Oliver Rivers
@maxrothbarth.bsky.social
COO at OCCRP. Usual disclaimers about whose these opinions are (mine) apply in the usual (obvious) way. Aspiring cat owner. Corruption, investigative journalism, art, classical music, not necessarily in that order.
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
I'm no political strategist but has anyone in Labour considered *not* alienating any huge chunk of their base? I just feel like they tried alienating the left and the centre left and the public sector workers and the academics, and none of those things worked great, so maybe give my idea a whirl?
February 8, 2026 at 9:44 PM
I'm no political strategist but has anyone in Labour considered *not* alienating any huge chunk of their base? I just feel like they tried alienating the left and the centre left and the public sector workers and the academics, and none of those things worked great, so maybe give my idea a whirl?
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
Since Labour has been in government the lack of preparation and depth of thinking has been apparent but I think one of the biggest mistakes was going to war with the PLP so early. It stunned a lot of MPs to be told they could not even table amendments. This resentment is a massive part of the story.
February 8, 2026 at 8:33 PM
Since Labour has been in government the lack of preparation and depth of thinking has been apparent but I think one of the biggest mistakes was going to war with the PLP so early. It stunned a lot of MPs to be told they could not even table amendments. This resentment is a massive part of the story.
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
"Eighty-two years after his execution by the Gestapo on June 16, 1944, the Jewish historian and resistance fighter Marc Bloch will be inducted into the Pantheon on June 23... His family requested that 'the far right, in all its forms, be excluded from any participation in the ceremony.'"
Marc Bloch, historien et résistant juif, entrera au Panthéon le 23 juin
Marc Bloch, historien et résistant juif, entrera au Panthéon le 23 juin
La date du 16 juin avait été dans un premier temps pressentie pour son entrée au Panthéon, mais la cérémonie a dû être décalée de quelques jours en raison du G7 à Evian-les-Bains.
www.lemonde.fr
February 8, 2026 at 7:02 PM
"Eighty-two years after his execution by the Gestapo on June 16, 1944, the Jewish historian and resistance fighter Marc Bloch will be inducted into the Pantheon on June 23... His family requested that 'the far right, in all its forms, be excluded from any participation in the ceremony.'"
Standards and vetting are important and the system as it stands does seem broken but can I gently suggest that given everything else going on, the country may be less than riveted by what he has to say on the subject.
Brace for a seismic week:
🚨 PM will update the country about standards & vetting changes
🚨 Reshuffle rumours suggest a possible cull of "Morgan’s shiny stars"
🚨 PM to address PLP tmr night
🚨 But can he last 3 months to locals? MPs question if he can last 3 days
observer.co.uk/news/politic...
🚨 PM will update the country about standards & vetting changes
🚨 Reshuffle rumours suggest a possible cull of "Morgan’s shiny stars"
🚨 PM to address PLP tmr night
🚨 But can he last 3 months to locals? MPs question if he can last 3 days
observer.co.uk/news/politic...
‘I don't think he's got three days’: Starmer’s future in ...
As No 10 holds crisis talks over the chief of staff’s resignation, speculation is rife among backbenchers that Starmer may soon follow
observer.co.uk
February 8, 2026 at 7:57 PM
Standards and vetting are important and the system as it stands does seem broken but can I gently suggest that given everything else going on, the country may be less than riveted by what he has to say on the subject.
From Nostromo: a US financier justifying an investment in a South American silver mine. Conrad was a very clever man.
February 8, 2026 at 6:31 PM
From Nostromo: a US financier justifying an investment in a South American silver mine. Conrad was a very clever man.
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
And although McSweeney has gone with the graciousness and charm and willingness to accept blame that he is famed for, nobody is taking this as a chance for a reset
February 8, 2026 at 6:14 PM
And although McSweeney has gone with the graciousness and charm and willingness to accept blame that he is famed for, nobody is taking this as a chance for a reset
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
I come back, once again, to the repeatable finding in numerous polls that statistically zero Reform voters in 2024 have moved to Labour
February 8, 2026 at 6:10 PM
I come back, once again, to the repeatable finding in numerous polls that statistically zero Reform voters in 2024 have moved to Labour
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
I also note he says that he decided to "resign from the government."
I wasn't aware that political appointees in No. 10 were members of the government...
I wasn't aware that political appointees in No. 10 were members of the government...
February 8, 2026 at 3:00 PM
I also note he says that he decided to "resign from the government."
I wasn't aware that political appointees in No. 10 were members of the government...
I wasn't aware that political appointees in No. 10 were members of the government...
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
Happy #SuperbOwlSunday!
Here’s a lovely limestone plaque carved with the face of an owl!🦉😍
From Egypt, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period, 400–30 BC.
Met Museum www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...
📷 by me
#Archaeology
Here’s a lovely limestone plaque carved with the face of an owl!🦉😍
From Egypt, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period, 400–30 BC.
