Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Pete Slater @peteslater.bsky.social · 2d

Farage is very obviously a thin skinned numpty.

He's all mouth and no trousers as my Gran would say.

Reposted by Pete Slater

Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 9d

Douglas Barrowman and Michelle Mone's company, PPE Medpro, has just been ordered to refund the Government £122m from a PPE contract.

There are two very odd things about PPE Medpro that may affect the odds of the Government ever getting that £122m...

Thread:

48 520 940

Pete Slater @peteslater.bsky.social · 9d

I don't understand how people could have done what they did and not have trouble sleeping at night.

The documentary about them was quite interesting.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

The Rise and Fall of Michelle Mone - Series 1: 1. The Rise

Michelle Mone's life was a rags-to-riches story that seemed too good to be true. Now, PPE Medpro, a company connected to her husband, is under investigation.

www.bbc.co.uk

1 4 9

Reposted by Pete Slater

Dr Rachel Clarke @drrachelclarke.com · 9d

Here I am in 2020 in the flimsiest, most pitful PPE - like so many other NHS staff, some of whom died from the Covid they caught in their hospitals.

Tory peer Michelle Mone - who today lost her legal case & must repay the govt £122m - dares to claim she’s been ‘scapegoated’.

What, Michelle? 🧵

Rachel wearing very flimsy looking apron, mask and visor in NHS setting

140 1.2K 3K

Pete Slater @peteslater.bsky.social · 10d

This is brilliant.

It makes the run up to Halloween all the more fun.

Thanks.

1 4

Reposted by Pete Slater

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 12d

Since privatization, shareholders of water, rail, bus, energy and mail have received £200bn in dividends.

Plus £bns more through intrgragroup transactions.

In public ownership this would have gone into infrastructure and lower bills, alleviated poverty.

Govts still don't curb profiteering.

If the government wants economic growth it must bring essential industries into public ownership

Successive governments clobber households and small businesses by hiking interest rates to manage inflation, but don’t inconvenience corporations.

leftfootforward.org

7 150 260

Pete Slater @peteslater.bsky.social · 15d

This whole thread pretty much sums up my thoughts on the subject of a National ID card in the UK.

In short I favour such a thing and hope that, over time, it will replace the many ways in which we can prove our identity at the moment, which are confusing and not always available to some people.

Lewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · 15d

Today’s digital ID announcement yet another example of how X being the main platform for political discourse will inevitably throw the MSM’s coverage off course, because online right opinion is fevered/way off the beat with the public.

Guess who need digital/reliable ID most? Those in poverty.

Reposted by Pete Slater

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 15d

Amazon agrees to pay $2.5bn over claims it tricked Prime customers.

Similar practices in the UK but no regulator gets off its bended-knees.

Is there a pristine large corporation?

Amazon agrees to pay $2.5bn over claims it tricked Prime customers

Roughly 35 million people in the US could be eligible for refunds, according to the government.

www.bbc.co.uk

6 69 140

Reposted by Pete Slater

The News Agents @newsagents.bsky.social · 15d

“Farage nudges the conversation without any accountability or evidence. Throws claims out there, to see what happens.”

Did Farage cross a line when he made false claims about migrants eating swans in the UK?

‘Lying about migrants eating swans is a profound mistake for Nigel Farage’ | The News Agents

Lying about migrants eating animals worked for Donald Trump in 2024, but it’s likely to backfire for Nigel Farage in 2025. Here’s why leaning harder into right-wing conspiracy theories could end…

www.thenewsagents.co.uk

29 29 110

Reposted by Pete Slater

The News Agents @newsagents.bsky.social · 15d

"Farage is making a profound series of mistakes, and this isn't in isolation.

"When you talk about vaccines, or migrants eating swans, you'll never appeal to the centre ground".

Farage is copying Trump word for word – and it won't work here

‘Lying about migrants eating swans is a profound mistake for Nigel Farage’ | The News Agents

Lying about migrants eating animals worked for Donald Trump in 2024, but it’s likely to backfire for Nigel Farage in 2025. Here’s why leaning harder into right-wing conspiracy theories could end…

www.thenewsagents.co.uk

33 30 110

Reposted by Pete Slater

BBC Newsnight @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social · 15d

"Nigel Farage was asked a question this morning on live radio, and perhaps he hadn't prepared as he much as might have wanted to."

Conservative Home founder, Tim Montgomerie, on the Reform UK leader's comments about whether there are safety concerns around paracetamol.

