Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 2h

Arf Arf

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 2h

The Emperors’ Close - secret Colosseum tunnel restored and opened to tourists bit.ly/4pVOQg1

Secret tunnel let Roman emperors dodge the Colosseum’s angry mob

For the first time visitors can walk the passage thought to have allowed emperors to visit gladiators in their gym before sealing their fate — and sneaking out unseen

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 2h

Tories would end Stamp Duty on main homes, Badenoch pledges bit.ly/46WR71P it would help job mobility, first time buyers, upsizers, and downsizers but would of course give the most to those buying the most expensive homes

Kemi Badenoch makes £9bn promise to end ‘bad tax’ of stamp duty

The party leader says the move will benefit people of all ages, ranging from first-time buyers to pensioners wanting to downsize

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 3h

Wye, oh Wye, oh Wye is this allowed? Water firm and Tesco chicken farm accused of polluting river bit.ly/4h6MtTG 4000 seeking damages and clear up order.

Biggest UK pollution case to be filed over River Wye

Thousands of people are seeking substantial damages and for the waterway to be cleaned of a ‘mountain of chicken manure’

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 3h

Big three mistakes from Big Four auditor who failed to spot problems in three separate company audits bit.ly/4o30dRo numerous failings, serious failures, a succession of failings said regulator as it levied three fines. I wonder what the Big Fourth will be!

Former KPMG partner fined over audit failings for third time

Anthony Sykes and the Big Four firm were sanctioned over ‘serious breaches’ in relation to the audit of N Brown, owner of the men’s fashion brand Jacamo

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 3h

Like taking Candy from… bit.ly/4nJlEY2 billionaire property developer loses £5m to scam

Nick Candy: I look stupid now after £5m start-up ‘fraud’

Reform UK treasurer claims in the High Court he was tricked into investing in Aaqua, a failed social network founded by the dotcom entrepreneur Robert Bonnier

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 9h

Billionaire founder of not-yet-a UK bank is not-now-a UK resident bit.ly/4mY4CEi remember money in Revolut not covered by @FSCS at the moment

Revolut co-founder Nik Storonsky moves residency from UK to Dubai

The billionaire fintech chief’s move follows a £3 billion investment pledge in Britain

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 12h

Trademark battle over ‘butlers in the buff’ description of male party hosts wearing nothing but a dickie bow tie and apron bit.ly/3KYgHfg

Topless butler firm seeks to strip rivals of ‘buff’ branding

Two British companies offering semi-naked servers for parties are in a legal clash over who can use a popular phrase to promote their services

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 12h

Brexit - the gift that keeps on taking bit.ly/48ZnxLs

Britons could be banned from holiday homes under EU’s 90-day rule

Brussels has warned that new biometric checks, which come into place on Sunday, will identify those overstaying on the continent

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 12h

Football clubs, players, and agents have been evading tax, reveals @HMRCgovuk crackdown which scored record amounts of unpaid tax last year bit.ly/47eztrx I hope the people selling the dodgy schemes are also being pursued.

HMRC nets £90m from pursuit of football’s tax own goals

Inquiries into clubs, players and agents generate a big increase in underpaid tax being reclaimed

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 13h

Top Tory names judges he would sack for bias bit.ly/3KE7cBY some have allowed immigrants to stay in the UK for reasons Robert Jenrick disapproves of. He wants Ministers to appoint (and sack) judges. But top judge Sumption warns this could lead to an authoritarian state

Robert Jenrick names judges he would sack for ‘pro-migrant bias’

The shadow justice secretary has accused ‘activists’ within the judiciary of having links to political causes that compromise their independence

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 22h

Only the Telegraph could call preventing tax cheats evade paying a tax grab! bit.ly/3KJpTUJ

Digital ID cards pave way for £600m tax grab

HMRC hopes to use online identification to secure unpaid revenue and prevent human error

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 1d

They don’t look like Netanyahu supporters!😉 bit.ly/46ECscD it is a slogan and indeed an aspiration shared by many Palestinians and Israelis, including many in its present govt. Both believe they have the right to the same piece of land and will fight and kill for it.

