🔴 For the past year @lucasamin.bsky.social and I have been investigating Palantir in the UK What we found was a company with unrivalled political access, selling a product many data experts in the NHS don’t use, and don’t rate Please read and share democracyforsale.substack.com/p/its-just-a...

"It's just a waste of time": inside Palantir's £330m NHS failure

Our new investigation reveals the problems with Palantir’s NHS tech - and the unrivalled political access that fuelled the firm’s march into the British state

democracyforsale.substack.com

This is a fascinating investigation. Grab a coffee and have a read.

London Review of Books@lrb.co.uk · 3w ago

‘Behind Palantir’s bombastic self-image, we found there was a much more prosaic reality: problems with software and staff resistance, but also an unrivalled level of political access.’ @petergeoghegan.bsky.social annd @lucasamin.bsky.social on Palantir’s NHS contract: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

So why are British libel cases so expensive? Governments have promised comprehensive anti-Slapp legislation but it's not happened And at same time defendant libel laws have run a major lobbying campaign against reform... democracyforsale.substack.com/p/how-lawyer...

How lawyers to the super-rich strangled Labour's Slapp bill

Exclusive: A discreet lobbying campaign by lawyers who have acted for oligarchs and the super-rich told government that reforming England's libel laws was too difficult.

democracyforsale.substack.com

If want to hear more about our investigation, winning the Paul Foot and what Democracy for Sale is doing next, did a video with @isabelleroughol.com today Can watch here youtu.be/2Oqj6i9-lmI?...

We Won a Paul Foot Award.

YouTube video by Democracy for Sale

youtu.be

We only went and won it!! 🎉🎉🎉 A newsletter has just won the biggest prize in British journalism Absolutely delighted. Huge thanks to Khadija and to all Democracy for Sale’s supporters 😊

Private Eye Magazine@privateeyenews.bsky.social · 2mo ago

And the winners of the Paul Foot Award for investigative and campaigning journalism 2026 are... Peter Geoghegan and Khadija Sharife of Democracy for Sale.

In the latest episode of Media Confidential Alan Rusbridger and @lionelbarber.bsky.social chat to Peter Geoghegan about lawsuits being used by the wealthy to silence and intimidate critics

Peter Geoghegan on getting SLAPP’d: ‘It had a huge chilling effect’

The wealthy are using lawsuits to silence critics. Why does the government seem so reluctant to tackle them?

prospectmagazine.co.uk

In his latest political intervention Blair continues to flag his dislike of transparency, as pushed famously in his autobiography. State transparency doesn't prevent efficacy. It enables it, cutting waste and allowing us to identify what is going wrong before it blows up.

I should add that this vital story - about a company and an issue that most of Britain’s media is chasing - was broken on a v small investigative website’s newsletter. The power of independent media! Do support Democracy for Sale if you can 😊 democracyforsale.substack.com/subscribe

Democracy for Sale | Peter Geoghegan | Substack

A newsletter dedicated to revealing how dark money and hidden influence threaten our democracy. Click to read Democracy for Sale, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

democracyforsale.substack.com

Peter Geoghegan@petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

🔴 Wes Streeting has said that Palantir is “absolutely critical to the future of the NHS.” But Palantir’s £330m NHS platform is “slow an clunky” and eight to ten times slower at analysing data than the current NHS tool in use Massive scoop on Democracy for Sale: open.substack.com/pub/democrac...

“‘These are not disinterested stakeholders,’ he said. ‘Let’s not forget this is pretty lucrative stuff for them.’” Democracy for Sale on the impact of SLAPPs – and the media law lobby that’s stymied efforts to legislate against them: https://bit.ly/4v0Iz4h

How lawyers to the super-rich strangled Labour's Slapp bill

Exclusive: A discreet lobbying campaign by lawyers who have acted for oligarchs and the super-rich told government that reforming England's libel laws was too difficult.

democracyforsale.substack.com

1) 💥 NEW: It's very encouraging to hear the Justice Secretary David Lammy recommit to tackling SLAPPs – abusive legal tactics used by the rich and powerful to silence critics – but much more urgency is needed in delivering on this promise. 🧵

🔴 NEW: Justice secretary David Lammy has told Parliament the government will "bring forward legislation" to tackle Slapps - abusive lawsuits used by oligarchs and the super-rich. Comments come in response to Democracy for Sale's recent investigation: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/we-investi...

