Dr John Leach
@republicanjoe.bsky.social
Ward councillor for Walcot in B&NES. Scientist, Social Democrat, Humanist and staunchly Republican (in the anti-Monarchy sense). Trustee of the Climate Hub B&NES but unable to offer any hope that civilisation as we know it today will survive the CEE.
Full moon tonight, folks
January 13, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Full moon tonight, folks
It was also the biggest underreported story for 2023 and 2022. Let's not pretend it was something new that started only in 2024.
January 1, 2025 at 4:42 PM
It was also the biggest underreported story for 2023 and 2022. Let's not pretend it was something new that started only in 2024.
For those who like stats
In 2024 we pulled together the full story of the impact of Brexit so far.
All the stats. Laid bare.
Here they are. 👇
All the stats. Laid bare.
Here they are. 👇
The Cost of Brexit
Change Minds → Change Politics
buff.ly
January 1, 2025 at 4:38 PM
For those who like stats
Profit before protection means another pandemic is a real possibility. Anyone remember the last one?
Nearly a year into the first outbreak of the bird flu among cattle, the virus shows no sign of slowing. The U.S. government failed to eliminate the virus on dairy farms when it was confined to a handful of states. (via @kffhealthnews.bsky.social )
How America lost control of the bird flu and raised the risk of another pandemic
Exclusive reporting reveals how the United States lost track of a virus that could cause the next pandemic. Problems like the sluggish pace of federal action, a deference to industry, and neglect for…
buff.ly
January 1, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Profit before protection means another pandemic is a real possibility. Anyone remember the last one?
Reposted by Dr John Leach
Bad hangovers from 2024:
😖 Decades of insufficient action on climate change
😖 Letting water companies get away with sewage dumping
😖 Crackdowns on protest rights
A glass of water and a paracetamol haven’t worked.
We need something stronger – let’s remedy it together 🤝
😖 Decades of insufficient action on climate change
😖 Letting water companies get away with sewage dumping
😖 Crackdowns on protest rights
A glass of water and a paracetamol haven’t worked.
We need something stronger – let’s remedy it together 🤝
January 1, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Bad hangovers from 2024:
😖 Decades of insufficient action on climate change
😖 Letting water companies get away with sewage dumping
😖 Crackdowns on protest rights
A glass of water and a paracetamol haven’t worked.
We need something stronger – let’s remedy it together 🤝
😖 Decades of insufficient action on climate change
😖 Letting water companies get away with sewage dumping
😖 Crackdowns on protest rights
A glass of water and a paracetamol haven’t worked.
We need something stronger – let’s remedy it together 🤝
Reposted by Dr John Leach
This is amazing: it’s incredibly windy in the UK right now, so only about 10% of the National Grid is currently being powered by fossil fuels.
January 1, 2025 at 8:24 AM
This is amazing: it’s incredibly windy in the UK right now, so only about 10% of the National Grid is currently being powered by fossil fuels.
Reposted by Dr John Leach
O Little Town of Bethlehem - celebrated worldwide at #Christmas - is being “isolated and impoverished out of existence” (Private Eye). When will the world wake up to this?
#Palestine #CeasefireAndAidNow
#Palestine #CeasefireAndAidNow
December 29, 2024 at 11:58 AM
O Little Town of Bethlehem - celebrated worldwide at #Christmas - is being “isolated and impoverished out of existence” (Private Eye). When will the world wake up to this?
#Palestine #CeasefireAndAidNow
#Palestine #CeasefireAndAidNow
Reposted by Dr John Leach
RIP Jimmy Carter, who spoke passionately about the violations of human rights of Palestinians, and wrote the book #Palestine:PeaceNotApartheid
December 29, 2024 at 11:33 PM
RIP Jimmy Carter, who spoke passionately about the violations of human rights of Palestinians, and wrote the book #Palestine:PeaceNotApartheid
Oh, I do love the New Left Review. In an article on Trump's victory comes the line "The things about him (Trump) that are supposed to be deal breakers – racism, xenophobia, misogyny – can be seen as outside the American mainstream only by someone with the mental equipment of an earnest child."
December 21, 2024 at 3:43 PM
Oh, I do love the New Left Review. In an article on Trump's victory comes the line "The things about him (Trump) that are supposed to be deal breakers – racism, xenophobia, misogyny – can be seen as outside the American mainstream only by someone with the mental equipment of an earnest child."
The solstice was at 09:21 GMT this morning, for those who might be interested.
December 21, 2024 at 3:27 PM
The solstice was at 09:21 GMT this morning, for those who might be interested.
Reposted by Dr John Leach
HMRC fined 83,000 people who earned below the tax threshold for failing to file a tax return.
They should be fighting tax dodging by the richest – not penalising the poorest. taxjustice.uk/blog/hmrc-sh...
They should be fighting tax dodging by the richest – not penalising the poorest. taxjustice.uk/blog/hmrc-sh...
HMRC should focus on tax dodging by the richest
Figures out in October showed that HMRC has issued fines to 83,000 self-employed people on low incomes for failing to file a tax return on time. These people were earning too little to pay any tax at ...
taxjustice.uk
December 12, 2024 at 12:17 PM
HMRC fined 83,000 people who earned below the tax threshold for failing to file a tax return.
They should be fighting tax dodging by the richest – not penalising the poorest. taxjustice.uk/blog/hmrc-sh...
