Monday, August 31, 2026
The ongoing cost of Brexit
The paper says that the damning findings by Logistics UK, which represents freight companies and is one of the largest trade associations in the UK, show that the loss in revenue compared with 2019 is worth £400 per household in the UK per year.
They add that the organisation has called on the prime minister to push for greater alignment with EU regulations as campaign groups ramp up pressure to find a pathway for Britain back into the bloc:
It comes as a major new business survey by the European Movement UK has revealed that 72.8 per cent of firms say that Brexit has had a negative impact on their businesses, 96.4 per cent say it has had a negative impact on their communities, and 98.2 per cent want the UK to rejoin the EU’s single market.
Logistics UK head of trade James Mills said: “Greater trade matters because it is closely linked to productivity. It gives businesses access to larger markets, encourages investment and allows successful firms to specialise and grow. Yet Britain’s recent performance points in the wrong direction.”
He said there is “a huge prize” in economic growth to be had by fixing the loss in trade and noted that since the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016, UK goods exports by tonnage have fallen 20.7 per cent. Export volumes to the EU have fallen 15.9 per cent, while exports to the rest of the world have fallen 37.2 per cent.
That’s despite promises of a trade boom with the rest of the world made by Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and other leading Brexiteers at the time of the referendum.
The findings emerged in a week where Mr Burnham disappointed many with his decision to stick to Keir Starmer’s red lines on Brexit and not rejoin the single market or customs union.
That is despite Labour MPs overwhelmingly being in favour of rejoining both and a vote being passed in the Commons supporting the move.
Mr Burnham has previously said he supports rejoining the EU and earlier this week promised to be “bolder” than Sir Keir in his forthcoming Brexit reset talks due to take place next month.
Mr Mills said unnecessary paperwork, border complexity and duplicated processes due to Brexit were making exporting harder and more expensive than it needs to be.
“At a time when finding sustainable ways to grow the economy is more important than ever, reducing those frictions is one of the clearest opportunities available. Fix how we trade, and we can help fix how we grow,” he added.
Research published by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) last summer put the administrative burden of Britain's import and export declarations with the EU, which became necessary after Brexit, at £1.8bn in 2022 alone, across 38.6 million declarations. At HMRC's own timings of 19 to 28 minutes each, that is 15 million hours a year that could have been spent more productively.
Mike Galsworthy, chair of the European Movement UK, said: “The absolute killer on our businesses, large and small, is paperwork. What hurts is the sheer time, cost and risk of it. Brexit is a huge source of that paperwork, creating vast barriers where previously there were none. Rejoining the single market and customs union, or better, the EU outright, would remove it entirely."
Burnham needs to stick to his original idea and open negotiations to get the UK back into the single market.
Sunday, August 30, 2026
Farage channelling Trump again
The Independent reports that Nigel Farage’s party has published its “Election Integrity Bill” and has demanded that the government take its proposals as amendments to existing legislation going through parliament, something that fortunately is not going to happen.
Their proposals include removing the historic right to vote of Commonwealth citizens, ensure that election material is only published in languages native to the British Isles, such as English, Welsh or Gaelic, or accessible communication formats such as Braille or BSL.
The paper adds that there is also a proposal to force staff at polling stations to police whether people would have sufficient English to vote and to introduce limits on postal voting, and enforce new protections against voter coercion and control – so-called “family voting”. They say that the purpose of the bill appears to be aimed at excluding people with low levels of English from taking part in UK elections:
Mr Farage and his allies, from when he was leader of UKIP, the Brexit Party and now Reform UK, have long had concerns with postal voting, where they have consistently lost out to more established parties, particularly Labour, in by-elections.
In 2019, they claimed that Labour beat the Brexit Party in Peterborough because of election fraud and demanded an investigation by the police.
Critics have argued that the failure of parties led by Mr Farage to have properly organised ground campaigns is the real reason they lose out, rather than their allegations that it is harvesting of ethnic minority groups.
But if postal voting was to be restricted, it could exclude millions from taking part in the democratic process. In the 2024 general election, almost 10 million people used postal votes.
Reform also alleges that other forms of cheating are being used by their opponents.
Earlier this year they highlighted allegations of so-called “family voting” in the Gorton and Denton by-election won by the Green Party’s Hannah Spencer.
Reform has also opposed lowering the age of voting to 16 in the current legislation that Labour is taking through parliament.
Mr Kruger pointed to a House of Commons report in 2012 which stated that Britain’s electoral system made it “childishly simple” to commit fraud as a result of Tony Blair’s reforms which liberalised postal voting.
Reform stated: “These concerns have yet to be addressed, with the arrival of the Boriswave accelerating the undermining of British democracy through massive numbers of non-citizens voting, foreign language-based campaigning, and coercive voting.”
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “This is yet another desperate attempt by Reform to deflect attention from the scandals Nigel Farage and his top team are drowning in. It’s time he came clean with the public over his secret £5m ‘gift’ and rid his party of the enormous amount of sleaze and scandals that have come to light.
“The integrity of our democratic system is something Labour will always protect. That’s why we’re taking tough action to safeguard our democracy through the Representation of the People Bill. Meanwhile, Reform wants to stop people voting if they go on holiday, despite Nigel Farage having voted by post himself. As ever, it’s one rule for him and another for everyone else.”
What all this amounts to of course is that, like Trump, Farage and his party are bad losers and are seeking to change the system in their own favour.
Saturday, August 29, 2026
The Church at the heart of Mumbles
As Wikipedia records, the building is estimated to have been built in the mid-12th century, having first been mentioned in writing in 1141. The church was substantially reconstructed in 1915, adding a new nave and chancel and a north aisle.
As previously referred to on this blog, the stained glass in the church includes a memorial window in the north aisle commemorating the Mumbles lifeboat disaster, installed to mark the 30th anniversary of the tragedy in 1977. It remembers the loss of all eight crew members of the lifeboat RNLB Edward, Prince of Wales while attempting to rescue the crew of the steamship Samtampa, which was wrecked during a gale on 23 April 1947.
The window was designed and manufactured by Tim Lewis who undertook three more commissions for windows in the church, all made at Glantawe Studios.
The next to be installed, in 1985, was Lewis's innovative and modern take on the Last Supper. Across two lights it depicts the table from above with only the hands of Jesus and the disciples shown. It can be found in the west end of the north aisle.
Lewis's two-light window depicting the Adoration of the Senses was installed in the south aisle in 1986, using images of people, flora, fauna and water to represent each of the senses. Further along the same wall Lewis's three-light window based on the text of Dylan Thomas's poem Fern Hill was installed in 1993. It shows five figures in an allegorical landscape that alludes to episodes within the poem, the text of which is reproduced at the bottom of the window.
As has also been referred to here, the most notable grave in the churchyard is that of the English doctor and editor Thomas Bowdler, who died in Swansea in 1825. It once housed the famous bells of Santiago.
The church is used for services on Remembrance Sunday and its churchyard contains one of the two war memorials in Mumbles. It also hosts many concerts and even public meetings on controversial local issues.
As has also been referred to here, the most notable grave in the churchyard is that of the English doctor and editor Thomas Bowdler, who died in Swansea in 1825. It once housed the famous bells of Santiago.
