.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 10, 2026 at 8:18 AM
Govt to spend £5bn to pay off 90% of the English councils debts for supporting children & young people with special educational needs.
The real problem is privatisation and profiteering by corporations, huge wealth transfer from public to private
How long before the write-off needs to be repeated?
The real problem is privatisation and profiteering by corporations, huge wealth transfer from public to private
How long before the write-off needs to be repeated?
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
National Insurance (NI) dodges.
Companies pay employers' NI (ENI) on director wage.
Partners of Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) get share of profit, instead of wage
No ENI paid. Big 4 law firms alone dodged £4bn.
Billions more lost in other LLPs.
No govt plugs this perk for the rich
Companies pay employers' NI (ENI) on director wage.
Partners of Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) get share of profit, instead of wage
No ENI paid. Big 4 law firms alone dodged £4bn.
Billions more lost in other LLPs.
No govt plugs this perk for the rich
National Insurance is a regressive tax that hits the less well-off hardest
Compared to income tax, national insurance contributions attract little sustained scrutiny even though they provide large amounts to the public purse.
leftfootforward.org
February 10, 2026 at 10:14 AM
National Insurance (NI) dodges.
Companies pay employers' NI (ENI) on director wage.
Partners of Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) get share of profit, instead of wage
No ENI paid. Big 4 law firms alone dodged £4bn.
Billions more lost in other LLPs.
No govt plugs this perk for the rich
Companies pay employers' NI (ENI) on director wage.
Partners of Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) get share of profit, instead of wage
No ENI paid. Big 4 law firms alone dodged £4bn.
Billions more lost in other LLPs.
No govt plugs this perk for the rich
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
£240m. With no tender. Palantir.
I wrote to Wes Streeting last week demanding answers.
Every day without any transparency deepens the scandal.
Palantir out.
I wrote to Wes Streeting last week demanding answers.
Every day without any transparency deepens the scandal.
Palantir out.
Mandelson’s malign influence runs right through the heart of this Government.
Not least in the govt’s NHS data deal with Palantir – a spy-tech firm co-founded by a man who thinks the NHS should be ‘ripped up.’
I've written to Wes Streeting urging him to ditch this dangerous deal.
Not least in the govt’s NHS data deal with Palantir – a spy-tech firm co-founded by a man who thinks the NHS should be ‘ripped up.’
I've written to Wes Streeting urging him to ditch this dangerous deal.
February 10, 2026 at 1:14 PM
£240m. With no tender. Palantir.
I wrote to Wes Streeting last week demanding answers.
Every day without any transparency deepens the scandal.
Palantir out.
I wrote to Wes Streeting last week demanding answers.
Every day without any transparency deepens the scandal.
Palantir out.
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
IOC has reviewed request by UA Olympian Heraskevych to wear helmet with photos of UA athletes killed by Russia. IOC has permitted to wear it during training; citing rules that prioritize focusing on games, Committee will make an exception and allow him to wear a black armband during competition.
The IOC has barred Ukrainian Olympian Vladyslav Heraskevych from wearing a helmet featuring portraits of Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia at the 2026 Games.
He plans to formally appeal the decision.
He plans to formally appeal the decision.
February 10, 2026 at 1:41 PM
IOC has reviewed request by UA Olympian Heraskevych to wear helmet with photos of UA athletes killed by Russia. IOC has permitted to wear it during training; citing rules that prioritize focusing on games, Committee will make an exception and allow him to wear a black armband during competition.
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Nor did I know that it is farmed out….and not to MI5 or MI6.
And did you know that politicians are not vetted at all..
Not even in ministerial posts?
Read this blog and feel your heart sink.
And did you know that politicians are not vetted at all..
Not even in ministerial posts?
Read this blog and feel your heart sink.
February 10, 2026 at 3:47 PM
Nor did I know that it is farmed out….and not to MI5 or MI6.
And did you know that politicians are not vetted at all..
Not even in ministerial posts?
Read this blog and feel your heart sink.
And did you know that politicians are not vetted at all..
Not even in ministerial posts?
Read this blog and feel your heart sink.
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
As MPs prepare to debate Russian interference, the government could choose transparency and call a full independent inquiry.
Here's why that's necessary: citizensreunited.substack.com/p/britain-st...
Here's why that's necessary: citizensreunited.substack.com/p/britain-st...
Britain still hasn't looked
A democracy that won’t investigate its own weaknesses - is a weak democracy. Let’s make sure Parliament doesn’t look away again.
citizensreunited.substack.com
February 9, 2026 at 3:58 PM
As MPs prepare to debate Russian interference, the government could choose transparency and call a full independent inquiry.
Here's why that's necessary: citizensreunited.substack.com/p/britain-st...
