- Joe Banks joins Tony and Martin. The new government in Bristol and how it’s going. Crisis in social housing – mould, cladding etc Serious failings in Bristol’s council housing says Government regulator - Old Bristol US-Style Mayor Marvin Rees’s new job at Bristol University created specially for him. Homelessness. Government no money since 2008 - New city council chief to receive £192k salary Nick Hibberd will receive the annual salary from Bristol City Council when he replaces the interim chief executive - Gaza – the conflict – BBC Radio 4 documentary series. Ruthless Zionist terrorism. The Conflict Middle East The First Intifada (1987) - ‘The Beginning of the End of Humanity’, Tanya Haj Hassan – Dr. Chris Hook, a Bristol Emergency Doctor (MSF), joins Tony and Martin. - “Palestinians don’t need pity. They don’t need praise. They need meaningful solidarity and urgent intervention to end these atrocities.” - EXCLUSIVE: Fatima reports from Northern Gaza. Desperate situation in Gaza – food, water, warmth. Gaza genocide is The Beginning of the End of Humanity’ - Israel turned Jabalia into a barren desert and made our home a grave After burying our grandfather From that moment on, we became refugees for the second time in less than two generations - US mercenary firms compete for ‘huge contracts’ to control security in north Gaza: Report Infamous Pentagon contractors Constellis and Orbis - Scott Ritter on Christian Zionism and Trump. Fatima’s report from Gaza. ‘Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews’ book. - Huckabee is a staunch supporter of Israel. His appointment demonstrates a “very hawkish, very pro-right-wing Israel” approach by the Trump administration - Pro-assisted dying group has its origins in eugenics – and it all revolves around your favourite chocolate company, Cadburys - Living in caves in Bristol. Bristol man living in cave on side of cliff as he ‘can’t afford home in city’ With benefits and council housing hard to come by - Group discussion about pro Palestinian journalists being targeted Evidence for Gaza’s Genocide is So Overwhelming that Those Who Deny It Are Really Justifying It - Spy cops – Neil Woods confesses. Ex-undercover cop reveals surveillance tactics – Big Brother Watch – former undercover police officer Neil Woods - GRAYZONE LEAK: Britain takes ‘unilateral lead’ on ‘regime change’ in Russia – Project Alchemy – bullying propaganda. Leaks expose secret British military cell - Tom Bowles was arrested whilst photographing a Just Stop Oil protest by officers untrained in the important role of the media at protests - Tom was detained for over 14 hours, his equipment was seized and his family home was searched late at night - Manchester 2017 terrorist attack – More than 300 people affected by the Manchester Arena bombing cannot continue their legal action against MI5 - The defence secretary has announced £500m emergency cuts to the UK military, including the Royal Navy’s two amphibious assault ships, a frigate and 31 helicopters - Father-of-four and victim of miscarriage of justice Peter Lynch ‘took his own life’ while serving two years in jail for verbally abusing police at anti-migrant protest
Joe Banks joins Tony and Martin. The new government in Bristol and how it’s going. Crisis in social housing – mould, cladding etc, and new regulations getting in. Bristol only gets C3 rating. Lack of data. Marvin’s plans for building housing. Affordable housing. No new council housing since Thatcher. Serious failings in Bristol’s council housing says Government regulator Council chiefs have apologised to tens of thousands of tenants There are ‘serious failings’ in the standard and management of Bristol’s council housing – and the city is one of four across the country to be given a damning judgement by the Government’s social housing regulator today. Council chiefs have apologised to every single council tenant in the city for the failings, which have been outlined in a scathing report from the Regulator of Social Housing. The report found there is a huge backlog of repairs to around half the council homes in the city, but even more worryingly, there are thousands of overdue fire safety ‘actions’, and the council could not show that it is meeting carbon monoxide safety requirements for almost all its 26,700 homes. The council has admitted dealing with the backlog will take so many years council chiefs can’t even put a target date by which things will be sorted, meeting the Government’s new standards will take ‘tens of millions’ of pounds, and they and other local authorities are now appealing to the new Labour Government for extra funding to sort out the homes. The Regulator of Social Housing is the Government’s official authority to ensure council and housing association properties are up to legal standard – and their damning judgement makes it clear that Bristol City Council, as a council housing landlord, is failing to meet the legal requirements. Bristol’s judgement comes on the same day the RSH issued similar judgements on councils in Guildford, Sheffield and Cambridge, but Bristol’s was the largest scale of failure. The RSH said it found that: “Bristol City Council could not evidence that it is meeting carbon monoxide safety requirements for over 22,000 homes (out of 26,700 total homes). It also reported 1,900 open damp and mould cases, more than 16,000 overdue repairs and 3,000 overdue fire safety actions. In addition, the council does not have up-to-date data about the condition of tenants’ homes,” the judgement said. Responding to the judgement today, Bristol City Council said the number of overdue repairs was more like 11,000 – the 16,000 figure included occasions when council housing tenants reported the same issue more than once. Bristol City Council, Guildford Borough Council, Octavia Housing and Sheffield City Council have each been given a C3 grading by RSH, which means there are ‘serious failings and they need to make significant improvements’. This is the first time RSH has published consumer gradings for social landlords, following the changes to its role in April 2024. What does the Regulator say? “Landlords must provide safe and decent homes for tenants, have an effective complaints process, and put things right when there are problems,” said the chief of regulatory engagement at the RSH, Kate Dodsworth. “The judgements we published today show that each of these landlords have issues which they need to address promptly. All landlords need to make sure they deliver the outcomes in our standards and inform us when there are material issues. “Our new approach to regulation, which started in April, gives us new tools to scrutinise landlords’ performance and, where there are issues, drive them to deliver long-term improvements for the benefit of tenants,” she added.