The church is used for services on Remembrance Sunday and its churchyard contains one of the two war memorials in Mumbles. It also hosts many concerts and even public meetings on controversial local issues.
Labels: lochist
Friday, August 28, 2026
A very Russian conspiracy
In Betrayal: Trump, Putin and The New Age of Conquest, Harding, who has described Putin’s Russia as a “Mafia state”, suggests that Nathan Gill was part of a bigger pro-Russian network than has previously been reported.
The website notes that Gill is serving a 10 and a half year sentence after being paid £40,000 by the pro-Russian Ukrainian diplomat, Oleh Voloshyn to ask questions in the European Parliament favourable to the Russian regime:
Introducing an extract of his new book published in the investigative news website The Nerve, Harding writes: “In 2008, I met the Ukrainian diplomat and journalist who would go on to bribe Gill: Oleh Voloshyn. At the time he was working as press attaché at the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow, where I was based as the bureau chief for the Guardian. Voloshyn made no secret of his pro-Kremlin views. He was clever, chatty and spoke impeccable English. He later went back to Kyiv to work for the Putin-backed administration of Ukraine’s president, Viktor Yanukovych.
“In the years that followed – wittingly or not, paid or not – Farage and his political colleagues repeated Russian government talking points. Famously, Farage has said he admires Putin as an operator; as recently as last week one of his supporters expressed sympathy with Moscow as it continues to pound Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with drones and ballistic missiles.”
Nation.Cymru reported how a social media account branded as Reform UK Alyn and Deeside and Wrexham advocated defunding Ukraine, a scenario that would inevitably lead to Russia’s victory in the war between the two countries.
Harding writes how Farage has sought to distance himself from Gill: “He has dismissed Gill as a bad apple. And yet it seems certain that more scandal will engulf the Kremlin-friendly right of British politics, whose allegiances remain murky. There are further betrayals to come.”
The article describes speeches by Gill that repeated talking points fed to him by Volshyn. Harding says that “Gill’s intervention made no impression on the Strasbourg chamber. Two of his Ukip MEP colleagues – David Coburn (the leader of Ukip in Scotland) and Jonathan Arnott – followed up with pithy speeches on the same theme, asking if Ukraine was really ready for EU membership. The trio’s contributions were forgettable, but they delighted one person who had travelled from Kyiv to Strasbourg for the occasion: a Ukrainian journalist and one-time diplomat called Oleh Voloshyn."
He continues: “Immediately afterwards, Gill pinged Voloshyn a recording of his speech, as well as Coburn’s, filmed side-on with a camera phone. Voloshyn was thrilled, telling Gill: ‘Impressive … You are the perfect orator.’ Gill messaged back, alluding to a mysterious person, V: ‘V should be pleased with this 3x what he thought.’ Voloshyn agreed. ‘Exactly!!! Thank you so much,’ he wrote.
Harding states: “The exchanges were part of a conspiracy. It involved Kremlin propaganda, Russian operatives and corruptible public servants. There were cash bribes, delivered in white envelopes over dinners in Strasbourg and Brussels. Gill accepted money on at least eight occasions. He was one head in a hydra-like influence network whose scale was unknown. There were connections to party representatives inside multiple EU states, among them Poland, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Slovakia and Bulgaria.
“There were numerous players on the Russian side. Volosyhn was, London alleged, an undercover Kremlin asset. He had close ties with Putin’s old spy agency, US officials added, labelling him an FSB ‘pawn’. (Voloshyn denies the allegations.)
“According to Czech intelligence, members of his immediate circle were close to the FSB’s Fifth Directorate, the organisation’s ‘foreign division’, responsible for Ukraine and other former Soviet states.
“Voloshyn’s wife, Nadia Borodi, who went under the pseudonym Sass, was also a TV journalist. Both of them worked at 112 Ukraine and News One, stations that were owned by an associate of Viktor Medvedchuk – the V of Gill’s messages. Medvedchuk was a long-time Kremlin agent and Ukraine’s leading pro-Russian figure; Putin is a friend of his and godfather to Medvedchuk’s younger daughter. In 2014 the Kremlin gifted Medvedchuk a Russian oil refinery, used to fund his media empire inside Ukraine.
Harding goes on to explain how Russia’s modern spy agencies still used leftwing actors, but under Putin the main vector of political influence shifted to the populist, anti-EU and anti-migrant far right:
He states: “Many of its supporters in Europe expressed sympathy towards Moscow and disliked Kyiv. As with Maga in the US, there was an ideological overlap between British Eurosceptics and the Russian government. Both wanted to undermine the EU, its institutions and its leadership. The Kremlin supported Brexit, seeing it as an instrument that would weaken Europe and divide British society.
“Wittingly or not, paid or unpaid, Ukip appeared happy to do Moscow’s bidding. Between 2010 and 2014 Farage appeared at least 17 times on RT. He made no criticism of Russian authoritarianism and claimed Europe was governed not by elected democracies, but ‘by the worst people we have seen in Europe since 1945’. Farage said he admired Putin, ‘not as a human being but an operator’, and repeated the claim that Nato’s ‘ever eastward expansion’ had provoked Putin’s war. He qualified this by adding: ‘Of course it’s his fault.’ Gill was another RT guest.
“It was in this context that eight British MEPs appeared on 112, spouting Voloshyn’s talking points. They were elected members of Ukip and its successor, the Brexit party. Among them were Coburn, Arnott and William Dartmouth, a British life peer and MEP for South West England. They were joined by German MEP Arne Gericke and French MEP Nicolas Bay, the latter a member of Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally. (It is not suggested that the above committed criminal acts or knew that Gill was taking bribes.)
“Farage says he knew nothing of Gill’s criminal activities or his ties with Moscow. Nevertheless, these were strange goings-on, with Russian emissaries warmly received at the doors of the Ukip delegation’s workplace. Gill would go on to lead Reform, Farage’s current political party, in Wales. The symbiosis between Reform and Russia raised a question: why would a pro-British, pro-independence organisation collaborate with the Russians?
“Gill served as Russia’s loyal proxy, wooing fellow MEPs over dinner to give anti-Ukraine commentary.
Many questions remain about Gill and his connections. Harding asks "How extensive was this spy ring? Were there other members of Gill’s hard-right outfit whose connections to Russia had not yet been fully exposed? And what about MEPs from other countries?
“The academic and writer Anton Shekhovtsov stumbled across Gill while researching a Polish pro-Russian activist, Janusz Niedźwiecki, who was arrested in 2021 on charges of spying for Moscow. Niedźwiecki and Voloshyn had arranged Gill’s Ukraine trips. ‘I presume Gill is not the only politician who took bribes, but he is the one who got caught. The affair is only the tip of the iceberg in a broader web of influence operations,’ Shekhovtsov said.”
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Burnham's betrayal on political funding
The paper says that the prime minister has decided not to back amendments to the elections bill, which would cap the amount a person or an organisation can give in a single donation:
The decision comes after a lobbying campaign from Labour’s trade union backers, who said amendments to the bill, which returns to parliament for its remaining stages next week, could undermine their ability to donate to the party. It is also a retreat from the support Burnham gave to the idea just a few weeks ago, when he emailed a campaigner for electoral reform to say he would support a donations cap of £500,000.
