Dennis Leech

Defend Press Freedom I stand with Declassified UK - I've just signed my name. Join me in telling Westminster that you care about freedom of the press.

I stand with @DeclassifiedUK.org - I've just signed my name. Join me in telling Westminster that you care about freedom of the press.
secure.declassifieduk.org/page/178447/...

✍️Governments and businesses serve vastly different purposes.

IIPP Director @mazzucatom.bsky.social and Co-Deputy Director @rainerkattel.bsky.social expand on these key differences, arguing for public sector reform to focus on long-term capability building.

🔗Read more here: buff.ly/o02kLJZ

No new drilling in the North Sea! Sign now Oil companies want to keep drilling – and are pushing the UK government to backtrack on its commitments. But we have to stop drilling for oil. Now. Will you join me and call on Prime Minister Keir Sta...

No new drilling in the North Sea! - secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/...

No politician dares to say this but eventually middle earners are going to have to pay more tax.

Keir Starmer's Government Votes to Block UN Plan to Tackle Global Tax Avoidance The UK has joined with the United States and a handful of other rich nations in rejecting the UN push

Keir Starmer's Government Votes to Block UN Plan to Tackle Global Tax Avoidance – Byline Times bylinetimes.com/2025/02/04/k...

UK social safety net among weakest in rich world, analysis finds Think-tank report comes as Keir Starmer seeks to convince Labour MPs to back welfare spending cuts

www.ft.com/content/0c5a...

Just Stop Oil: Co-founder's sentence reduced in Court of Appeal Sixteen climate protesters were jailed last year for their roles in Just Stop Oil demonstrations.

Appeal Court *very slightly* reduces sentences on some of the 16 peaceful climate protesters, jailed for total of 41 years. This isn’t justice. People desperate for climate action to save lives treated like organised criminals, while big oil & gas get away with ecocide @defendourjuries.bsky.social

Don’t be fooled. They lie as easily as they breathe. Their real purpose? The demolition of democracy.

Don’t be fooled. They lie as easily as they breathe.
open.substack.com/pub/annpetti...

This January, global temperatures were a shocking 1.75°C above preindustrial levels, making it the hottest on record.

It is our moral duty to do everything we can to stop climate change in its tracks.

This is why the Heathrow expansion and Rosebank development cannot happen.

Speaking truth to power

"These airports are funnels for UK cash to go overseas - I'd like to hear the rationale for how that generates growth benefits in the UK."

@alchap.bsky.social explains why airport expansions won't create the growth the chancellor wants

YouTube video by Declassified UK What the BBC will NOT tell you about Israel, Keir Starmer and Gaza

📽️ "The BBC is a mouthpiece of the British foreign policy establishment, not a public service broadcaster".

What the BBC is not telling you about Israel, Keir Starmer and Gaza

👉 Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/Q_n3Ng2JC-8?...

Tony Blair tells Brits to stop self-diagnosing with depression as 'UK can't afford spiralling benefits bill' Tony Blair has warned British people against self-diagnosing with mental health conditions, pointing to the country's spiralling sickness benefits bill.

Tony Blair tells Brits to stop self-diagnosing with depression as 'UK can't afford spiralling benefits bill'.

Multi-millionaire declares war on the less well off.

Mental health problems caused by insecurity, poverty, lack of healthcare, mostly due to govt policies.
www.lbc.co.uk/news/tony-bl...

HMRC says it failed to collect around £500bn in tax since 2010. Others says £1,400bn.

£570bn held by UK residents in financial accounts in tax havens. Tax dodged.

Companies dodge taxes by profit shifting to low/no tax havens. No HMRC estimates.

Govts hit the poor, don't upset corporations/rich.

Here is the link to this very important, intelligent and morally empathic article by Israeli economics professors Ariel Rubinstein and Motty Perry that you can read without having to first go through the Haaretz paywall.

arielrubinstein.org/articles/Per...

It's impossible not to know what's going on in Gaza | Opinion ***

www.haaretz.com/opinion/2024...

I've just signed this petition. Will you add your name and share too?

Should Pension Schemes Ditch Gilts (part two) Yesterday I published part one of Pension Oldie's compelling argument that gilts are not the best way to discount pension liabilities for valuation purposes. Tonight is the Mansion House Speech where we are expected to hear something about DB funding. It would be surprising, but not impossible for Pension Oldie's ideas to be adopted by Government. We are sorely in need of innovative thinking - here it is.