Old Bristol US-Style Mayor Marvin Rees’s new job at Bristol University created specially for him. Homelessness. Government no money since financial crisis. New chief executive of Bristol Council . New plaque for Colston Statue plinth. St. Mary le Port to go ahead. New city council chief to receive £192k salary The new chief executive will start in January 2025 The incoming chief executive of a city council is set to be paid £192,000 a year, a council meeting has heard. Nick Hibberd will receive the annual salary from Bristol City Council when he replaces the interim chief executive Paul Martin on 6 January. His salary was revealed at a council meeting on Tuesday after councillor Kelvin Blake successfully challenged the decision to withhold the figures. Council leader Tony Dyer, council leader, said Bristol had the “lowest salary paid to its chief executive among core cities”. He told councillors he received permission to reveal the salary after initially refusing due to personal data reasons. Hibberd has more than 25 years’ experience at a senior level of local government, and most recently worked for London Borough of Croydon’s corporate management team, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Dyer said the role was graded independently using an approved method and comparing it with similar positions elsewhere. He said Hibberd’s salary would rise each year in line with national Joint Negotiating Committee pay awards for senior council officers. “I agree it’s vitally important that we are very careful with how we spend public money,” Dyer said. “It’s also important that we respect individual privacy.” In August, Dyer warned the council was at risk of going bankrupt as it faced a £22m overspend. Hibberd has been approached for comment about his salary.
Gaza – the conflict – BBC Radio 4 documentary series. Ruthless Zionist terrorism. The Conflict Middle East The First Intifada (1987): What impact did the Palestinian uprising have? We look back on the region’s history and discuss what it can teach us about the future. Jonny Dymond brings together a carefully curated panel of experts, academics and journalists to talk about the conflict in the region. What has happened in history to lead us to this point? And, what can history teach us about what might happen next? This week, Jonny is joined by BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner, Dr Dina Rezk, associate professor of modern Middle Eastern history at Reading University and Dr H A Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the think tank RUSI. They explore the First Intifada, a mass uprising by Palestinians, in 1987 against 20 years of Israeli occupation, and its lasting impact on the region. This episode was made by Keiligh Baker with Ivana Davidovic. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans and David Crackles. The assistant editor is Ben Mundy. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham. The BBC has been the subject of intense scrutiny over the last week for its handling of the conflict so far, including for opting not to name Hamas as terrorists, citing impartiality. Meanwhile, the Palestine Action group has soaked the entryways of BBC buildings with blood-red paint, accusing the BBC of “biased and inaccurate reporting” and “manufacturing consent for the occupation’s genocide of Palestinians”. This week, there were reports that the BBC has received around 800 complaints that it is biased against Israel, and almost exactly the same number complaining that it’s biased against Palestinians. This is the kind of two-sided response that may probably make the BBC breathe a sigh of relief that it’s getting this whole impartiality thing just about right. But what does it mean for the experience of us listeners on an individual level? Personally, I find it helpful to listen to specific reporters who have proven knowledge and experience rather than try to absorb the entire output of a whole organisation. So I’m listening to Doucet, and also to Katya Adler, whose new daily explainer series Understand Israel and the Palestinians (Radio 4) has just been parachuted into the schedules at the last minute this week. Like Doucet, Adler has a depth of experience here. Adler’s first child was born in the region when she was the BBC’s Middle East correspondent more than 10 years ago. She has, since then, developed her journalistic gift for explaining complex international politics on other stages – she was the BBC’s go-to reporter for explaining the EU’s Brexit negotiations as they were ongoing – but here, Adler returns to explore the social and political structure of the region she knows so well. Any broadcaster with a depth of expertise in the history and politics of the Middle East faces the challenge of finding a way to report on the latest developments to listeners who will come to their programmes with their own range of knowledge and experience. Listeners may have firmly taken a side already, or may feel overwhelmed by the complexity of the situation. It takes skill to speak to all of these people with the same clarity and care, and without being patronising. Doucet and Adler are masterful at this. Whatever the successes and failures of the BBC as a whole, these individual reporters are shining under pressure. And there’s a broadcaster away from the BBC who is doing an excellent job, too, and he’s not even a broadcaster by training. Former Tory cabinet minister Rory Stewart, who presents The Rest is Politics (Goalhanger Podcasts) with Alastair Campbell, gave one of the most succinct and accessible, even-handed explanations of the history of the conflict that I’ve ever heard. He doesn’t shy away from calling Hamas terrorists, either. Episode 178: Israel at War is the episode you want for the explainer, but there have also been further episodes on the theme, featuring more in-depth discussion emerging through interviews with both the Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari, and Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK. In a time of dehumanisation, violence and fear, listening to clear and insightful programmes like these feels like a way to hold onto a little more humanity, and a little more hope. Advertisements Report this AdPrivacy