Stella Creasy, one of the Labour backbenchers who has tabled an amendment calling for a donations cap, said: “Millionaires are increasingly treating British politics as their plaything – splashing the cash to get the outcome they want and the next election as their cup final.
“The public won’t forgive us if we miss this chance to clean up Westminster because we are squabbling with each other.”
Shaun Bowler, the campaigner to whom Burnham promised his support in May, said: “Andy Burnham promised me a proper cap on political donations and a ‘wholesale culture change’ in Westminster. If his government now refuses to back a donations cap, then he has broken the promise he made to me – and to voters.
“I wanted to believe the positive message he gave me. I wanted to believe that someone was finally going to take on the culture that has left so many people feeling that their voices don’t matter and that wealthy people can buy influence over our government.
“But words mean nothing if they disappear the moment power is won. Large political donations are not democratic. They create influence, whether politicians want to admit it or not. The prime minister has one chance to start rebuilding trust: the representation of the people act.
“He told me he wanted change. Now he needs to keep his promise and act.”
As Darren Hughes, the chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, says: “Huge donations have a corrosive effect on trust in politics as they leave the public wondering what donors expect in return for their money.
“A donations cap is a crucial step to ending the impression that our politics is for sale to the highest bidder and rebuilding that trust, which is currently at record lows.”
The impression that billionaires can buy influence and elections is undermining our democratic process. It needs to be nipped in the bud quickly, and that requires Burnham to deliver on his promises.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Can Burnham deliver on housing?
The paper says that the initial wave of funding will build 70,000 homes across England, at least 60 per cent of which will be social rented houses, though the funding has not just been found as it is reported that it comes from the previously announced £39bn Social and Affordable Housing Programme (SAHP) fund, agreed last year by former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and former chancellor Rachel Reeves.
However, they add that on the ground, the 300,000 new homes a year needed to achieve the government's targets remains far off. The most recent data shows that around 203,000 new homes were delivered in England in the 12 months ending June 2026 – a rate that would see the final housing total fall short by half a million:
Trickier still is delivering affordable homes within this target. Under the SAHP, the government intends to deliver 300,000 homes for social or affordable rent by 2039.
In reality, pressure from developers – who make less money from these kinds of homes – has already started forcing local authorities to backpedal on their affordable home targets.
Most notably, the mayor of London Sadiq Khan reduced the quota for affordable housing in new developments in the capital from 35 to 20 per cent in November last year. He called this an “emergency measure”, designed to “kickstart house building in London”.
The Independent adds that there are other problems with the target, including a a severe shortage of skilled construction workers following Brexit:
More than 200,000 EU workers have left the UK construction sector since 2019 due to post-Brexit immigration rule changes and the pandemic.
The scaffolding sector alone faces an estimated shortage of 40,000 workers over the next five years, alongside significant vacancies for carpenters and bricklayers.
An ageing workforce is worsening the crisis, with around one million additional workers needed over the next decade to replace retirees and meet demand.
This target is not going to be an easy one to reach, it it is achieveable at all.
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Can Reform UK even organise a booze-up?
Now the Mirror reports that the party can't even organise a booze-up properly, with the organisers of Nigel Farage's Clacton by-election victory rally, dubbed "Farage Fest", being investigated for failing to get permission to hold it.
This was the event that the Reform UK leader chose to attend instead of going to the by-election count. Instead he appeared in the early hours of the morning in the Essex countryside several miles away, where he could indulge in pleasures such as alcohol, a ferris wheel, DJs and several fire pits. GB News was the only media outlet present:
Mr Farage called the event "Clactonbury" when he spoke to cheering fans from the stage. Fans had to pay to enter the event, but could camp and park for free.
Tendring District Council confirmed it had refused to grant a Late Temporary Event Notice (LTEN) as the application had not been made within the legal timescale required.
After Reform submitted a Late Temporary Event Notice, Tendring Council responded with a "counter-notice" on the grounds that the "Late TEN" was too late. The council said "it was not submitted within the statutory timescales required under the Licensing Act 2003".
As a result "no authorisation" was granted for Farage Fest and organisers were pointed to the section of the Licencing Act that warns them of potential criminal offences if they go ahead.
Section 136 of the Licensing Act 2003 states that "a person commits an offence if he carries on a licensable activity" without authorisation, "or if he knowingly allows a licensable activity to be so carried on".
The Act states: "A person convicted of such an offence is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine of any amount, or to both."
Influencer Bruce Hamill attended and said afterwards: "What a festival it was. What political party out there puts on 200 tents, free food and drink, for everyone to just have a party from the minute the by-election polling started to I think it was 7am in the morning.
"They put on water, put on fire pits, they had marshmallows, there was hot dogs, there was a disco, everyone was having fun."
It is unclear when the hot dogs were served or how hot they were but, under the Licensing Act 2003, supplying hot food or hot non-alcoholic drinks to the public between 11pm and 5am requires authorisation which Reform did not receive.
Mr Farage was re-elected as Clacton's MP - after resigning from the role at the start of July - during the by-election earlier this month. All the other major political parties boycotted the race, branding it a "gimmick" and a "stunt" to try to distract from questions about a £5million gift Mr Farage received shortly before the 2024 general election. Mr Farage's main rival was parody candidate Count Binface.
A Commons probe into the £5m gift Mr Farage received was suspended when he resigned as an MP. It was restarted when he was re-elected.
Lisa Hastings, Corporate Director for Law and Governance at Tendring District Council, said: "We can confirm that a Late Temporary Event Notice (Late TEN) was submitted in relation to an event on Thursday, 13 August, at Great Oakley Airfield.
"This notice was refused, and a counter-notice served, as it was not submitted within the statutory timescales required under the Licensing Act 2003. No authorisation was therefore granted under a Late Temporary Event Notice for the event.
"As the matter may now involve potential enforcement considerations, Tendring District Council is unable to comment further on any ongoing or potential investigations by Licensing or other council departments; nor provide any further details about the Late TEN submission."
Farage and co. really arent very good at following the rules. It's time that they felt some consequences.
Monday, August 24, 2026
Reform's crypto dependency
The paper says that an analysis of Electoral Commission data shows that a staggering 60 per cent of the right-wing eurosceptic group’s funding comes from wealthy individuals associated with the digital currency since the beginning of 2024:
The largest donations, totalling £15m, came from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, whose separate undeclared donation of £5m directly to Mr Farage is the subject of a parliamentary probe.
Other donors include Ben Peter Delo, the founder of cryptocurrency trading platform BitMex, who gave two £2m payments to the party this year and Maria Rost, the wife of US crypto investor John Rost, who has given nine payments worth £125,000.
Simon William Smith, a London-based bitcoin investor who founded a company which allows content creators to sell their content in exchange for Bitcoin, donated £116,000 ahead of the general election in 2024. Oscar Townsley, the founder of Bitcoin derivatives trading firm A1X, gave the party £30,000 last year.
By comparison, the Conservative Party received £82,250 in donations from Alan Eldad Howard, a hedge fund manager and crypto investor. The Independent did not identify any such donations for Labour, Lib Dems or the Green Party.