Student protests live: chants of ‘from the river to the sea’ at October 7 rally

Student protests today: follow the latest news and live updates

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 1d

If only those pesky
Suffragettes had confined themselves to one protest…

Paul Brand @paulbrand.bsky.social · 3d

Home Secretary tells Sky News that “there is a gap in the law” when it comes to frequent, repeated protests on the same issue. Hence she will be giving police greater powers to move them to another location or time.

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Reposted by Paul Lewis

Paul Brand @paulbrand.bsky.social · 3d

Home Secretary tells Sky News that “there is a gap in the law” when it comes to frequent, repeated protests on the same issue. Hence she will be giving police greater powers to move them to another location or time.

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Reposted by Paul Lewis

Jo @pinkbicyclegirl.bsky.social · 3d

Greta Thunberg Fridays. Illegal.

This is nuts, I think it could make people actually protest *more* regularly.

This Labour government has the social intelligence of a jellyfish.

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 1d

Claire’s main accessory was a dangling £12m debt owed to many small businesses bit.ly/3IW7kfA

Claire’s collapsed owing at least £12m to unsecured creditors

The British Red Cross and Landsec are among those the jewellery and accessories chain borrowed money from before going into administration in August

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 1d

Means test the state pension, says top Tory bit.ly/42qzaay former chairman eyes the Australian system

Shadow Treasury minister suggests restricting the state pension

Richard Fuller told a Tory conference fringe event the pension could be means-tested. There are calls in the party to reconsider the triple lock annual increase

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 1d

Rhetoric vs arithmetic bit.ly/4mOGVOz Musk style cost cutting failed to find savings so council tax must rise

Reform UK set to raise Kent council tax — despite promising savings

Nigel Farage had pledged cost-cutting, but officials now admit services are already ‘down to bare bones’ and a rise by the maximum rate of 5% may be needed

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 2d

Only Brits (and a few Europeans) will be able to claim some benefits, promises @MelJStride stripping 470,000 of their universal credit. and everyone, including Brits, with anxiety, depression, and ADHD will lose the right to the disability benefit PIP bit.ly/3KC8Hk3

Only British citizens will be able to claim benefits, says Stride

Shadow chancellor says his reforms would save £47bn annually

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 2d

Customers could be tapped for even more cash if competition body overrules regulators’ record rises bit.ly/46PdYw4

Water bills: millions of households in England could face even bigger rises

CMA poised to give verdict after appeal by five firms for permission to increase bills higher than allowed by Ofwat

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 2d

Don’t tax us we’re too rich and too important, part 94 bit.ly/4o3C7pD gambling firm joins the list of the untaxables

Entain boss warns Reeves not to raise gambling taxes

Stella David said hitting the industry in next month’s budget could make the company reconsider its investment in the UK and close shops

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 3d

Spy trial abandoned because govt witnesses were banned from calling China an enemy state bit.ly/4qd6zzN the two men were charged under s.1 of the 1911 Act which requires information to be ‘useful to an enemy’.

The inside story of China spy case collapse: ‘It came from the very top’

Official silence on why charges were dropped against Chris Cash and Christopher Berry has angered Westminster and fuelled suspicions that it was a sop to Beijing

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 3d

Home Sec repeats her commitment to the “fundamental” right to protest as she announces giving police more powers to restrict it bit.ly/48hsbEA

Police to get broader powers to crack down on repeated protests

Officers will be able to tell organisers to move demonstrations if protests have caused

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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 5d

Adding standing charge and unit prices for a typical 2700kWh electricity in a year the annual bill in North Wales and Merseyside (dearest) would be £1003.76 a year, £143.63 (17%) more than cheapest (London) at £860.13

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