‘The Beginning of the End of Humanity’, Tanya Haj Hassan – Dr. Chris Hook, a Bristol Emergency Doctor who also works for Medicine Sans Frontier (MSF), joins Tony and Martin. He has been working as an emergency doctor in Gaza this year. US surgeon breaks down reading stories from Gaza doctors. US paediatric surgeon Dr Tanya Haj-Hassan broke down in tears at a UN hearing as she recounted stories from her medical colleagues in Gaza about the ‘pain and depravity’ they are enduring. A growing international outcry Dr Haj Hassan’s testimony comes as international recognition of the genocide in Gaza has grown. Last week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The International Court of Justice is also hearing a genocide case against Israel over its conduct in Gaza. Despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, the Israeli military has continued its assault, which began after a Hamas attack last year. The Health Ministry in Gaza reported that three massacres of families occurred in the past 24 hours, killing 48 and injuring 53. Many victims remain trapped under rubble, as ongoing strikes prevent rescue operations. Dr Haj Hassan criticised the global community for its inaction, saying, “Palestinians don’t need pity. They don’t need praise. They need meaningful solidarity and urgent intervention to end these atrocities.” The human cost of inaction Beyond the immediate medical crisis, Dr Haj Hassan described a society pushed to its breaking point. Entire families have been wiped out, schools and universities obliterated, and basic utilities such as water and sanitation destroyed. She painted a grim picture of life for Gaza’s children, who face constant bombardments, hunger, and the spread of disease. “A child who lived in an apartment and attended school 14 months ago is now trying to survive under a tent in the cold, without food or clean water,” she said. “Every aspect of life in Gaza has been dismantled.” Gaza’s Health Ministry on Thursday confirmed that 48 more Palestinians had been killed in the last 24 hours, pushing the total death toll since the conflict began last year to 44,330. Over 104,933 people have been injured, and countless remain trapped under rubble as rescuers struggle to reach them due to relentless bombardments. A plea for accountability Dr Haj Hassan concluded her testimony with a call for global action. She warned that the precedent set in Gaza — where international law is systematically violated — poses a threat to global stability. “The genocide in Gaza is not just a tragedy for Palestinians; it signals the erosion of international norms and the rule of law,” she said. In a message to the world, she quoted a Palestinian nurse who remains trapped in Gaza: “We are being buried every minute. We disappear every minute. I want the world to know I am a human being, not a number or a name on a list.” Dr Haj Hassan also reflected on the historical gravity of the current crisis, saying, “One day someone will dig up the records of our testimonies, pleading for 14 months.” “They will dig up the records of Palestinians covering their own genocide when international journalists were unprecedentedly banned from entering. Palestinian children setting up press conferences to tell the world that their lives mattered. We will have to reckon with this history.” Dr. Tanya Haj Hassan, a pediatric intensive care doctor with Medical Aid for Palestinians, shared the horrific realities of Gaza. Witnessing systematic targeting of civilians, healthcare workers, and hospitals, she described the unimaginable toll on Palestinian lives. Despite personal loss, healthcare workers persist under constant threats. Dr. Haj Hassan called for urgent global action, urging the international community to move beyond pity to meaningful support, emphasizing the courage and resilience of those on the frontlines. Video courtesy of UN Palestinian Rights Committee, A Doctor’s Testimony: The Reality of Gaza’s Suffering by Dr. Tanya Haj Hassan, November 26, 2024. Doctor Overcome with Emotion Telling Harrowing Reality in Gaza
EXCLUSIVE: Fatima reports from Northern Gaza. Desperate situation in Gaza – food, water, warmth. Gaza genocide is The Beginning of the End of Humanity’ Israel turned Jabalia into a barren desert and made our home a grave After burying our grandfather, my displaced family and I were forced to flee our home in northern Gaza, struggling to survive bombs, starvation and the ’roundabout of death’ When my family was forced to flee Jabalia last month, we had two options: die and leave our bodies under the rubble or on the road, to be torn apart by stray dogs, or survive with the constant threat of death looming over us, enduring the bitter taste of another Nakba, or catastrophe, until we die. From that moment on, we became refugees for the second time in less than two generations. We were forced to leave behind apartments, buildings and lands that meant everything to us. In the blink of an eye, we became nothing. It was in Jabalia that my father dedicated years of hard work to build a 200 sqm apartment for me – a symbol of hope and stability for my future family. Every tile and ornament was chosen with love, a testament to our dreams of a peaceful life. After the war began, I bought solar energy equipment for charging and lighting. I did not overspend on it because I thought a day like this might come when I would have to leave everything behind. Since the beginning of the war on Gaza, the Israeli army has launched three brutal ground operations in Jabalia. While the third operation is still ongoing, hundreds of bodies lie under the rubble, scattered in the streets and inside homes. On the evening of 5 October 2024, the Israeli military carried out intense air strikes, paving the way for a ground invasion the following morning from both the eastern and western sides of Jabalia. The incursion forced us to flee the shelter we had sought and return to our house in the centre of Jabalia, where all of our relatives gathered. We hoped that the operation would be limited and that the army would withdraw after two days. During this time, Jabalia transformed into a barren desert. There was no water, food or safe place. Hospitals and schools were reduced to rubble and medical assistance was a distant memory. Living there became impossible. As time passed, the advance of military vehicles and the intensity of air strikes increased and it became hellish. Those were the hardest days of my life and the lives of all my family members. On the evening of 7 October, the army launched a fierce air strike nearby that shook the very foundations of our home. Just two minutes later, my grandfather took his final breath and died. He spent his last day barely able to catch his breath, panting in fear, his lips trembling until the end. At the time of my grandfather’s passing, Israeli military vehicles were just a few metres away from our home and had surrounded the cemetery. This made burying him there impossible. It took us until morning to decide how to temporarily bury him in light of the circumstances. When the morning of 8 October arrived, we contacted the hospital and requested an ambulance, but they told us they could not move or reach us. I suggested that we bury him in a nearby area, but my father saw that as too risky and decided to bury him at home. Trapped in the house, my siblings and I started digging the grave. We broke through a 7cm-thick layer of concrete, then dug in the sand to a depth of 60cm and a length of 170cm. Fear engulfed us as the strikes, bombings and gunfire continued.