Met Museum www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...
📷 by me
#Archaeology
February 8, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Happy #SuperbOwlSunday!
Here’s a lovely limestone plaque carved with the face of an owl!🦉😍
From Egypt, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period, 400–30 BC.
Met Museum www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...
📷 by me
#Archaeology
Here’s a lovely limestone plaque carved with the face of an owl!🦉😍
From Egypt, Late Period–Ptolemaic Period, 400–30 BC.
Met Museum www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti...
📷 by me
#Archaeology
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
A desperate plea sent to me by a Minneapolis resident who's been on the front lines since the beginning of the ICE occupation:
February 8, 2026 at 5:06 AM
A desperate plea sent to me by a Minneapolis resident who's been on the front lines since the beginning of the ICE occupation:
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
Already knew that Bezos was an evil, greedy, tax dodging b'stard, but even I'm shocked at this, how is it even possible?
End billionaires before billionaires end all of us.
#WashingtonPost @washingtonpost.com
bsky.app/profile/broa...
End billionaires before billionaires end all of us.
#WashingtonPost @washingtonpost.com
bsky.app/profile/broa...
Former Washington Post journalists have launched a GoFundMe to help repatriate fired staff members who are effectively stranded in foreign countries.
One of the richest men in the world fired them from the paper and didn’t even pay to ensure they got home.
Abolish the billionaire class:
One of the richest men in the world fired them from the paper and didn’t even pay to ensure they got home.
Abolish the billionaire class:
Donate to Support for Washington Post international employees, organized by Michelle Lee
Among the hundreds of journalists laid off by The Washington Post on … Michelle Lee needs your support for Support for Washington Post international employees
www.gofundme.com
February 8, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Already knew that Bezos was an evil, greedy, tax dodging b'stard, but even I'm shocked at this, how is it even possible?
End billionaires before billionaires end all of us.
#WashingtonPost @washingtonpost.com
bsky.app/profile/broa...
End billionaires before billionaires end all of us.
#WashingtonPost @washingtonpost.com
bsky.app/profile/broa...
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
Labour Together paid a PR firm £30k+ to investigate journalists that were digging into how its undeclared funding bankrolled Starmer’s successful Labour leadership campaign
Watch the video on Democracy for Sale's YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_V5...
Watch the video on Democracy for Sale's YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_V5...
Revealed: McSweeney’s Labour think tank paid PR firm to investigate journalists
YouTube video by Democracy for Sale
www.youtube.com
February 8, 2026 at 10:13 AM
Labour Together paid a PR firm £30k+ to investigate journalists that were digging into how its undeclared funding bankrolled Starmer’s successful Labour leadership campaign
Watch the video on Democracy for Sale's YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_V5...
Watch the video on Democracy for Sale's YouTube channel:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_V5...
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
It doesn’t get any more disgusting than this.
February 7, 2026 at 8:41 PM
It doesn’t get any more disgusting than this.
A bit inside baseball-y, but it’s interesting that the Guardian got this, and not one of the US broadsheets.
February 7, 2026 at 8:14 PM
A bit inside baseball-y, but it’s interesting that the Guardian got this, and not one of the US broadsheets.
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
Channel 13 news is the only TV channel in Israel which is consistently critical of the Netanyahu government. (Not as remotely as it should be, but still).
Blavatnik is now effectively helping Netanyahu to shut down the channel.
Blavatnik is now effectively helping Netanyahu to shut down the channel.
UK billionaire Len Blavatnik is selling Israeli TV channel 13 to a Natanyahu ally.
In the UK, Blavatnik puts his name on the Tate, Oxford School of Government, and as producer of "Zone of interest"
In Israel, he is helping Netanyahu to kill a TV channel critical of the government.
In the UK, Blavatnik puts his name on the Tate, Oxford School of Government, and as producer of "Zone of interest"
In Israel, he is helping Netanyahu to kill a TV channel critical of the government.
February 7, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Channel 13 news is the only TV channel in Israel which is consistently critical of the Netanyahu government. (Not as remotely as it should be, but still).
Blavatnik is now effectively helping Netanyahu to shut down the channel.
Blavatnik is now effectively helping Netanyahu to shut down the channel.
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
In Ukraine, when a funeral procession with a fallen soldier goes by, everyone stops whatever they are doing to stand silently. Traffic stops. Public transportation stops. Conversation stops.
In Lviv, people take this tradition a step further. Most people the procession passes take a knee.
In Lviv, people take this tradition a step further. Most people the procession passes take a knee.
February 7, 2026 at 12:55 PM
In Ukraine, when a funeral procession with a fallen soldier goes by, everyone stops whatever they are doing to stand silently. Traffic stops. Public transportation stops. Conversation stops.
In Lviv, people take this tradition a step further. Most people the procession passes take a knee.