Unsurprisingly, since the general election, Farage and his party have fought to liberalise the crypto market, have argued against state involvement in the sector, and have published draft legislation that hopes to ignite a “crypto revolution” in Britain.
Other parties take a different view. The paper says that Labour has taken a strict stance on cryptocurrency, with former PM, Keir Starmer imposing a temporary ban on cryptocurrency donations and a cap on donations from Britons living abroad to political parties as part of a wider government review into electoral interference.
They add that no other parties have promoted pro-crypto policies and the Greens have called for a ban on “unethical” crypto adverts in the London Underground.
The last word on this should go to Tory MP Harriet Baldwin, a former chair of the Treasury committee, who said: “In the US, President Trump has profited personally from liberalising the rules around cryptocurrencies. It would be regrettable if the UK became a place where politicians used power over independent regulators for their own personal enrichment.”
The last word on this should go to Tory MP Harriet Baldwin, a former chair of the Treasury committee, who said: “In the US, President Trump has profited personally from liberalising the rules around cryptocurrencies. It would be regrettable if the UK became a place where politicians used power over independent regulators for their own personal enrichment.”
Sunday, August 23, 2026
The freebie culture
The paper says that despite the outcry in 2024 over Keir Starmer accepting football tickets and gifts of clothing, MPs appear to have been declaring hospitality since the start of the year on a greater scale than previously seen:
The most recent disclosures include £858 worth of tickets to a Harry Styles concert at Wembley from the PRS for Music industry group, which was accepted by Powell, the deputy leader and education secretary. And Wes Streeting, the defence secretary, accepted tickets to the Chelsea flower show from Lloyds Banking Group worth £1,839.
Haigh also accepted a £1,314 ticket to the Ivor Novello awards, while Anneliese Midgley, the chief whip, enjoyed Brit Awards hospitality for two worth £3,432, hospitality at Cheltenham festival horse racing from the betting company Flutter worth £350, and tickets to the Grand National valued at £560. All were backbench MPs while accepting the hospitality and have now been elevated to cabinet jobs under Andy Burnham.
Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, accepted £1,480 of tickets to the men’s Wimbledon singles final while in her cabinet job, while Ellie Reeves, the attorney general, accepted a £1,314 ticket to the Ivors while solicitor general.
Burnham declared hospitality worth about £6,000 this year – mostly relating to his former role as the mayor of Greater Manchester, such as £3,800 tickets to the Brit Awards in Manchester, but also £500 worth of tickets to Ladies’ Day at the Grand National in Aintree.
The acceptance of free hospitality by MPs appeared to fall after mid-2024 when the spotlight fell on Starmer’s string of free tickets to watch Arsenal football games. In March 2025, Rachel Reeves, the then chancellor, said she would not accept free concert tickets again after she was criticised for using free tickets to take a family member to see Sabrina Carpenter at the O2 arena. She defended the decision on security grounds but said she would not do it again because she understood “how people feel about it”.
At the time, another government minister, Matthew Pennycock, said he had accepted “zero” free concert tickets as he personally did not think it was appropriate. “If I want to go to a concert at the O2, I’ll pay for it. But individual MPs, individual ministers, make their own decisions,” he said.
The value of free tickets being accepted by MPs was at about £300,000 a year in 2025, according to the Times last December. But this appears to have increased, with almost £400,000 of complimentary tickets, hospitality and other gifts having been declared between January and July this year – not including foreign trips.
It is quite easy to fall into the habit of accepting these freebies as an elected representative, often offered to secure access and to pitch a case or to form a relationship for future influence, a point emphasised by Sue Hawley, the director of Spotlight on Corruption:
“Showering MPs and ministers with gifts and hospitality is a tried and tested lobbying tactic by big business and foreign governments. There is no good reason why elected officials should be accepting jaunts and tickets to events that have nothing to do with their parliamentary or constituency business.”
Perhaps mpre MPs should take note.
Saturday, August 22, 2026
A library on the site of an old fire station
She tells us that there had been a school on the site since 1813, but the British ‘Non-Denominational’ School took over the premises in Dunns Lane in July 1835, when it enrolled 138 pupils:
There had been a school on the site since 1813, but the British ‘Non-Denominational’ School took over the premises in Dunns Lane in July 1835, when it enrolled 138 pupils.
In 1880, following the Public Health Act of 1875, the Oystermouth Local Board was set up and took over the premises of the school, which had closed some years before. There they met and raised rates to finance and implement various aspects of life until 1918.
However Mumbles had no effective fire fighting equipment, and it was to be the occasion of ‘The Great Fire of 12th February 1914’, which burnt down W H Jones’s Grocer Shop and two neighbouring premises (later HSBC Bank, now Greggs) which eventually galvanised the Oystermouth Urban District Council into financing a fire cart for the village. Inspector Davies of the local police arrived with six Constables at 4.10am, but having no fire-fighting equipment, there was little they could do apart from telephoning the Swansea Fire Brigade.
They arrived at 5.15am on their one-and-only horse-drawn vehicle, by which time the building was well alight. (Swansea would not get a motorised vehicle until later that year).
The fire was eventually put out and a local firm was engaged to demolish the walls, which had been left in a dangerous condition.
Councillors from the Oystermouth Local Board went to visit the scene and it was decided to finance a fire station to serve the locality. A tender of £54..8s was accepted from Mr. Morris to build a shed adjacent to the Council offices in Dunns Lane.
From then on, up until the Second World War, the police also acted as firemen, initially running to the fire station in Dunns Lane, to harness up horses hired from Peachey’s livery stable nearby, before setting out to fight a fire. The village mortuary was also sited on the Local Board land.
Sometime in the 1920s, a new fire station was housed at Southend, at the site of an old disused oyster shed, near The Pilot Inn and the ex-local Government Offices, by now disused, fell into disrepair.
On 5 September 1930, the Fire Brigade was called to the site at Dunns Lane, by then being used as stables, which was well alight and destroyed in the blaze.
This was to be the site of the new Oystermouth Library, which would open in September 1935.
Labels: lochist
Friday, August 21, 2026
Has racism and sexism become normalised in the UK?
Phillipson told the Guardians Politics Weekly Podcast that she was increasingly worried about how commonplace misogyny and racism had become, fuelled by online interactions and statements by politicians she said would not have been acceptable a few years ago.
They add that she accused senior MPs from Reform and the Conservatives of having made racist statements in recent years, and accused the police of not taking violence against women and girls seriously enough, saying:
“I worry that we are at kind of a ground zero in terms of attitudes around violence against women and girls. Things that not very long ago felt totally unacceptable are becoming normal. I think we’re seeing that in terms of attitudes towards women, and I think we see that in terms of attitudes around racism.
She accused the shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy, and Reform’s economic spokesperson, Robert Jenrick, of having made racist statements in recent years.
Earlier this year, Timothy called Muslims praying in Trafalgar Square an “act of domination”, while Jenrick came under fire in October after the Guardian revealed he had complained he “didn’t see another white face” on a trip to an area of Birmingham.
“We’ve had pretty despicable things that the likes of Robert Jenrick have said in the past on his visit to Birmingham,” she said. “We had Nick Timothy, who said some appalling things about Muslim prayer.