What will Trump do? Doctors going missing in Gaza. US private security companies in Gaza after IDF. US mercenary firms compete for ‘huge contracts’ to control security in north Gaza: Report Infamous Pentagon contractors Constellis and Orbis are the front-runners to take over for the Israeli army once the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in north Gaza comes to a halt Israel is examining the launch of a “pilot program” that could see US private security firms replace the army in northern Gaza to “accompany food and medicine convoys” for Palestinians who remain in the devastated region, according to a report by Israeli daily Globes. Among the top competitors for the multi-million dollar contract are Constellis, the direct successor to infamous mercenary company Blackwater, and Orbis, a little-known South Carolina company run by former generals that has worked with the Pentagon for 20 years. Officials say the pilot program for north Gaza aims to “prevent Hamas or other gangs from taking over the aid trucks and free the IDF soldiers from the dangerous mission.” In recent weeks, Gaza’s interior ministry established a new police force to deal wth groups of bandits and gangs that have been raiding humanitarian aid shipments and blackmailing international organizations in the southern Gaza Strip. The UN has said these gangs are likely “benefiting from a passive if not active benevolence” or “protection” from the Israeli army. In October, a third US security firm – Global Delivery Company (GDC) – which describes itself as “Uber for warzones” – claimed to be working with another firm to create and manage “humanitarian bubbles” in Gaza. GDC is run by Mordechai Kahane, an Israeli businessman who worked with Israeli intelligence during the war on Syria to arm extremist groups seeking to topple the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Although no official figure exists about the size of the contracts being offered by Tel Aviv for these mercenary firms, Globes cites Lt. Col. Yochanan Zoraf, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and former advisor on Arab affairs in the Israeli army, as saying the figure will likely reach “billions of shekels per year.” “These are not companies that will manage the daily lives of the residents,” Zoraf claims, adding that “peripheral responsibility for the defense of [north Gaza] as well as the civil responsibility itself” falls at Israel’s feet. The former army officer also says Tel Aviv will likely “ask that the US – or an outside party – finance the program.” Advertisements Report this AdPrivacy
Scott Ritter on Christian Zionism and Trump. Fatima’s report from Gaza. ‘Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews’ book. What is Huckabee’s position on Israel and Palestine? Huckabee is a staunch supporter of Israel. After his appointment, Trump released a statement in which he said Huckabee “loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!” His appointment demonstrates a “very hawkish, very pro-right-wing Israel” approach by the Trump administration, Yossi Mekelberg, an expert on Israel at the Chatham House think tank, told Al Jazeera. He said Huckabee’s appointment is similar to that of David Friedman, who served as US Ambassador to Israel between 2017 and 2021 and supports Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. Huckabee views Israel as an “overwhelming ally of the United States”, Paul Musgrave, an associate professor of government at Georgetown University in Qatar, told Al Jazeera. “He will certainly be a strong voice for a pro-Israel faction in the administration and the country,” he said. Huckabee has tied his evangelical faith to support for Israeli control of the West Bank and his support for Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law. In an interview in 2017 with the CNN news network, he said: “There is no such thing as a West Bank. It’s Judea and Samaria (the territory’s biblical name). There’s no such thing as a settlement. They’re communities, they’re neighbourhoods, they’re cities. There’s no such thing as an occupation.” Huckabee has gone as far as to question Palestinian identity.
Assisted dying. Kim Leadbeater defending assisted dying. Possible coercion of older people in care homes. Pro-assisted dying group has its origins in eugenics – and it all revolves around your favourite chocolate company What does a sitting Labour MP, a multimillion charitable trust, and the most prominent UK-based pro-assisted dying lobby group have in common? It turns out, quite a lot actually – and all of them may be about to ruin your favourite confectionery treat forever. However, the string of perturbing connections the Canary is about to reveal has far more alarming, and dangerous implications. This is because it exposes the shocking eugenics origins and links of the foremost pro-assisted dying organisation in the UK – Dignity in Dying. Worse still, it sheds light on the fact that eugenics is the thread weaving through its long history – and still casts a shadow over it to this day. In particular, it revolves around one famous family who is still a key backer of the group, and also supports other organisations that grew out of the eugenics movement. It’s vital context ahead of the second parliamentary reading on Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill. Most importantly, it underscores all the more why MPs must take chronically ill and disabled people’s concerns about a slippery slope of assisted suicide, extremely seriously in the upcoming vote. Assisted dying: the eugenics origin of a prolific lobby group Labour peer Lord Arthur Ponsonby was another founding member. As the Spectator wrote, he: put forward the Voluntary Euthanasia Bill in 1936, arguing against the ‘mistaken notion’ that the Bill was about sparing people pain, insisting that it was really about ‘being a burden’, intended for those who ‘are no longer of any use’. Worse still, it’s not only Millard and Ponsonby Dignity in Dying has seemingly hidden from its history. Co-founder of VES Dr Charles John Bond was a consultant surgeon at Leicestershire Royal Infirmary. Crucially, he was another Eugenics Society associate, member, fellow, and vice-president. Bond sat on the Committee to establish the Bureau of Human Heredity and wrote a number of racist eugenics-orientated publications. For instance, this included one titled: ‘Causes of Racial Decay’. In a 1930 speech at the Modern Churchmen’s conference, Bond’s ableist, classist eugenicist beliefs were on full display. He purportedly told the conference that: sterilisation… should be applied to cases of irresponsible persons of low intelligence and weak will. In short, Dignity in Dying began life as an organisation neck-deep in the abhorrent racist, classist, ableist eugenics movement. Naturally, it’s not a fact the group likes to shout about today. CADBURY DESCENDANTS SUPPORTING ASSISTED DYING TODAY Today, George Woodall Cadbury’s daughters and grandchildren have carried his work on birth control forward too. Caroline Ann Woodroffe and Lyndall Elizabeth Boal, their husbands, and some of their children are now the GW Cadbury Trust’s trustees. It’s still a regular funder to Planned Parenthood. In 2023 for instance, it donated £5,155 to the