We investigated London's libel lawyers - here’s what happened next

Our revelations prompted a promise today from David Lammy to

democracyforsale.substack.com

On the SLAPP trap, legal intimidation, and our alumnus Cormac Kehoe: great piece by @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and Jenna Corderoy in the New Statesman www.newstatesman.com/investigatio...

The Slapp trap

As media lawyers battle to keep Britain’s libel industry lucrative, hopes for reform are fading

newstatesman.com

Disappointed that #KingsSpeech said nothing about SLAPPs, which enable the powerful to stymy activists & stop journalists publishing stories in the public interest. The legal sector has successfully lobbied to sink efforts to legislate, for now. Excellent piece in the @newstatesman1913.bsky.social

The Slapp trap

As media lawyers battle to keep Britain’s libel industry lucrative, hopes for reform are fading

newstatesman.com

This is the one piece you need to read to understand where we are with libel lawfare in London. You'll learn tons and chew on delightful phrases like "myriad well-heeled Britons" and "a charabanc of colourful characters". This is art. democracyforsale.substack.com/p/how-lawyer...

How lawyers to the super-rich strangled Labour's Slapp bill

Exclusive: A discreet lobbying campaign by lawyers who have acted for oligarchs and the super-rich told government that reforming England's libel laws was too difficult.

democracyforsale.substack.com

Peter Geoghegan@petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🔴 Keir Starmer promised to crackdown on "Slapps" - abusive libel cases to silence journalists and critics Then Labour quietly dropped it We can reveal why: a three-year lobbying blitz by libel lawyers who've acted for Russian oligarchs, Epstein + more democracyforsale.substack.com/p/how-lawyer...

Why do we still have oppressive defamation laws? Because of highly effective lobbying by a handful of libel lawyers, and a Government that broke its promise to act. Important investigation from Peter Geoghegan and Jenna Corderoy: www.newstatesman.com/investigatio...

The Slapp trap

As media lawyers battle to keep Britain’s libel industry lucrative, hopes for reform are fading

newstatesman.com

A remarkable lament of Labour's failure to reform UK libel laws by @petergeoghegan.bsky.social & @jennacorderoy.bsky.social in the NS this morn. It details the genesis of the law from Postwar era to Londongrad, up until my own & @londonermag.bsky.social case today newstatesman.com/investigatio...

Don’t miss the ground breaking investigation by @petergeoghegan.bsky.social and @jennacorderoy.bsky.social exposing how lawyers for the ultra-rich derailed Labour’s plans to tackle SLAPPs. democracyforsale.substack.com/p/how-lawyer...

How lawyers to the super-rich strangled Labour's Slapp bill

Exclusive: A discreet lobbying campaign by lawyers who have acted for oligarchs and the super-rich told government that reforming England's libel laws was too difficult.

democracyforsale.substack.com

This investigation took months of work, hundreds of pages of FOI documents and conversations with so many different sources. If you value this kind of reporting, please subscribe to Democracy for Sale. We can only do it because of our readers. 😀 democracyforsale.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Democracy for Sale

A newsletter dedicated to revealing how dark money and hidden influence threaten our democracy. Click to read Democracy for Sale, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

democracyforsale.substack.com

Our investigation - a Democracy for Sale co-production with @newstatesman1913.bsky.social by me and @jennacorderoy.bsky.social - is already prompting cross-party calls for libel reform. www.newstatesman.com/investigatio...

The Slapp trap

As media lawyers battle to keep Britain’s libel industry lucrative, hopes for reform are fading

newstatesman.com

🔴 Keir Starmer promised to crackdown on "Slapps" - abusive libel cases to silence journalists and critics Then Labour quietly dropped it We can reveal why: a three-year lobbying blitz by libel lawyers who've acted for Russian oligarchs, Epstein + more democracyforsale.substack.com/p/how-lawyer...