“Apparently I’m calling him names when I say that’s racist. I think it is fundamentally racist because I don’t think he would say that about any other group.”
Some might argue that this is just a Labour politician engaging in the usual name-calling, but in my view Phillipson is right about the way some politicians are weaponising racism and sexism and, in doing so fuelling those attitudes elsewhere.
However, it doesn't help that Phillipson's own government is feeding those right wing tropes with official posters telling asylum seekers not to rape and spelling out that child abuse is a serious crime when there is no evidence violence against women and girls is higher amongst migrants and people seeking asylum than among the general population.
Judging by some of the social media responses to those posters they have succeeded in stirring up more of the prejudices the Minister is condemning in others.
Thursday, August 20, 2026
Tory fantasy on net zero
They were commenting on plans by the shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho to ditch net zero, insisting that the UK “should focus all our attention on making electricity cheap, and then let consumer choice be king”:
A report commissioned by the Conservatives, written by Tory-leaning think tank Onward and advisory firm Transira Energy, suggested focusing on cheap power could save families £540 a year from their energy bills.
But green campaigners have said the proposal is “completely out of touch with the public, its own voters, and economic reality”, while others branded the claims a “myth” that would require a “mathematical miracle”.
“After thousands of deaths from extreme heat this summer, this announcement shows the Conservative Party is completely out of touch with the public, its own voters, and economic reality,” Friends of the Earth energy campaigner Danny Gross said.
“Clean power is the route to cheap, secure energy, not a barrier to it. Home-grown wind and solar energy are cheaper and less exposed to global price shocks than gas. The Conservative plan would just leave the UK more exposed to volatile fossil fuel markets in the future.
“Anyone who thinks doubling down on new North Sea oil and gas projects will bring down energy bills is living in fantasy land. The only way to cut our energy costs is to reduce our reliance on expensive oil and gas.”
Greenpeace branded the proposals a “myth”, which flies “in the face of all the real-world evidence, both on climate and economics”.
“It is a myth that gas is cheaper than renewables,” Angharad Hopkinson, political campaigner for Greenpeace UK, said.
“One big gas price spike from a war or other major disruption costs Britain more than the entire net zero project.
“We saw the economic risk of dependence on fossil fuels when the wars in Ukraine and Iran sent energy bills skyrocketing. When a political party that receives lots of fossil fuel money says you should switch from the cheapest electricity sources to the most expensive, exercise caution.
“When they claim huge overall savings, best wait until some independent experts have a look before you start celebrating the mathematical miracle.”
Campaigners are right that the Tories are living in a self-imposed fantasy land. Relying on fossil fuels leaves us open to price hikes, and undermines our security.
It is most probably too late to stop or reverse the climate change we are experiecning at present, but taking the path proposed by the Tories will undoubtedly contribute to wrosening it.
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Reform civil war?
The paper says that Tim Montgomerie criticised Mr Farage after he refused to attend the Clacton by-election count on Friday. They add that he also hit out at combative frontbencher Zia Yusuf, suggesting people "cannot behave like a child" in politics and lifting the lid on internal rows:
Mr Montgomerie has previously been critical over the way Mr Farage has responded to questions about an undeclared £5million 'gift' from crypto billonare Christopher Harborne.
It is understood the Reform hierarchy got fed up with Mr Montgomerie's criticisms. and decided enough was enough Last week the political commentator, who founded the ConservativeHome website before switching allegiances to Reform, hit out at Mr Farage's no-show in Clacton and questioned his ability to keep Mr Yusuf under control.
Instead of attending the result declaration after his ill-thought-out by-election, the Reform leader opted to spend the night celebrating at a 'Farage Fest' with supporters. He claimed he had been warned of a plot to disrupt proceedings, but police say no candidates were advised to stay away.
On Friday Mr Montgomerie suggested that Mr Farage has spent too much time wallowing in self pity. He wrote on X: "This recently far too dominant aggrieved tone is still with us. It's not good.
"You don't skip your own victory count without a much better explanation. Anger from politicians can work but only if it's on behalf of others - not yourself. He's distracting from his victory. Puzzling."
He has been heavily-critical of Mr Yusuf, the party's home affairs spokesman. Speaking on a Spectator podcast, Mr Montgomerie said; "There are a lot of people who are not on speaking terms with Zia, and it's nearly always Zia who initiates this. And it has to end. You cannot behave like a child in politics."
Mr Montgomerie also suggested Mr Yusuf is not a team player. It comes days after Mr Yusuf sparked fury by branding former Defence Secretary and ex-soldier Sir Ben Wallace a "traitor" and called for him to be prosecuted over his role in Afghans coming to Britain.
In a public response on social media, Mr Montgomerie wrote: "This isn't acceptable from Zia. I don't agree with Ben Wallace on this issue but Zia's language and attitude towards any opponent is inappropriate and counter-productive.
"Opponents are opponents... they aren't enemies... or 'moron's. One of the biggest question marks over Nigel Farage's leadership is whether he brings Zia under control.
"ZY is a man of huge talents but too much of his social media output is intemperate and reinforces Reform's number one problem: our negative tactical voting challenge."
Montgomerie has also been open in his criticism of Farage accepting a £5m gift, telling the BBC in July that: “People do not normally get a £5 million gift, we get a box of chocolates or a bottle of champagne, that’s the sort of gift most people get." And he went on: “I think he has to find better answers to these questions so far, and he will do, because the parliamentary process is now underway and he will have to be open”.
Things are clearly not rosy within Reform UK. Are Tim Montgomerie's views representative of others within the party? Is Farage losing his grip on his own organisation?
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
The climate change dilemma facing Burnham
They are referring to the decision by the prime minister over whether to approve the Rosebank oilfield and Jackdaw gasfield after consultations on both projects closed:
Industry sources have told The Times they believe Burnham will approve Jackdaw but may resist calls to go ahead with Rosebank because of opposition from MPs.
Matthew Pennycook, the housing minister, said on Monday the government had never intended to “turn the taps off” in the North Sea. He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “It’s never been our position to turn the taps off entirely and immediately, but it’s obviously also not our position to drill every drop.”
Burnham has told President Trump that he wants to be “pragmatic” over North Sea oil and gas and on Friday he said speeding up extraction could help Britain to meet net zero faster. He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “We won’t be able to stop using oil and gas for some time, that’s just a fact.
“The question is whether we can accelerate use of it so that we pay for the transition and one thing helps the other … whether that extraction can be the bridge to the clean energy future we need and bring it forward. It’s about a pragmatic approach to both of those.”
If he goes ahead with either project he will face opposition from some backbenchers. Cat Eccles, the Labour MP for Stourbridge, said on Monday that Britain should expand renewables, the electricity grid and energy storage rather than approve further drilling.
However, she admitted the term “net zero” had become politically poisonous. She told Today: “I think that the term itself, net zero, has become toxic, and we shouldn’t just place arbitrary targets on things for the sake of it.”
Eccles said that when she spoke to Burnham on Friday as he visited her constituency, which has been affected by wildfires, he was in “listening mode” and “wasn’t saying anything one way or the other” about the decisions.
There are of course many environment groups arguing that both of these applications need to be refused if we are serious about switching away from carbon-based energy to achieve our net zero targets.