organisation. Incidentally, Caroline also penned her father’s obituary for the Guardian, lionising his and wife Barbara’s long-term work with Planned Parenthood. What’s more, Woodroffe has continued in the tradition of her parent’s work in various women’s sexual health and fertility job roles. One that stands out is her former chairship of the Birth Control Trust. This is because, once again, it’s another organisation with a direct line back to the eugenics movement. The Galton Institute founded it in 1977, and crucially, the institute was none other than the Eugenics Society in shiny new wrapping. Only, its new namesake was hardly a break from its eugenics provenance either. Instead, it was a hat tip to yet another rampant early eugenicist, Francis Galton. And in the legacy of her forebears’ nexus of eugenics, birth and population control, as well as voluntary euthanasia, Woodroffe too has ties to the modern-day rebranding of the VES. Specifically, she appears to have thrown her support behind Dignity in Dying’s call for legalising assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. In particular, as an epidemiologist, she signed the Dignity in Dying instigated Healthcare Professionals for Assisted Dying (HPAD) campaign in support of the organisation’s aims in 2012. Her name doesn’t appear in its more recent webpage iterations. However, the organisation appears to have pared down the information it publicises on its supporters more generally across its website. Advertisements Report this AdPrivacy
Living in caves in Bristol. Bristol man living in cave on side of cliff as he ‘can’t afford home in city’ With benefits and council housing hard to come by, some of Bristol’s homeless population have resorted to living in caves, despite bitter cold in the winter months A YouTuber visiting Bristol has found a homeless man “living in caves” to avoid the sky-high rents in the city. Joe Fish ventured to the fifth-most expensive place to live in the UK, in the hope of discovering whether rumours of “cave dwellers” in the city are true. He walked to the “outskirts” of the city and through thick woodland “on the side of the cliff” before finding his answer. An unnamed cave-dweller showed Joe around his surprisingly neat and tidy cave. He said that, without a bank account, it was impossible to access benefits and even those high street banks that offer a so-called “homeless person’s account” require proof of address from account holders. Without any hope of finding a permanent place to live, he has resorted to the caves, sorting himself out some running water and setting up a sink to wash his dishes. There is also a double bed and a “natural filter” drain. But the troglodyte life isn’t for everyone. He stressed: “A lot of people come out and think it’s great, it’s wonderful, but it’s alright until suddenly it becomes winter.” The caves are also sometimes used as shelters by drinkers and drug users, which means they need to be regularly cleaned out. “I sort of generally take care of the place,” the man explained. “I’ve already cleaned six bagfuls of cans and bottles out of there. “There were loads of old sleeping bags that you know you wouldn’t ever want to sleep in again so we got rid of all of them and and basically cleaned out all the cr*p.” Joe, who has catalogued the UK’s housing crisis through his channel, was stunned by what he had discovered. He explained: “Things have got so bad in Bristol that people have literally reverted back to the Stone Age and are now inhabiting caves … I’m literally in shock I can’t believe that things have got this bad for some people.” Videos of complete show – Essentials: Michael Hudson | Blackrock/Vanguard | Tony on Brexit & The Traitors of Arnhem | Evolution | War between God & Lucifer | Plan for three World Wars | Nuclear Armed IDF Doomsday Cult | Aanirfan | Armageddonists I have known: Nick Land (1975-8) | George Monbiot (1995-8) | Manna for the Revelation Generation: CONSPIRACY CLASSICS, longer interviews/lectures Part Two – International news review, Accelerationist, Armageddonist reports and investigations
Group discussion about pro Palestinian journalists being targeted, led by Anti-terror police chief Matt Jukes. Sarah Wilkinson in how she was targeted by police as a pro Palestinian. Meeting to Protest the Police’s Use of the Terrorism Act to Attack Free Speech on Palestine The Evidence for Gaza’s Genocide is So Overwhelming that Those Who Deny It Are Really Justifying It Starmer’s Many Lies The first thing to understand about Starmer is that he is a creature of the British Security State. It therefore follows that nothing it does, whatever democratic rights and freedoms it tramples on, can be criticised. Like the scoundrel and pound shop patriot that he is, Starmer wraps up everything in the Union Jack. All politicians lie when they need to get out of a sticky situation. No better example of this was Boris Johnson. However even Johnson is a model of probity compared to Starmer. MSNBC censor a video showing Israeli war crimes – the Free Press’s does its bit 2 suppress the truth Starmer makes for a fascinating study. Not because he is an interesting individual in himself, quite the contrary. Listening to Starmer is akin to watching paint dry. What is fascinating is seeing how someone can become the walking, talking embodiment of the security state. That is the clue to Starmer’s complete absence of charisma or personality. It is easy to laugh at Starmer but that would be a mistake, because he is certainly dangerous. He is a man who is quite happy to trigger a nuclear war if the ‘special relationship’ with the United States demands it. The only thing that gets Starmer animated is the story of his Corbyn supporting tool-maker father. The fact that he spent most of his first speech to Labour Party conference going on about his boring family says everything about what motivates him. Most Labour politicians start off on the left and move to the right. Even Tony Blair was once on the soft left. Starmer however has always been on the NATO right. Apart from his commitment to Britain’s alliance with the United States and the virtues of neo-liberal, free-market capitalism, coupled with his devotion to the Security State and the necessity of removing as many of our freedoms as possible, it is difficult to work out whether Starmer ever had any firmly held convictions. People often point out that Starmer is a liar, which is true, but this misses the point. When Starmer says something he does it because he believes that it will give him an advantage and serve his purpose at the time. The question of whether or not it is true is secondary. In reality it is simply besides the point. It’s not that Starmer deliberately sets out to tell a lie. It’s just that whether or not something is true has no meaning for him. What Starmer says is dictated by whether he feels it is beneficial to him and his politics. Starmer lives in a world of lies and for him the truth is an alien being. That is why it is unfair to simply call Starmer a liar when his whole political method is based on entirely different criteria. Starmer is what might be called politically autistic. The truth is irrelevant. Lying is part of his political pathology. Of course it is amusing that one minute he