#Newsnight

20 7 37

Reposted by Pete Slater

Jim Pickard @pickardje.bsky.social · 16d

A close ally of Nigel Farage has said Bolshevik revolutionaries who killed Russian intellectuals “had a point”, called for the abolition of several UK regulators, and defended Liz Truss’s chaotic “mini” Budget

www.ft.com/content/76a4...

Reform UK must ‘cut away’ at civil service, says Nigel Farage ally

If the party wins the next election, it should scrap several regulators and watchdogs, Arron Banks says

www.ft.com

39 69 170

Reposted by Pete Slater

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 17d

On the blatant double standards the media - BBC included - deploys while showcasing Nigel Farage. He is constantly given a free pass not granted to other politicians. bylines.scot/news/the-far...

The Farage ‘mirage’: how the media is warping our politics

It is time that the media fulfils its role to critically examine politician’s statements and call them out when they stray from the truth

bylines.scot

70 560 1.4K

Reposted by Pete Slater

LBC @lbc.co.uk · 18d

‘What a lovely tribute that was…’

@mrjamesob.bsky.social reacts to Donald Trump saying he ‘hates his opponent’ at a memorial service for Charlie Kirk.

37 71 300

Pete Slater @peteslater.bsky.social · 20d

I can't help but notice that the BBC News channel seems to have very little news about the UK and quite a lot of news about America.

Is there really nothing going on in the UK worth talking about right now?

1

Reposted by Pete Slater

Dave Vetter @davidrvetter.bsky.social · 23d

"Britain must burn more fossil fuels and bills must rise in order to power the robot that'll fire everyone. How else will I afford my next private island?"

Nvidia says Britain will have to burn gas to power technology revolution

The company chief executive Jensen Huang says the UK’s costly electricity means new data centres will rely on fossil fuel as well as renewable energy

www.thetimes.com

39 310 710

Reposted by Pete Slater

The News Agents @newsagents.bsky.social · 22d

"Trump is using the full power of his office to punish people and organisations who criticise him.

There's a word for that - authoritarian."

If you think this is just about Jimmy Kimmel, you are missing the point.

@maitlis.bsky.social | @lewisgoodall.com
www.thenewsagents.co.uk/article/if-y...

‘If you think this is about Kimmel being cancelled - you’re missing the point’ | The News Agents

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has been taken off-air “indefinitely” after making comments about Donald Trump’s response to the murder of Charlie Kirk. Is this about free speech? Cancel culture? Or is i...

www.thenewsagents.co.uk

14 58 160

Reposted by Pete Slater

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 23d

Wait a minute, where is Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage to defend our free speech?

The National @scotnational.bsky.social · 23d

🚨Watch as police confiscate van showing Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump in Windsor amid the US president's state visit

63 430 1.1K

Pete Slater @peteslater.bsky.social · 24d

I like DMs myself but dislike how they are generally no longer made in the UK.

These days I prefer to get similar boots (Solovair) from NPS.

1 4

Reposted by Pete Slater

Reuters @reuters.com · 24d

Projections of U.S. President Donald Trump, Britain's Prince Andrew and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were put on display against the walls of Windsor Castle while Trump was in Britain for a state visit.

94 840 2K

Reposted by Pete Slater

Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 24d

UK could raise £2bn by taxing SUVs in line with European countries.

Why do so many people want giant SUVs? They damage roads, create more pollution, cause more serious injuries and take up bigger parking spaces.

UK buyers pay 20 times less tax than in other European countries.

Tax them.

UK could raise nearly £2bn by taxing SUVs in line with European countries, study shows

Thinktank says an ‘SUV loophole’ means UK buyers pay up to 20 times less tax on biggest models than in neighbouring nations

www.theguardian.com

28 210 510

Reposted by Pete Slater

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 25d

How do we fix this mess?

130 1.1K 2.6K

Reposted by Pete Slater

Yorkshire Dales National Park @yorkshiredales.org.uk · 25d

Gaping Gill is one of the largest underground chambers in Britain. The main shaft drops 98m (322ft) straight down, and the stream known as Fell Beck plunges into the cave, creating the highest unbroken waterfall in England.

#TuesdayThoughts #GapingGill

5 44

Pete Slater @peteslater.bsky.social · 29d

Yeah it is mentioned in the article but the headline is really what I was ranting about.

I almost dismissed the entire thing due to it mentioning MP3.

1 1

Pete Slater @peteslater.bsky.social · 29d

Why are we referring to these digital audio players as MP3 players?

Does anybody listening to high quality digital audio still use MP3s?

I assume most would prefer a lossless codec like Flac instead of using a lossy MP3.

2 2