How lawyers to the super-rich strangled Labour's Slapp bill

Exclusive: A discreet lobbying campaign by lawyers who have acted for oligarchs and the super-rich told government that reforming England's libel laws was too difficult.

democracyforsale.substack.com

Fantastic news! Very proud of Peter

Peter Geoghegan@petergeoghegan.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Am incredibly chuffed to have been longlisted for @privateeyenews.bsky.social 's Paul Foot awards for investigation into Labour Together and APCO A real coup for a tiny outlet like Democracy for Sale So good to see such great stories nominated too. 😀 www.private-eye.co.uk/paul-foot-aw...

🔴 SCOOP: Remember Labour Together paid PR firm APCO £36,000 to investigate journalists? Now the firm has been reported to Serious Fraud Office + senior APCO executive told a freelance contractor to destroy evidence of Labour Together work NEW on D4S: democracyforsale.substack.com/p/labour-tog...

Labour Together PR firm tried to destroy crucial evidence

Controversial firm reported to Serious Fraud Office after senior executive ordered deletion of evidence of Labour Together’s smear campaign against journalists

democracyforsale.substack.com

Investigative journalism Substack outlet Democracy for Sale has passed 50,000 subscribers, of whom about 1,650 are paying supporters. It has launched a membership drive to get to 2,000 paying subscribers by the end of April democracyforsale.substack.com/p/weve-reach...

We've reached an incredible milestone. Will you help us reach the next one?

50,000 readers! Now we need 350 of you so we can do even more.

democracyforsale.substack.com

Some good news 🎉 Democracy for Sale now passed 50,000 subscribers To celebrate we’ve launched a fundraising drive Can you help us do even more hard hitting independent investigative journalism? 😊 democracyforsale.substack.com/p/weve-reach...

We've reached an incredible milestone. Will you help us reach the next one?

50,000 readers! Now we need 350 of you so we can do even more.

democracyforsale.substack.com

Weakening Freedom of Information is an attack on all our civil liberties, and a clear case of democratic backsliding This needs to be fought, hard - which is exactly what Democracy for Sale will do For shame on Labour giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

UK considers FOI clampdown as requests soar

Moves to tighten system likely to be met with resistance from campaigners

giftarticle.ft.com

In yesterday's FT anonymous government officials talked of need to 'tighten' to FOI to stop China (!?!) The real story, though, is how much govt spending on legal fees to fight FOI requesters in court Campaigners, citizens, journalists all paying price democracyforsale.substack.com/p/government...

Government spent over £1m on court cases to keep information secret

Whitehall departments spent seven-figure sum on legal fees to fight Freedom of Information requests

democracyforsale.substack.com

Make no mistake that any weakening of FOI is an attack on all of our civil liberties, and would be a clear example of democratic backsliding. It is clear that the government is now seriously considering an attack on your right to know. www.ft.com/content/2c34...

UK considers FOI clampdown as requests soar

Moves to tighten system likely to be met with resistance from campaigners

ft.com

Should add, do support Democracy for Sale if you can! Thanks! democracyforsale.substack.com/subscribe

Subscribe to Democracy for Sale

A newsletter dedicated to revealing how dark money and hidden influence threaten our democracy. Click to read Democracy for Sale, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

democracyforsale.substack.com

Wow. Josh Simons has resigned as govt minister Follows weeks of reporting by Democracy for Sale and others about how he paid PR firm to smear journalists investigating Labour Together Huge thanks to all our supporters. Couldn’t have done it without you democracyforsale.substack.com/p/starmer-al...

Wife of Starmer’s comms chief had direct knowledge of Labour Together’s investigation into journalists

Tory and SNP chiefs call for Labour minister Simons to ‘come clean’ as we reveal new details of PR firm’s campaign to discredit journalists

democracyforsale.substack.com

The Elections Bill is really very thin on political finance. Some loopholes closed, some warm words, but still unlimited political donations. That's why we're working with @38degrees.bsky.social to call for a cap on donations Please sign and share: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/ta...

Take Big Money Out of Our Politics

British politics is awash with money from super rich donors. In 2023, two-thirds of all private donations came from just 19 people. These so-called ‘mega donors’ enjoy privileged access to political p...

you.38degrees.org.uk