calls Corbyn a friend and the next minute he’s telling everyone he’ll cross the street to avoid the fellow. Or that he’s telling LBC’s Nick Ferrari that Israel ‘does have that right’ to cut off food, water etc. and the following day, following the inevitable outcry, he’s denying he ever said it. All this shows is that despite having plenty of practice, Starmer isn’t a good liar. No better example is there than the 10 Pledges that Starmer made to get elected. Of course Starmer didn’t believe a word of them but then why should he? He knew that Labour Party members were stupid enough to believe anything he told them so he told them what they wanted to hear. Who can blame him? Natalie Strecker, Jersey Andrew Feinstein – former ANC MP Tony Greenstein – Author Zionism During the Holocaust & arrested twice in the last year Sarah Wilkinson – Journalist arrested in dawn raid by police in balaclavas who trashed her house Asa Winstanley – Journalist – Electronic Intifada – house raided, equipment stolen but not arrested Clare Rogers – mother representing the Filton 10 who were held for a week in solitary confinement in police cells and on remand for the past 3 months despite not being charged with ‘terrorist’ offences Huda Ammori – Founder Palestine Action and arrested numerous times – indefatiguable Richard Medhurst – Journalist arrested at airport, devices seized, kept 72 hours in solitary confinement When the amoral, sociopath Keir Starmer denies that there is a Genocide in Gaza he is no different to those who deny the Nazi Holocaust Advertisements Report this AdPrivacy
Spy cops – Neil Woods confesses. Ex-undercover cop reveals surveillance tactics – Big Brother Watch – – Mark Johnson sits down with former undercover police officer Neil Woods. On this channel we’ve previously spoken to some of the victims of the SpyCops scandal, which involved undercover police officers infiltrating activist groups, sometimes forming long-term intimate relationships. This lead to a groundbreaking ruling involving a “formidable list” of human rights breaches by the Metropolitan Police. Since then laws have been passed granting undercover police and informants immunity to participate in criminal offences. Now, you are about to hear about life on the inside of this shadowy world to understand how undercover surveillance tactics work. ‘Undercover, you’re never just acting; you’re only ever a different version of yourself.’ Neil Woods spent fourteen years (1993-2007) infiltrating drug gangs as an undercover policeman, befriending and gaining the trust of some of the most violent, unpredictable criminals in Britain. But Neil was never your stereotypical gung-ho, tough-guy copper. This is the story of how a thoughtful, idealistic character learned to use his empathetic nature to master some of the roughest, most dangerous work in law enforcement. There was no training, no manual and no plan for when things went wrong; he was just dropped at a corner and told to make connections. But, inevitably, having swords thrust against his jugular, witnessing beatings, stabbings, and gangsters burning suspected rats with acid took its toll. Drawing on Neil’s experiences, with the insight that can only come from having fought on the front lines, GOOD COP, BAD WAR is at once a narrative-driven true crime read and a fascinating story of a character under pressure.
GRAYZONE LEAK: Britain takes ‘unilateral lead’ on ‘regime change’ in Russia – Project Alchemy – bullying propaganda. Leaks expose secret British military cell plotting to ‘keep Ukraine fighting’ Kit Klarenberg·November 16, 2024 – Project Alchemy was founded on the personal orders of Lt. General Charlie Stickland, who is charged with “planning, executing and integrating UK led joint and multinational overseas military operations” as the head of Britain’s Permanent Joint Headquarters. Stickland boasts in leaked communications that his family “come from a long line of pirates and buccaneers.” In his email signature, the general identifies himself as an “LGBTQ+ Advocate” in rainbow-colored text. Stickland and his assistant, Maj. Ed Harris, did not answer The Grayzone’s calls to their personal phones, nor did they respond to detailed questions submitted to them through WhatsApp.Leaked files show top UK military figures conspired to carry out the Kerch bridge bombing, covertly train “Gladio”-style stay-behind forces in Ukraine, and groom the British public for a drop in living standards caused by the proxy war against Russia. Emails and internal documents reviewed by The Grayzone reveal details of a cabal of British military and intelligence veterans which plotted to escalate and prolong the Ukraine proxy war “at all costs.” Convened under the direction of the British Ministry of Defense in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the cell referred to itself as Project Alchemy. As British leadership sabotaged peace talks between Kiev and Moscow, the cell put forward an array of plans “to keep Ukraine fighting” by imposing “strategic dilemmas, costs and frictions upon Russia.” The leaks obtained by The Grayzone expose a hidden hand behind Britain’s policy in Ukraine, showing in unusually granular detail how it aimed to engineer a long, grinding war through covert operations that stretched the bounds of legality. Project Alchemy’s proposed schemes spanned every conceivable field of warfare, from cyber attacks to “discreet operations” to outright terrorism. The secret cell even put forward a plan to “aggressively pursue” and “dismantle” independent media outlets – including The Grayzone – through an aggressive campaign of legal harassment and online censorship, so they “would be forced to close.” The incendiary blueprints were fed to the highest levels of the British state and national security structure, where they were apparently well-received. Founded by a senior British Ministry of Defence official, Project Alchemy is composed of veteran military and intelligence operatives united by a desire for all-out war between the West and Russia. Some have trained Ukrainian forces in clandestine sabotage tactics. Members of the national security cabal tacitly acknowledged that their proposed operations stretched the bounds of British law. Thus they suggested that London should be “prepared to creatively use the law” to meet its goals, and even be willing to erase “legal restrictions on UK deniable ops” against Russia. Some of Project Alchemy’s most extreme recommendations have already been implemented, often with calamitous results. These include the cell’s proposal to strike Crimea’s Kerch Bridge, which prompted a Russian escalation that saw punishing attacks on Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure. Alchemy also envisioned the construction of a secret, Gladio-style army of Ukrainian partisan fighters to carry out assassination, sabotage, and terror missions behind enemy lines. It appears the British premier, Keir Starmer, fell under the influence of the Project Alchemy cabal soon after his election in July, when he eagerly embraced the role of “wartime prime minister.” After pledging to support Ukraine “as long as it takes,” however, Starmer is quietly backing away from the maximalist policy. In Kiev, Ukrainians are left to ponder how their “friends” in London got them into this mess, and why they can not, or will not get them out of it. The British spooks who gathered around Project Alchemy reasoned that the longer the proxy war continued, the more Russian president Vladimir Putin’s “credibility at home and abroad drops, and his ability to fight NATO is degraded.” Today, Project Alchemy’s gambit has clearly backfired, as Putin remains popular within Russia, while a crumbling Ukrainian army loses territory by the day despite constant re-arming by the West. But the war planners in London remain staunchly committed to escalation, refusing to shelve their diabolical proposals. Advertisements Report this AdPrivacy