Here's why that's necessary: citizensreunited.substack.com/p/britain-st...
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Future of British Steel unclear as UK govt bills build up.
Industry subsidised since privatisation.
Chinese control model: Buy crucial industry abroad, gut it, increase exports from China, dependance on China.
Govts hand free money. No equity stake, nothing repayable.
Must nationalise.
Industry subsidised since privatisation.
Chinese control model: Buy crucial industry abroad, gut it, increase exports from China, dependance on China.
Govts hand free money. No equity stake, nothing repayable.
Must nationalise.
‘We need to accept the cost’: future of British Steel unclear as bills for government build up
Propping up operations at Scunthorpe site, still legally owned by Jingye, now costs over £1.2m a day – so what are the options?
www.theguardian.com
February 8, 2026 at 9:19 AM
Future of British Steel unclear as UK govt bills build up.
Industry subsidised since privatisation.
Chinese control model: Buy crucial industry abroad, gut it, increase exports from China, dependance on China.
Govts hand free money. No equity stake, nothing repayable.
Must nationalise.
Industry subsidised since privatisation.
Chinese control model: Buy crucial industry abroad, gut it, increase exports from China, dependance on China.
Govts hand free money. No equity stake, nothing repayable.
Must nationalise.
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Harley the Eurasian Eagle Owl was telling me to duck with this #StareDown, @robcrank68.bsky.social's theme for #BirdOfTheDay. And yes, his wings did brush my head.
Amazingly Harley made a full recovery from an operation after being found with his wing shattered by an air gun pellet. See Alt text
Amazingly Harley made a full recovery from an operation after being found with his wing shattered by an air gun pellet. See Alt text
February 9, 2026 at 8:35 AM
Harley the Eurasian Eagle Owl was telling me to duck with this #StareDown, @robcrank68.bsky.social's theme for #BirdOfTheDay. And yes, his wings did brush my head.
Amazingly Harley made a full recovery from an operation after being found with his wing shattered by an air gun pellet. See Alt text
Amazingly Harley made a full recovery from an operation after being found with his wing shattered by an air gun pellet. See Alt text
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Creating a substantial class of people who may never be able to settle, or who only do so after half a lifetime, is in no-one’s interests, leaving people open to exploitation, disadvantage and insecurity and reducing social cohesion. If anything, settlement should be easier, not harder to obtain.
February 9, 2026 at 8:28 AM
Creating a substantial class of people who may never be able to settle, or who only do so after half a lifetime, is in no-one’s interests, leaving people open to exploitation, disadvantage and insecurity and reducing social cohesion. If anything, settlement should be easier, not harder to obtain.
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Good to see some Labour MPs showing a backbone, but the problems with these proposals on settlement aren't limited to being applied retrospectively: they also favour the well-off, discriminate vs disabled people, women & people with caring responsibilities and are probably unworkable
300,000 children face 10-year wait for settled status under UK plans, says IPPR
Thinktank analysis says proposed ‘earned settlement’ changes could trap families in prolonged insecurity
www.theguardian.com
February 9, 2026 at 8:28 AM
Good to see some Labour MPs showing a backbone, but the problems with these proposals on settlement aren't limited to being applied retrospectively: they also favour the well-off, discriminate vs disabled people, women & people with caring responsibilities and are probably unworkable
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
A sad travesty. Can only say #StandWithJimmyLai, #StandWithHongKong
🚨BREAKING: British citizen & Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 yrs in prison.
Lai was charged with “collusion with a foreign country or external elements” under the Beijing's National Security Law. In reality, his case is an attack on press freedom & freedom of expression.
Lai was charged with “collusion with a foreign country or external elements” under the Beijing's National Security Law. In reality, his case is an attack on press freedom & freedom of expression.
February 9, 2026 at 2:07 PM
A sad travesty. Can only say #StandWithJimmyLai, #StandWithHongKong
Wes Streeting needs to cut his links to private healthcare companies and stop outsourcing NHS Services.
#SaveOurNHS
#SaveOurNHS
How ADHD became a multimillion-pound industry for private equity.
NHS handed £128m to private ADHD companies last year.
Just three private-equity backed providers of NHS ADHD services made profits £31.5m profit last year.
Public money buys less.
Must expand NHS capacity.
NHS handed £128m to private ADHD companies last year.
Just three private-equity backed providers of NHS ADHD services made profits £31.5m profit last year.
Public money buys less.
Must expand NHS capacity.
How ADHD became a multimillion-pound industry for private equity
NHS has become dependent on privately run services to diagnose ADHD and autism as patients given legal right to assessments under Right to Choose initiative
www.thetimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:02 PM
Wes Streeting needs to cut his links to private healthcare companies and stop outsourcing NHS Services.
