silentbazz
@silentbazz.bsky.social
Code Monkey. Husband. Father. Drummer. Supporter
Why not enjoy a road trip through southern France? From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
Here’s a fun hypothetical for u (wait for the payoff) Imagine you’re a Polish software engineer & u come to work in London. You apply for a visa. You pay thousands in fees. The process gets harder the longer u stay because of successive Govts obsession with “bringing down net migration!”…
Palantir paid just £2m corporation tax in UK in 2024 despite £247m revenue, £25.3m profit. Doesn't pay much anywhere, effective global tax rate is 1.4% Shifts profits through intragroup transactions, enjoys tax breaks. UK Govt rewarding it with public contracts, enriching execs & shareholders.
Palantir paid just £2m corporation tax in UK in 2024 despite lucrative public sector contracts
Software group benefits from global systems and accounting practices ‘that enable tax to be shirked’, says union boss
theguardian.com
BP quarterly profits up from $2.5bn to $5.73bn as Iran war sends oil prices soaring. Shell doubled its net profit to almost $10bn. High bills fuelling poverty and misery for households and businesses. Boon for execs and shareholders. Must levy 100% windfall tax on oil, gas, energy companies.
BP profits more than double as Iran war sends oil prices soaring
Energy company’s $5.73bn quarterly profits come after Shell posted second highest quarterly earnings on record
theguardian.com
While wildfires rage, oil bosses are laughing all the way to the bank thanks to Donald Trump’s idiotic Iran war. People across the country are facing sky high energy bills. If Burnham is struggling to find the money to help families with those bills, I’d start here.
Sky News@news.sky.com · 2d agoOil giant BP profits more than double due to Iran war - again
Star Wars is officially getting a Welsh-language dub this Christmas, with Matthew Rhys, Rhys Ifans, and more lending their voices to a galaxy far, far away. Read more: www.empireonline.com/movies...
Approval of east London datacentre labelled ‘slap in the face’ for local democracy. Datacentre prioritised over building affordable homes. Little attention to environmental issues. Govt overturning local council refusal is not devolution or democracy. Big business always wins.
Approval of east London datacentre labelled ‘slap in the face’ for local democracy
Campaigners decry Angela Rayner’s backing for Brick Lane project that has only 11 affordable homes
theguardian.com
Hot take: I like Pluribus better than Severance.
Private equity firms made up 50% of the largest US corporate bankruptcies with $1bn+ in liabilities Jobs, communities destroyed for short term profit PE has devoured UK high street; controls vets, supermarkets, care homes, pubs, housing, restaurants. Shadow banking wreaks havoc, govts do nothing.
Private equity continues disproportionate role in 2026 bankruptcies
Since 2024, PESP has tracked and analyzed corporate bankruptcies, identifying the disproportionate role that private equity-owned firms have played in bankruptcy filings. This trend continued in the…
pestakeholder.org
And 25% of voters would put these ridiculous moneyed fools in charge of the govt and treasury, would they? How many investigations into Reform’s dodgy finances are there now? I’ve lost count. And no, it’s not an ‘establishment’ plot. It’s just what happens when corruption/incompetence meets scrutiny
Paul Brand@paulbrand.bsky.social · 3d agoBREAKING: Parliamentary standards commissioner is now investigating Reform UK’s Deputy Leader Richard Tice (as well as its paused investigation into Nigel Farage). Tice is being investigated for allegedly failing to declare a financial interest.
It says a lot about a politician when 20% of people would rather vote for a bin.
Your reminder Rod Liddle not only said he couldn't have become a teacher because he "could not remotely conceive of not trying to shag the kids" in The Spectator, but he also wrote laws banning child pornography are "absurd" in The Guardian. Abhorrent.
How is this news!? This happens every time December 26th is on a Saturday?
MUSIC THAT YOU CAN DANCE TO (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) ⚡️ 🔹 released October 30th on Curb Records 🔹 double LP, CD, and digital 🔹 remastered from original master tapes 🔹 expanded with remixes, previously unreleased demos & alternate takes curbrecords.ffm.to/musicthatyou...