On the other hand Burnham has to balance considerations such as energy security and the claim that Rosebank and Jackdaw could support 3,500 jobs at the peak of construction and 880 people would be employed over the lifetime of production.
This could be the first real test of Burnham's premiership.
Monday, August 17, 2026
Could water companies put up prices to pay for drought?
The suggestion is that suppliers would be permitted to factor “water scarcity” into bills as part of efforts to reduce consumption under Ofwat’s plans, which are being likened to surge pricing – the practice where private hire firms raise taxi fares at times of higher demand:
The proposals come just a few days after the prime minster, Andy Burnham, said he was angry with water companies and accused them of treating their customers like a “blank cheque” after more than a dozen firms were given the green light to raise water bills even higher.
It emerged last Thursday that five companies – Southern Water, Thames Water, Severn Trent, Wessex Water and South East Water – would be allowed to raise bills more than originally planned before the end of the decade to allow for billions of pounds of extra spending on repairs and infrastructure.
The surge pricing proposals, first reported by the Sunday Telegraph, come after the 30 July conclusion of Ofwat’s consultation on changing the rules relating to wholesale charging, with the regulator due to share its final decision shortly.
Public anger over the behaviour of water companies has soared in recent years as bills have continued to climb even while sewage has flowed into the nation’s waterways and firms have increased bosses’ pay and handed out millions of pounds in dividends to shareholders.
During an exceptionally hot and dry summer, leading to almost three-quarters of England and all of Wales being declared officially in drought, suppliers have also come under fire for failing to save water lost through leaky pipes, which campaigners say far outstrips the amount that could be saved through a nationwide hosepipe ban.
An Ofwat spokesperson said: “The efficient use of water is in the best interests of everyone, including businesses. The options we are progressing would support greater consideration of water scarcity and efficiency by water companies when setting their charges, and encourage more tariff innovation.”
Several water companies have been carrying out charging trials over the past few years aimed at making bills more affordable and, potentially, reducing demand.
South West Water, which supplies water to about 1.8 million customers across south-west England, including Cornwall and Devon, is trialling a “rising block tariff”, where about 500 household customers are charged a cheaper rate for using a lower amount (or “block”) of water and progressively higher prices for higher consumption.
The company said 90% of its customers would see lower bills on this trial, according to its assessments.
Anglian Water, which supplies 7 million customers across the east of England, the UK’s driest region, and South West Water are also trialling charging customers more for water used in the summer than in the winter months.
The Guardian understands there are no government plans for nationwide surge pricing for water bills.
Water companies in England and Wales have paid out an estimated £72 billion to £78 billion in total dividends since privatisation in 1989, averaging roughly £1.4 billion to £2 billion per year.
With most of our waterways swimming in sewage and with millions of litres of water lost due to leaks every year, there is no doubt that there is a need to invest in infrastructure, but while millions of pounds are siphoned off and paid as dividends to shareholders instead of being reinvested in fixing pipes and building new resevoirs, the idea that companies can put up prices to fix their issues would be anathema to consumers.
Taking water companies back into public ownership must be a prerequisite to sorting out their problems. At least then we could be certain that all their money is going to the right place.
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Labour government needs to give universities a break
The paper says that the sector’s leaders have called on the government to rethink the levy on international student fees imposed under Keir Starmer, as a former universities minister warned there was a risk of a university “going under” because of the financial crisis:
While UK sixth-formers enjoyed improved A-level results, and a record 194,800 English 18-year-olds were accepted by their first choice of university, vice-chancellors who spoke to the Guardian said it would not be enough to stave off further erosion in staff numbers and courses.
Figures published by the Home Office show student visa applications to the end of July fell 11% compared with the previous year. With summer visa applications coming before the start of the academic year in autumn, the gloomy figures mean many UK universities will experience significant losses if the trend continues, with some fearing international enrolments dropping by 30%.
Prof Shitij Kapur, the vice-chancellor of King’s College London, said the fall in international student numbers was “in line with the pessimistic expectations” and may also reflect a drop in postgraduate applications earlier this year.
Kapur said: “The critical thing is what this cycle will entail, which does not become clear till about October. The simple rubric is that every five international students impact one university job. And these falling numbers will invariably impact the financial health and staff complement of universities.
The paper quotes Libby Hackett, the chief executive of the Russell Group, who argues that recent analysis shows that the decline in international students means the UK has lost out on a net economic benefit of nearly £3bn, while Vivienne Stern, the chief executive of the Universities UK group of vice-chancellors, said the student visa figures “should be a wake-up call” for policymakers:
“There are plenty of people in government who understand the pressure on the sector, they understand how important universities are for local economies and for domestic students, and they are watching this with concern,” Stern said. “I hope those people are knocking on the door of the [Department for Education] and the Home Office, and saying that they can do one thing tomorrow that will help universities, and that is to quietly drop the idea of taxing international student fees.
“I understand the political pressure around immigration, and the UK university sector has to be a good, responsive partner with government in making sure the system works the way it should. But if the government was seeking to reduce overseas student numbers, I think they have overcorrected. What we need is stability and a bit of help to recover our competitive position internationally.”
The government needs to get a grip on this issue. At present their immigration controls are causing a funding crisis in higher education, there needs to be a policy adjustment and quick.
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Yet another mock castle
Wikipedia, describes the Castle as a Grade II*-listed building situated on a hill overlooking Swansea Bay, adjacent to the Clyne valley, near Blackpill, Swansea.
They say it was originally built in 1791 by a wealthy landowner, passed into the hands of the Vivian family and saw many eminent guests, thought to include Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill and King Edward VIII. William Graham Vivian planted the landscaped gardens in the 1860s. It was acquired by Swansea University in the 1950s, for student accommodation:
The University built two accommodation blocks, and, later, a women's hall (Neuadd Martin), with exceptionally fine sea views, on the hill behind the castle. The two halls, which were linked by external steps, shared some functions.
The City of Swansea acquired the mature park of the Castle, now called Clyne Gardens (Gerddi Clun), which has views over the bay. The historic landscape area of Clyne Castle is a Registered Historic Park.
In 2003, the university decided to sell the halls and to build more accommodation on the main university campus instead. The current use of the refurbished castle is as a block of one- and two-bedroom apartments. The grounds are protected by wrought iron gates and residents have use of the lawned gardens.
The student accommodation blocks and the women's hall were demolished and were replaced in 2006 by new housing.
Labels: lochist
Friday, August 14, 2026
Another Reform UK misdemeanor
The Independent reports that a Reform councillor has been suspended after resurfaced social media posts appeared to show him calling for the Commons speaker to be hanged.
The paper says that in response to a post about then Commons speaker John Bercow, an account linked to Kirklees councillor David Rowan wrote on social media in October 2019: “Hang the Dwarf”.
They add that in another post, which has not yet been deleted, the account also made homophobic comments, having said he doesn’t believe “gays should have kids full stop”:
Another post from Mr Rowan’s account also called for Westminster to be turned into a Wetherspoons, writing: “Think we should get our pick forks and whippets and demolish London.”
Mr Rowan, who was elected in May, also appeared to show support for far-right campaigner Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, writing: “Thommy Robinson I salute you for caring.”