Tom Bowles, national press photographer, covering Just Stop Oil protest, was arrested. Hertfordshire police admit they breached the human rights of journalist arrested at protest Tom Bowles was arrested whilst photographing a Just Stop Oil protest by officers untrained in the important role of the media at protests He was detained for over 14 hours, his equipment was seized and his family home was searched late at night Hertfordshire police have admitted his arrest was unlawful and that his human rights were breached. On 7 November 2022 Tom, a professional photographer, was photographing a Just Stop Oil protest on the M25. He was arrested for conspiracy to commit public nuisance despite making clear to numerous officers that he was there as a member of the press just doing his job. He repeatedly offered officers his press card, which has a hotline on the back that would have instantly verified that he was a member of the press. His arresting officer later admitted not understanding anything about the press, or how a press card works. Tom was one of a number of journalists arrested unlawfully at protests in November 2022. An independent review carried out shortly after his arrest found that officers were directed to arrest, finding that “arrest was the likely outcome regardless of the information obtained”. The review also found that Tom’s arresting officer had not completed required training on the rights of reporters and photographers during public order situations, despite that “it was entirely foreseeable that journalists were going to be present at sites of activity with a view of reporting on the impact” [2]. Tom pursued civil action against Hertfordshire police, who admitted that his arrest was unlawful and a breach of his human rights. The police have also agreed to pay compensation to Tom and his family as part of an out of court settlement. Tom and his family were represented by Molly Cox at Bhatt Murphy Solicitors and Jude Bunting KC at Doughty Street Chambers. Molly Cox, Tom’s solicitor at Bhatt Murphy Solicitors, said: “Freedom of the press is fundamental to our democracy. In arresting Tom, the police prevented him from reporting on a climate protest, in essence silencing government opposition and dissent. We welcome the Chief Constable’s admission that Tom should never have been arrested, and hope that Hertfordshire and other forces have learnt from the ordeal Tom and his family have been through”.
Manchester 2017 terrorist attack – not able to sue MI5. Skripals can’t testify. Fury as legal action against MI5 by Manchester Arena families blocked by judges ‘This judgment certainly doesn’t exonerate MI5. There were failings by MI5 and multiple other parties…’ More than 300 people affected by the Manchester Arena bombing cannot continue their legal action against MI5, judges at a specialist tribunal have ruled. Survivors and people bereaved by the 2017 terror attack brought a case to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) against the Security Services, claiming at a hearing earlier this month that the failure to take ‘appropriate measures’ to prevent the atrocity infringed their human rights. But in a ruling on Friday, Lord Justice Singh and Mrs Justice Farbey said the cases could not proceed as they were brought too late. Lord Justice Singh said: “We are particularly conscious of the importance of the rights concerned… We are also conscious of the horrendous impact of the atrocity on the claimants and their families. “Any reasonable person would have sympathy for them. The grief and trauma which they have suffered, particularly where young children were killed, is almost unimaginable. Nevertheless, we have reached the conclusion that, in all the circumstances, it would not be equitable to permit the claims to proceed.” The IPT is an independent judicial body which provides right of redress to anyone who believes they have been the victim of unlawful action by a public authority using covert investigative techniques. The public inquiry into the 2017 attack found the bombing might have been prevented if MI5 had acted on intelligence received in the months before when two pieces of information about the bomber, Salman Abedi, were assessed at the time by the security service to not relate to terrorism. But inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders said, having heard from MI5 witnesses at behind-closed-door hearings, he considered that did not present an ‘accurate picture’. Following publication of the inquiry’s final report last year, MI5’s Director general Ken McCallum expressed ‘deep regret’ that intelligence was not gathered which may have stopped Abedi in his tracks, and said he was ‘profoundly sorry’ that MI5 was unable to prevent it. Tributes in Manchester after the bombing (Image: MEN MEDIA) Hudgell Solicitors, Slater & Gordon and Broudie Jackson Canter, three of the law firms representing people affected, said in a statement: “It is extremely disappointing for our clients to learn their claims against MI5 will not be able to progress further through the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. “Ever since the attack in May 2017, our clients have had to endure continued delays but have done so with great patience and understanding in the hope that by allowing all legal processes to be fully explored, transparency and justice would be achieved. It took almost six years for the failings of MI5 to be revealed, confirmed when the Inquiry chair published his Volume 3 findings in March 2023, in which he said MI5 had missed a ‘significant opportunity’ to prevent the attack. “This report concluded that within this six-year period, the Security Service corporate witnesses X and J gave evidence on oath that had presented an inaccurate picture, and the same inaccurate picture had been presented to Lord Anderson when he compiled his report in December 2017. The fire service arrives at Manchester Victoria Station (Image: Arena Inquiry) “Following these significant findings, our clients believed the IPT would provide the route to the formal vindication of their human rights. “We are disappointed that time is one of the reasons now being used against them to prevent their claims progressing. Seven years have now passed since the atrocity in May 2017 – six years of that seven-year delay was caused by MI5. “This judgment certainly doesn’t exonerate MI5. There were failings by MI5 and multiple other parties leading up to and on the actual evening of 22 May 2017 and collectively we continue to support our clients in their fight for full accountability and justice.”