Should Pension Schemes Ditch Gilts (part two)

Yesterday I published part one of Pension Oldie's compelling argument that gilts are not the best way to discount pension liabilities for valuation purposes. Tonight is the Mansion House Speech where we are expected to hear something about DB funding.…

Should Pension Schemes Ditch Gilts? Yesterday saw the implementation of the funding code, tomorrow may see it rewritten We are fast approaching the Mansion House Speech (Thursday) when we can confidently expect Government to address the issue of valuing and funding defined benefit pension schemes. In advance of this speech I will be publishing two important blogs by Pension Oldie, the first - today - address the question…

Should Pension Schemes Ditch Gilts?

Yesterday saw the implementation of the funding code, tomorrow may see it rewritten We are fast approaching the Mansion House Speech (Thursday) when we can confidently expect Government to address the issue of valuing and funding defined benefit pension schemes.…

In praise of the NHS, those who work for us and for its patients! My new home! One month in and so much healthier. — Henry Tapper (@henrytapper.bsky.social) December 16, 2024 at 7:47 AM Thankyou for reading this. This is my first public blog since November 14th. On Friday 14th November I was knocked off a Santander bike and suffered broken bones, a beat up brain and an inability to explain myself. These impacts have reduced over the past month but I am far from 100%.

In praise of the NHS, those who work for us and for its patients!

My new home! One month in and so much healthier. — Henry Tapper (@henrytapper.bsky.social) December 16, 2024 at 7:47 AM Thankyou for reading this. This is my first public blog since November 14th. On Friday 14th November I was…

Keynes also said: “Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.”

Rachel Reeves puts pensions review on hold to avoid extra burden on UK business Some experts argue current savings rates will leave people without adequate retirement pots

This means the government is failing to prioritise dealing with what is an emerging crisis of future pensioner poverty. This is because millions of workers are in underfunded defined contribution schemes.

Gov are protecting short term profits before workers' living standards in retirement.

Rachel Reeves puts pensions review on hold to avoid extra burden on UK business Some experts argue current savings rates will leave people without adequate retirement pots

www.ft.com/content/d102...

The government shouldn’t pin all of its hopes for economic growth on the finance industry Such a strategy was tried in 1970s and came to grief in the mid-1970s secondary banking crash.

Finance Curse

2023: £18.8bn raised in new shares on London Stock Exchange. Share buybacks £46.9bn

Major companies pay 70%+ of profits in dividends

UK ranks 28 among 31 OECD countries for investment in productive assets

Can't grow economy by indulging the City.
leftfootforward.org/2024/12/the-...

Revealed: Wessex Water’s Malaysian owners under investigation for corruption Malaysian anti-corruption investigators have launched probe into YTL Power subsidiary over £700m public contract

Wessex Water’s Malaysian owners under investigation for corruption

Won't happen in England, Govts protect companies

Wessex is serial offender, dumps sewage in rivers, paid £78m dividend last yr, £3bn debt; 47 criminal convictions; but no investigation.
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/revealed-w...

Water customers face huge bill this Christmas 'A higher water bill is the Christmas present nobody asked for.'

Thames Water customers face £263 bill rise, it is downing in £18bn debt.

After extracting billions in dividends shareholders won't invest. Thames wants to raise capital from customers, but shareholders will own company and extract even more cash.

Rip-off.
metro.co.uk/2024/12/11/c...

YouTube video by Richard J Murphy Growth has disappeared – so what is Rachel Reeves going to do now ?

Growth has disappeared – so what is Rachel Reeves going to do now ? youtu.be/cmgqyeR3OZs?... The latest figures for the UK’s GDP suggest that growth is flatlining, and the problem with that for Labour is that everything they said they’d do was based on growth happening. So, what now, Rachel Reeves?

NEW PAPER: The 2022 fossil fuel price jumps caused an oil and gas profit explosion. We show the US reaped the largest profit increase (USD 275bn) of any country. Big Oil claims this benefits the American people. In fact, 51% went to the richest 1%, only 1% to the bottom 50%. A 🧵

Bankers to scrutinise public sector spending to 'bring private sector into the heart of government' The government is braced for difficult decisions as it said all spending must contribute to its stated aims or it won't be funded. It's the first line-by-line spending review in 17 years.

Bankers and private sector execs to scrutinise public sector spending to 'bring private sector into the heart of government'.

Insane move by the UK Chancellor - Execs engaged in tax abuse, money laundering, frauds to decide the fate of NHS and public services.
news.sky.com/story/banker...

The most disproportional election ever, in terms of how we voted and the parliament we got.https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/latest-news-and-research/publications/a-system-out-of-step-the-2024-general-election/