The Independent has approached Mr Rowan for comment.
Mr Rowan’s suspension comes weeks after a Reform councillor was charged with posting a grossly offensive message on social media. Glenn Gibbins, of Sunderland City Council, allegedly made the post, which referenced the Nigerian community, in 2024.
So much for Reform vetting their candidates.
The paper says that in response to a post about then Commons speaker John Bercow, an account linked to Kirklees councillor David Rowan wrote on social media in October 2019: “Hang the Dwarf”.
They add that in another post, which has not yet been deleted, the account also made homophobic comments, having said he doesn’t believe “gays should have kids full stop”:
Another post from Mr Rowan’s account also called for Westminster to be turned into a Wetherspoons, writing: “Think we should get our pick forks and whippets and demolish London.”
Mr Rowan, who was elected in May, also appeared to show support for far-right campaigner Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, writing: “Thommy Robinson I salute you for caring.”
The Independent has approached Mr Rowan for comment.
Mr Rowan’s suspension comes weeks after a Reform councillor was charged with posting a grossly offensive message on social media. Glenn Gibbins, of Sunderland City Council, allegedly made the post, which referenced the Nigerian community, in 2024.
So much for Reform vetting their candidates.
Thursday, August 13, 2026
Has a convicted fraudster moved into Reform UK party HQ?
The paper says that Geostrategy International Unlimited, set up by George Cottrell last year, has changed its registered company address from the address of a company formation provider in the City of London to Millbank Tower where Reform UK has its offices.
This is despite the fact that Reform UK say George Cottrell has no role in the party and that he paid for Farage’s private security, staff, transport and accommodation in a purely personal capacity:
The company’s website also updated its address to Millbank Tower on its “Contact” page, alongside an address in Delaware. The website says the company provides opinion polling, “market intelligence and competitor research” and “brand positioning and demographic analysis” among its services.
A spokesman for Reform said the party did not share an office space with Cottrell, saying the tower was a “huge building” with “plenty of office free space to rent”. A representative of Millbank Tower said Geostrategy did not have an office space in the building.
Perhaps it's just a coincidence that Cottrell now shares an address with Farage's party, however his relationship with Farage remains controversial and aspects of it may well be the subject of a Standards Commissioner inquiry if Farage is re-elected today.
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
The targeting of journalists is a real threat to democracy
The paper says that the News Media Association (NMA), which represents regional and national media, has raised concerns after Banks appeared to admit over the weekend to hiring private investigators to spy on a Sunday Times journalist.
They quote New Statesman who have said that Banks instructed Precision Risk and Intelligence, a private investigations company he once owned, to examine Gabriel Pogrund, the editor of the Sunday Times’ Insight investigations team.
This has led to fears that other journalists examining the funding of Reform and Nigel Farage, including those at the Guardian, could have been targeted:
When asked over the weekend whether he had commissioned investigators to surveil reporters at the Guardian, Banks, a Reform UK member and former mayoral candidate, said he was “not really interested in the Guardian” but declined to comment further.
The Guardian, along with the Sunday Times, has broken a series of stories in recent months revealing how cash has been given to Reform and Farage personally from donors and wealthy benefactors.
Theo Bamber, the chief executive of the NMA, said aggressive attempts to deter journalistic inquiry were at risk of becoming normalised.
He said: “Using private investigators to try to deter journalists from making legitimate inquiries about public figures is an attack on our democracy. Sadly, intimidation and abuse of local and national journalists is increasingly used as a weapon to limit scrutiny and deflect attention away from matters of public interest. This must not become normalised.
“Ministers must wake up to this threat to our democracy and do much more to protect the independent journalism which underpins our democratic way of life.”
The paper adds that when asked directly by the New Statesman whether he had paid investigators to look into Pogrund, Banks responded: “When you live by the sword, you die by the sword”:
Jemimah Steinfeld, the chief executive of Index on Censorship, said Banks should be open and transparent about the extent of his surveillance of journalists.
She said: “I really, really hope that it’s not happening to other journalists. But my fear is that it will be, because Gabriel is not the only one who’s asking the right questions about Reform.
“These tactics are often used to just stop the questions, to stop accountability, and that can have hugely detrimental effects on our democratic structure.”
As Lisa Smart, the Liberal Democrats’ Cabinet Office spokesperson says: “Hiring private investigators to target journalists who are simply doing their jobs is a desperate attempt to dodge accountability.
“Anyone who uses or condones these tactics demonstrates complete contempt for a free press and should have no business in British public life.”
And apparently, Banks, who helped run the pro-Brexit campaign group Leave.EU, has form, having been reported to have previously hired what he described as “ex-MI5 and SAS” operatives to surveil political opponents in the run-up to the EU referendum.
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
When Fiction intrudes on real life
Metro News reports that Harry Potter fans have proven there’s clearly power in numbers, as their joint outrage forced the diversion of a multi-million-pound energy project.
The paper says that plans for a £430million Greenlink interconnector to carry solar and wind power to Ireland from the UK sparked fury from die-hard fans of JK Rowling’s books and their movie adaptations, who objected to the pipeline coming ashore at Freshwater West Beach in Pembrokeshire, which has famously become a mecca for Potterheads, as it’s where Dobby died and was buried:
The beloved house elf’s final scenes came in the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, with fans immortalising the character by leaving illustrated pebbles and socks to mark his resting place.
So, upon learning of the pipeline plans and the apparent disruption they would cause to the beach’s dunes where Harry (played by Daniel Radcliffe on-screen) buried the creature, Potter fanatics took action.
The result was ‘hundreds’ of phone calls to then-project director Simon Ludlam and his team following Ludlam’s interview on BBC Wales about the development, where he revealed permission had been secured from local authorities and landowners.
Speaking on the Energy Revolution podcast, Ludlam, who was at the helm from 2017 to 2019 and whose firm, Etchea Energy, advised, recalled how concerned and furious fans feared the cable going ‘straight through Dobby’s grave’.
The backlash became so intense that it led to him rerouting the interconnector away from the beach, keeping the grave intact.
‘My colleague, Tom, who works in permitting, said, “Simon, we’re going to have to respond to these calls”,’ Ludlam said.
‘And I said, “Well, Tom, I’m super busy.” And he goes, “No, no, we really have to respond to this”.’
When told of the anger, his initial reaction was: ‘Dobby? Who’s Dobby?’
His co-worker then insisted it was a ‘very, very serious matter’.
‘So we got back with the planners and discussed exactly how to reroute the cable so we wouldn’t go any more into Dobby’s grave.’
With the issue eventually resolved, the Greenlink interconnector opened last April.
At 190km (118 miles) long, the 500 MW high-voltage direct current runs a power cable between County Wexford in Ireland and Pembrokeshire in Wales.
It has the power for 380,000 homes.
This isn’t the first time that Dobby’s grave has found itself under threat.
In 2022, National Trust Cymru floated the idea of removing it after launching a survey about looking after the landscape.
Two of its questions focused on the Dobby memorial, asking respondents whether it should be removed or transferred.
It was decided eight months later that the tribute could stay, but the Trust issued a reminder to tourists visiting the popular spot, urging them not to leave socks, which are a reference to how, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry fooled Dobby’s then-master, Lucius Malfoy, into handing one, which freed him from enslavement.