£500m defence cuts. UK ministers scrap warships, helicopters, and drones in £500m defence cuts Defence secretary John Healey cancels six ‘outdated’ defence projects The defence secretary has announced emergency cuts to the UK military, including the Royal Navy’s two amphibious assault ships, a frigate and 31 helicopters. John Healey has blamed the disputed £22bn black hole left in the finances by the Tories. However, the Conservatives have warned that the cuts have come because Labour refuses to spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence. Mr Healey told MPs that Labour had “a dire inheritance” from the Tories in defence so needed to scrap six “outdated” defence projects which will save £500m over the next five years. “We have begun to fix the foundations going forward,” he added. “For too long our soldiers, sailors and air staff have been stuck with using outdated equipment.” The emergency statement caught MPs by surprise on Wednesday and has left doubts over whether the UK could take back the Falklands if they were invaded again. The scrapping of HMS Bulwark and HMS Albion leaves the UK without any amphibious assault ships. In addition, the frigate HMS Northumberland is beyond economic repair and will be decommissioned along with two Wave-class tankers. Mr Healey said that HMS Bulwark and HMS Albion had been “superficially retired” by Tory ministers “but kept on the books at a cost of £9m a year”. The defence secretary said that the service chiefs had agreed to his “common sense decisions which previous governments had failed to take”. He added: “These will not be the last difficult decisions I will have to take.” Thirty-one helicopters –14 Chinooks and 17 Pumas – are also to be permanently grounded. The UK’s replacement helicopter programme is still some years away. There were 294 helicopters in the armed forces last year. Also going are the Watchkeeper MK1 drones, which cost around £5m each, but have been beset by issues and will be grounded. However, Mr Healey did announce new retention payments for armed forces personnel who sign up for additional years of service. He said: “I can announce today that I am introducing, from April, a new £30,000 retention payment for a cohort of tri-service aircraft engineers who sign up for [an] additional three years of service. This will affect and be open to around 5,000 personnel in total. “And from January, a new £8,000 retention payment for army personnel who served four years, supporting 4,000 personnel each year for three years. So 12,000 troops in total.”
Peter Lynch commits suicide in prison – what he said on protest. Father-of-four rioter Peter Lynch who died in prison ‘took his own life’ while serving two years in jail for violent disorder and abusing police at anti-migrant protest A father-of-four rioter who was jailed for shouting abuse at police officers outside a hotel housing asylum seekers took his own life in prison, according to sources. Peter Lynch, 61, a father of four, died on Saturday night at HMP Moorland near Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, the prison service confirmed. Prison service sources said he took his own life, although it has not been officially confirmed. He was serving a two year and eight months prison term after being jailed in August. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) is now carrying out an independent investigation into his death. Lynch, who had diabetes, thyroid issues and angina, and recently suffered a heart attack, was put behind bars for screaming at police outside a hotel in Rotherham housing asylum seekers. The grandfather, who was described as a conspiracy theorist, went to the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers on August 4 waving a placard which accused police officers, MPs, Nasa, and the Environment Agency of being ‘corrupt’. During his sentencing on August 22, Lynch, who was called a ‘family man’, pleaded guilty to violent disorder after he shouted ‘racist and provocative remarks’ Lynch would have been eligible for the early release scheme which was recently introduced by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, reported The Telegraph. A prison service spokesman said: ‘HMP Moorland prisoner Peter Lynch died on October 19 2024. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.’ The PPO told MailOnline: ‘The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is carrying out an independent investigation into the death of Peter Lynch that occurred on 19 October 2024 at HMP Moorland. ‘We offer our condolences to his friends and family.’ Lynch’s sentencing hearing was told he was a ‘full participant’ in the riot and was filmed calling officers ‘scum’ after screaming: ‘You are protecting people who are killing our kids and raping them.’ Asked by Judge Jeremy Richardson KC about the meaning of the placard he was holding, Ian West, defending, said: ‘It’s a general conspiracy theory against anyone and any form of authority. This was slightly off-topic from what was going on that day.’ Judge Richardson told him: ‘You did not yourself attack any police officer, as far as can be detected, but what you did was encourage by your conduct others to behave violently and you were part of this mob.’ The father of four and grandfather of three was branded by the judge as a ‘disgraceful example of a grandfather’, reported the Guardian. ‘You were unquestionably endeavouring to rev up the situation the best you could,’ Judge Richardson added.
COMPLETE SHOW AND FULL INTERVIEWS [right click to download] #1 - Complete 3hr 40min show - [right click to download] ~Full interviews with... #2 - Assisted Dying Suicide Bill Danny Kruger and Diane Abbot 29Nov24 - 00:35:00 #3 - Joe Fish investigates the Cave Dwellers living Deep Beneath Bristol - 00:20:00 #4 - PART UK Palestine Arrests Andrew Feinstein, Tony Greenstein and Sarah Wilkinson - 00:30:00 #5 - Tom Bowles photographer arrested at Just Stop Oil 2022 wins case against police - 00:50:00 #6 - WHOLE UK Palestine Arrests Stop Silencing Palestine Feinstein, Greenstein 22 November 24 - 01:40:00
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