In Lviv, people take this tradition a step further. Most people the procession passes take a knee.
For threats to work they need to be credible. OTOH, it’s almost believable that a man with the political instincts of slug could do something this stupid, so it’s more plausible than it would otherwise be.
Will Keir Starmer use his nuclear option to try to head off a leadership challenge? www.independent.co.uk/voices/keir-...
Will Keir Starmer use his nuclear option to try to head off a leadership challenge?
The prime minister’s allies have hinted that he will call a general election, says John Rentoul
www.independent.co.uk
February 7, 2026 at 4:26 PM
For threats to work they need to be credible. OTOH, it’s almost believable that a man with the political instincts of slug could do something this stupid, so it’s more plausible than it would otherwise be.
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
The military, the money, the criminal networks — what is the future of Venezuela post-Maduro?
In OCCRP’s latest briefing, journalists Nathan Jaccard, Valentina Lares ,and Steven Dudley unpack the likely scenarios.
Become an OCCRP member occrp.org/donate to get access to this and future briefings.
In OCCRP’s latest briefing, journalists Nathan Jaccard, Valentina Lares ,and Steven Dudley unpack the likely scenarios.
Become an OCCRP member occrp.org/donate to get access to this and future briefings.
February 6, 2026 at 3:08 PM
The military, the money, the criminal networks — what is the future of Venezuela post-Maduro?
In OCCRP’s latest briefing, journalists Nathan Jaccard, Valentina Lares ,and Steven Dudley unpack the likely scenarios.
Become an OCCRP member occrp.org/donate to get access to this and future briefings.
In OCCRP’s latest briefing, journalists Nathan Jaccard, Valentina Lares ,and Steven Dudley unpack the likely scenarios.
Become an OCCRP member occrp.org/donate to get access to this and future briefings.
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
The entire blind trust system is a con from start to finish - as with so much else is just waiting for a story to really make it cut through at which point SW1A will go “well of course this is awful!”
February 7, 2026 at 12:41 PM
The entire blind trust system is a con from start to finish - as with so much else is just waiting for a story to really make it cut through at which point SW1A will go “well of course this is awful!”
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
The moral panic about young men is the new version of “UKIP is winning over former Labour voters” (also a Goodwin argument). Both rely on anecdote more than data, and do significant damage to public understanding of the radical right. Young men are the second *least* pro-Reform group in the UK.
February 7, 2026 at 12:35 PM
The moral panic about young men is the new version of “UKIP is winning over former Labour voters” (also a Goodwin argument). Both rely on anecdote more than data, and do significant damage to public understanding of the radical right. Young men are the second *least* pro-Reform group in the UK.
Article also shows that the blind trust mechanism is totally unfit for purpose. Mandelson put his GG shares in a blind trust, but that didn’t do anything to remove his colossal conflict of interest.
the key here is that Mandelson had stepped back from running Global Counsel but still had a huge shareholding in the business while he was ambassador
New on FT website:
Downing Street has refused to say whether Sir Keir Starmer knew Palantir was a client of Peter Mandelson’s lobbying firm when they both visited the company in Washington last February — ahead of it winning a £240mn UK government contract.
www.ft.com/content/5bba...
Downing Street has refused to say whether Sir Keir Starmer knew Palantir was a client of Peter Mandelson’s lobbying firm when they both visited the company in Washington last February — ahead of it winning a £240mn UK government contract.
www.ft.com/content/5bba...
February 7, 2026 at 11:40 AM
Article also shows that the blind trust mechanism is totally unfit for purpose. Mandelson put his GG shares in a blind trust, but that didn’t do anything to remove his colossal conflict of interest.
I think my boiler might need servicing so I’m going to get an electrician to take a look at it.
February 7, 2026 at 10:43 AM
I think my boiler might need servicing so I’m going to get an electrician to take a look at it.
Reposted by Oliver Rivers
The Washington Post—for which I wrote editorials for nearly a decade—has closed its Kyiv bureau.
@lawfaremedia.org has not—and we will not.
We now employ more people in Kyiv than the Washington Post.
Let me tell you about what we have done in Ukraine over the past year and why we are not leaving
@lawfaremedia.org has not—and we will not.
We now employ more people in Kyiv than the Washington Post.
Let me tell you about what we have done in Ukraine over the past year and why we are not leaving
February 6, 2026 at 6:55 PM
The Washington Post—for which I wrote editorials for nearly a decade—has closed its Kyiv bureau.
@lawfaremedia.org has not—and we will not.
We now employ more people in Kyiv than the Washington Post.
Let me tell you about what we have done in Ukraine over the past year and why we are not leaving
@lawfaremedia.org has not—and we will not.
We now employ more people in Kyiv than the Washington Post.
Let me tell you about what we have done in Ukraine over the past year and why we are not leaving