#SaveOurNHS
#SaveOurNHS
Sarwar and Streeting? Just more of the same - or even worse in Streeting's case 🤷♀️
"The source confirmed there have been conversations between Sarwar and allies of Health Secretary Wes Streeting... in the run-up to the decision to call for Starmer to quit"
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar Calls For Keir Starmer To Resign
Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar has called for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign.
www.politicshome.com
February 9, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Sarwar and Streeting? Just more of the same - or even worse in Streeting's case 🤷♀️
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Mandelson, Thiel, Epstein ... the list of dodgy people connected to Palantir goes on.
Keep Palantir out of the UK
https://notopalantir.goodlawproject.org/email-to-target/stop-palantir-in-the-nhs/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_campaign=PalantirNHS&utm_medium=social_media
Keep Palantir out of the UK
https://notopalantir.goodlawproject.org/email-to-target/stop-palantir-in-the-nhs/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_campaign=PalantirNHS&utm_medium=social_media
Say no to Palantir in the NHS
NHS England is rolling out software to run our health records from Palantir - fight back
notopalantir.goodlawproject.org
February 9, 2026 at 3:19 PM
Mandelson, Thiel, Epstein ... the list of dodgy people connected to Palantir goes on.
Keep Palantir out of the UK
https://notopalantir.goodlawproject.org/email-to-target/stop-palantir-in-the-nhs/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_campaign=PalantirNHS&utm_medium=social_media
Keep Palantir out of the UK
https://notopalantir.goodlawproject.org/email-to-target/stop-palantir-in-the-nhs/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_campaign=PalantirNHS&utm_medium=social_media
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Yes, the way out is #PostGrowth.
There are enough resources on this planet for everyone to have a decent life, to look after climate and nature, if we share them out fairly
#GreenThinking #ChangeEverything
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
There are enough resources on this planet for everyone to have a decent life, to look after climate and nature, if we share them out fairly
#GreenThinking #ChangeEverything
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Economic growth is still heating the planet. Is there any way out?
Rising GDP continues to mean more carbon emissions and wider damage to the planet. Can the two be decoupled?
www.theguardian.com
February 9, 2026 at 3:27 PM
Yes, the way out is #PostGrowth.
There are enough resources on this planet for everyone to have a decent life, to look after climate and nature, if we share them out fairly
#GreenThinking #ChangeEverything
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
There are enough resources on this planet for everyone to have a decent life, to look after climate and nature, if we share them out fairly
#GreenThinking #ChangeEverything
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
BREAKING: The Epstein survivors are releasing this ad on this Super Bowl Sunday to send the message that they will not “move on” from the largest sex trafficking scandal in the world. #standwithsurvivors
February 8, 2026 at 5:07 PM
BREAKING: The Epstein survivors are releasing this ad on this Super Bowl Sunday to send the message that they will not “move on” from the largest sex trafficking scandal in the world. #standwithsurvivors
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
Public ownership of water in England would mean no dividends to pay, £85bn paid since privatization.
Cost of borrowing would be around half, guaranteed by govt.
Reduction in consultant fees, don't need so many.
Simpler regulation, no shareholders to appease.
Result: more investment, lower bills.
Cost of borrowing would be around half, guaranteed by govt.
Reduction in consultant fees, don't need so many.
Simpler regulation, no shareholders to appease.
Result: more investment, lower bills.
Public ownership of water is the only way to deliver security, efficiency, investment and value for money
37 years of privatisation has been a disaster
leftfootforward.org
February 6, 2026 at 3:00 PM
Public ownership of water in England would mean no dividends to pay, £85bn paid since privatization.
Cost of borrowing would be around half, guaranteed by govt.
Reduction in consultant fees, don't need so many.
Simpler regulation, no shareholders to appease.
Result: more investment, lower bills.
Cost of borrowing would be around half, guaranteed by govt.
Reduction in consultant fees, don't need so many.
Simpler regulation, no shareholders to appease.
Result: more investment, lower bills.
Reposted by Gulf of Mexico
It's not just the decision to give public money and public data to a sworn enemy of everything we stand for, appalling though that is. It's also the secrecy and illegal shutting out of any competition. What does Palantir have on Streeting and Starmer - and did Mandelson give it to them?
Calls to halt UK Palantir contracts grow amid ‘lack of transparency’ over deals
Opposition MPs urge Labour to pause public contracts with the US tech firm after attempts to examine deals blocked
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:46 AM
It's not just the decision to give public money and public data to a sworn enemy of everything we stand for, appalling though that is. It's also the secrecy and illegal shutting out of any competition. What does Palantir have on Streeting and Starmer - and did Mandelson give it to them?