They should be fighting tax dodging by the richest – not penalising the poorest. taxjustice.uk/blog/hmrc-sh...
Then we need to build resilience against NatPop cos Starmer is already on the struggle bus!
“This government must not fail. If Keir Starmer does not succeed, too many British voters will conclude both traditional parties, Labour & Conservative, have proved useless & it is time to try something else – with that something else being nationalist populism”
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
We cannot afford for Starmer’s government to fail. Because Farage is lying in wait | Jonathan Freedland
It is not enough for the Labour leader’s ‘milestones’ to be achieved. Voters must feel the improvement in their daily lives, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland
www.theguardian.com
December 8, 2024 at 9:10 AM
Then we need to build resilience against NatPop cos Starmer is already on the struggle bus!
"Knocking from below", isn't that the expression? You thought you'd reached the bottom but then you heard someone knocking from below.
Just when you thought it couldn’t possibly get any worse…
‘Brexit problem’: UK tap water safety at risk after testing labs shut down
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
‘Brexit problem’: UK tap water safety at risk after testing labs shut down
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
‘Brexit problem’: UK tap water safety at risk after testing labs shut down
Exclusive: EU countries will share laboratory capacity but UK rules mean products cannot be tested abroad
www.theguardian.com
December 7, 2024 at 6:58 PM
"Knocking from below", isn't that the expression? You thought you'd reached the bottom but then you heard someone knocking from below.
Rich people defunded public education five decades ago and now look. The far right plays a long game.
December 7, 2024 at 6:54 PM
Rich people defunded public education five decades ago and now look. The far right plays a long game.
Reposted by Dr John Leach
From the appalling comments this film is getting on X it’s clear to me if we want to avoid a dangerous chain of events which could one day see Britain joining Russia & Belarus as the only European countries outside the ECHR we need to constantly call out this insane drumbeat from the right to leave
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says
“We need to leave the ECHR so we can deport people that come illegally & take back control of our borders & that’s what the public wants”
Share if you disagree with his populist boll**** the UK should join Russia & Belarus outside the ECHR
youtu.be/iSTN-h8NoyY
“We need to leave the ECHR so we can deport people that come illegally & take back control of our borders & that’s what the public wants”
Share if you disagree with his populist boll**** the UK should join Russia & Belarus outside the ECHR
youtu.be/iSTN-h8NoyY
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says public want to leave the ECHR - let’s put the record straight
YouTube video by Peter Stefanovic
youtu.be
December 7, 2024 at 8:38 AM
From the appalling comments this film is getting on X it’s clear to me if we want to avoid a dangerous chain of events which could one day see Britain joining Russia & Belarus as the only European countries outside the ECHR we need to constantly call out this insane drumbeat from the right to leave
Reposted by Dr John Leach
NEW: Our Government Tracker is now tracking progress on Labour’s pledge to “end the use of offshore trusts to avoid inheritance tax”.
We’ve rated it ‘Appears on track’ for now - see full details here 👇
We’ve rated it ‘Appears on track’ for now - see full details here 👇
Has the government ended the use of offshore trusts to avoid inheritance tax? - Full Fact
The Labour government set out plans to change inheritance tax rules for non-UK assets in its first Budget.
fullfact.org
December 6, 2024 at 2:47 PM
NEW: Our Government Tracker is now tracking progress on Labour’s pledge to “end the use of offshore trusts to avoid inheritance tax”.
We’ve rated it ‘Appears on track’ for now - see full details here 👇
We’ve rated it ‘Appears on track’ for now - see full details here 👇
Reposted by Dr John Leach
We must stop mega-donors from warping our democracy.
A ban on annual donations over £5,000 would cut the influence of big donors on our politics.
Sign the petition 👇
A ban on annual donations over £5,000 would cut the influence of big donors on our politics.
Sign the petition 👇
Back our campaign
We must stop mega-donors from warping our democracy. A ban on annual donations over £5,000 would cut the influence of big donors on our politics and protect the interests of ordinary voters.
secure.unlockdemocracy.org.uk
December 6, 2024 at 3:16 PM
We must stop mega-donors from warping our democracy.
A ban on annual donations over £5,000 would cut the influence of big donors on our politics.
Sign the petition 👇
A ban on annual donations over £5,000 would cut the influence of big donors on our politics.
Sign the petition 👇
Reposted by Dr John Leach
The personal estates of the King and the Prince of Wales are worth £1.8bn.
Last year they made £50m profit.
They are exempt from corporation and capital gains tax.
This situation is unfair and costing the country millions in lost revenue. It must not continue.
taxjustice.uk/blog/the-roy...
Last year they made £50m profit.
They are exempt from corporation and capital gains tax.
This situation is unfair and costing the country millions in lost revenue. It must not continue.
taxjustice.uk/blog/the-roy...
The royal family must be made to pay more tax
Every year the estates of the royal family make tens of millions of pounds, yet they pay no corporation tax.
taxjustice.uk
December 5, 2024 at 11:48 AM
The personal estates of the King and the Prince of Wales are worth £1.8bn.
Last year they made £50m profit.
They are exempt from corporation and capital gains tax.
This situation is unfair and costing the country millions in lost revenue. It must not continue.
taxjustice.uk/blog/the-roy...
Last year they made £50m profit.
They are exempt from corporation and capital gains tax.
This situation is unfair and costing the country millions in lost revenue. It must not continue.
taxjustice.uk/blog/the-roy...