I love this film, it is one of my favourite David Lynch films and it's such a shame it didn't attract a bigger audience. Sissy Spacek is also brilliant in this (as you might expect). As it's on Disney+ maybe more people will be able to find it now? www.theguardian.com/film/2026/au...
‘A gentle poetry in the everyday’: why The Straight Story is my feelgood movie
The latest in our ongoing series of writers picking their most beloved comfort films is a tribute to David Lynch’s gentlest movie
theguardian.com
As nobody won this week’s haircut lottery, next week’s will be a combover.
Curse of Private Equity Our nurseries were bought by private equity firms – fees are up, food is frozen. Usual PE practices. Build local monopolies, high debt and prices, profiteering, worst services, high exec pay, shareholder returns. Parents/Children abused. Govts do nothing. archive.ph/Yk4Eh
Our nurseries were bought by private equity firms - fees are up and food is frozen
Nurseries are spending millions on their investors – at parents' expense, analysis shows
inews.co.uk
It's weird when people bristle at the idea of abolishing billionaires. Are you a billionaire? Is your mum one? Why do you care? It would be good to abolish billionaires. More money for public services, less money for them to buy rape islands.
It was always unlawful, under the Highways Act 1980. But I don't suppose Suella would know that, being a lawyer, MP and former Attorney General.
Well, they're on their way back to Morocco actually, as they never had any way to reach mainland Spain, let alone the UK, but who needs facts when you're Bobby J the King of Bullshit.
Araith trydanol / Phenomenal speech 🔥👏 Speaking truth to power,highlighting an inconvenient truth. Love the 🏴Cymraeg references & comparison. Maori language beaten out of us? Sounds familiar. Am ysbrydoliaeth / What an inspiration. Tamatha Paul 👏⚫️🇳🇿 #Aotearoa
hemantoysinmyass@hemantoysinmyass.bsky.social · 5d agoTamatha Paul, Member of Parliament for Wellington Central #tamathapaul #maori
Shell’s quarterly profits up from $4.3bn to $9.8bn, jump in price of oil/gas due to wars . Customer bills hiked, industries crippled, economies damaged, planet burns from fossil fuels pollution, corporations profit from catastrophies. Another $3bn share buyback. Must levy 100% windfall tax.
Shell’s profits more than double after jump in oil and gas prices
Environmentalists renew calls for windfall tax to support households after Q2 earnings rise to almost $10bn
theguardian.com
The UK is on fire. Reform UK is still arguing against the existence of man-made climate change. Make it make sense.
Thames Water boss says leakage targets 'not realistic'. TW loses 200bn litres of water a year to leaks. Dumps sewage in rivers Chose to pay dividends Exec pay hiked Investment neglected for 37 years Fines announced but waived or deferred Captive customers fleeced
Thames Water boss says leakage targets 'not realistic'
Chris Weston said Thames wanted "to do better" but some of its targets were not achievable.
bbc.co.uk
First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has implied strongly that the role of Secretary of State for Wales should be scrapped ✍️Martin Shipton
Rhun ap Iorwerth backs scrapping Welsh Secretary post
Martin Shipton First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has implied strongly that the role of Secretary of State for Wales should be scrapped. Asked by journalist Matt Chorley whether the post was still necess...
nation.cymru
UKHSA report shows 2,877 excess deaths caused by May and June 2026 heatwaves, up from 1,500 last year. Need a fundamental rethink about the design of infrastructure, homes, shops, workplaces. Need maximum workplace temperature laws to protect workers. Voluntary codes won't give enforceable rights.
UKHSA report shows 2,877 excess deaths caused by May and June heatwaves
The 2,877 excess deaths represents a significant increase on the 1,504 excess deaths observed in summer 2025.
gov.uk
Prem Sikka@premnsikka.bsky.social · 3w agoHeat-related deaths are rising in the UK, likely to double this year. Could be tackled by laws specifying maximum temperature for workplaces. Countries such as Spain and Belgium have such laws, give workers enforceable rights. What will the UK govt do? Watch the Minister's reply.