Well, at least the developer listened to public opinion.
Monday, August 10, 2026
Reform figures in Wales linked to far-right social media networks
The news website says that their investigation examined the online activity of senior Reform figures in Wales, including their interactions with prominent extremist groups and individuals, finding that a significant number of Reform Members of the Senedd followed Facebook groups that shared racist content:
The investigation also found that some official Welsh Reform branch accounts, a Reform councillor in north Wales, and a caseworker for a senior Reform politician were following or engaging with accounts that shared such material.
Reform UK Wales deputy leader Helen Jenner is among a number of senior party figures found to be following the Swansea-based anti-migrant group Voice of Wales on Facebook.
The group is also followed by Senedd Members Iain McIntosh, Gareth Thomas, Laura Anne Jones, Joe Martin, and Catherine Cullen.
Reform’s official Blaenau Gwent Caerphilly and Rhymney branch Facebook account, the Swansea West and Gower Reform branch and the Alyn, Deeside and Wrexham branch are also following the account.
Voice of Wales has faced widespread public condemnation and platform bans for promoting racism, hate speech, and divisive anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Its founders Dan Morgan and Stan Robinson are supporters and associates of Tommy Robinson and have been described by anti-extremism organisations as far-right activists.
Morgan is a convicted fraudster who received a suspended prison sentence in 2023 for his role in a call centre fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable people.
In recent weeks, he was removed from a Lush cosmetics store in Swansea after entering the premises and challenging two young staff members over posters displayed in the window that stated: “Migrants are blamed to distract you”.
Voice of Wales’ YouTube channel was removed in 2021 after it repeatedly violated the platform’s policies regarding hate speech and abusive content.
The group’s Facebook account is now one of its most active platforms for daily engagement.
A senior Reform party official previously told Nation.Cymru that Reform figures in Wales had been advised against engaging with Voice of Wales or any individuals associated with founder of the English Defence League, Tommy Robinson.
However, our investigation found evidence that the warning was not being heeded.
Martin Roberts, the caseworker for Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr MS Jason O’Connell, has regularly interacted with Voice of Wales through his official Facebook account as Reform’s Merthyr and Pontypridd campaign coordinator.
Mr Roberts was Reform UK’s fourth-placed candidate in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr at the recent Welsh election, but failed to secure a seat in the Senedd.
This week, he liked several posts published by Voice of Wales, including comments targeting Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood.
One such comment described the former party leader as a “crackhead”.
Mr Roberts also liked a Voice of Wales video which featured convicted fraudster Dan Morgan calling for the “reversing of Islamification” and the reintroduction of the death penalty.
The same video was liked by Reform Flintshire county councillor, Kristian Salkeld.
Reform UK’s official Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd Facebook account has also interacted with Voice of Wales, adding a thumbs up emoji to a post which referred to several Plaid Cymru Mss as “the goon squad” and Leanne Wood as a “has been”.
Martin Roberts also added a laughing emoji to this post.
Sir Fynwy Torfaen MS Laura Anne Jones added a thumbs up emoji to a post by Voice of Wales claiming that unless British voters woke up, it would be “too late” for the UK.
The former Welsh Conservative also liked a post by the hate group which referred to the Green Party as “goblins”.
Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd MS Iain McIntosh has also engaged with Voice of Wales online, liking a post which claimed that under Leanne Wood’s advise, Plaid Cymru would “destroy Wales”.
The article contains many, many more examples, providing strong evidence of the direction of travel Reform UK are embarked on in Wales.
Sunday, August 09, 2026
Clacton ad infinitum
The news site adds that the list for the Clacton parliamentary by-election, which was prompted by the resignation of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, is 90cm (3ft) long:
When people unfold the paper, they will find it is longer than most adults' arms.
Tendring District Council chief executive Ian Davidson - who is the acting returning officer for the by-election in the Essex constituency - said organising the vote had been "manic".
People have already started returning postal votes to town hall and most registered voters will go to polling stations on 13 August.
Davidson said: "We've logistically been looking at the size of the ballot paper, how we fold it to get it into the envelope so we can send it out to our postal voters [and] how we manage the polling stations."
Davidson said his teams are having to make changes to the way they usually carry out elections.
The ballots are "going to be sometimes longer than the table so we're having to do double tables and we're going to have to sort them in batches before we can verify them or even count them."
Paul Whiteley, professor of government at the University of Essex, said the previous record for the number of candidates standing for a seat in the House of Commons was the Haltemprice and Howden by-election in East Yorkshire in July 2008.
"David Davis resigned his seat and stood again as a protest over the issue of civil liberties," explained Whiteley.
"There were 26 candidates."
Prior to that, the previous record was the Newbury by-election in Berkshire in 1993, which featured 19 candidates.
Farage resigned as MP for Clacton on 7 July, following increased scrutiny over his finances and a parliamentary investigation, but the Reform leader is standing again.
Among the candidates on the ballot are 20 independents - also a record for a single election.
It is likely of course that Farage will win this by-election comfortably, though there will be a strong showing from Count Binface.
Inevitably, the standards inquiry into the Reform UK leader will then restart with the possibility of a recall petition and a second by-election.
I wonder how many candidates will stand in that one.
I wonder how many candidates will stand in that one.
Saturday, August 08, 2026
From copperworks to distillery
The remains of this complex, originally developed by Vivian and Sons, consists of a core Grade II listed building and additional Grade II listed structures on a 12 acres (4.9 ha) site. As Wikipedia relates the history of this site is over 200 years old:
The Hafod works was founded in 1810 by the Cornishman himself John Vivian. During the 19th century, this was the largest copper works in the world, employing over 1,000 people. The rival Morfa works was established in 1835 by Williams, Foster and Co., and the two adjacent sites combined in 1924 under Yorkshire Imperial Metals.
Swansea was core to the global copper industry, and by 1823 10,000 of Swansea's 15,000 residents were supported by the copper industry. By 1883 there were 124 works including 12 copper works in the Lower Swansea Valley. But as raw geological resources had waned in South Wales, it became more economic to produce copper elsewhere. In 1971 the Lower Swansea Valley Project had started to transform the most derelict industrial landscape in Britain, resulting in the closure of the rolling mills in 1980.
The former rolling mills were converted into the Landore Collection Centre, part of Swansea Museum.
At its 19th Century peak, Swansea produced 90% of all the world's copper.
Discussions to restore the site started sixteen years ago, leading to plans to re-develop the Morfa side of the site into a distillery and visitors' centre for the Penderyn brand being approved in 2019.. The project was part-funded by a £3.75m National Lottery Heritage Fund grant.
Other parts of the copper works have also been worked on; the Musgrave Engine House and Vivian Engine House were made safe and restoration is now underway, while the Morfa Bascule Bridge, which was built in 1909 and designated as a Scheduled Monument, is in the process of being returned to working condition.
The Vivian and Musgrave Engine Houses, built in 1860 and in about 1920 respectively, formed "an integral part of Swansea's heritage", the council added.
A council spokesperson said they had saved the buildings from "ongoing decay" several years ago, with a new river pontoon added nearby.
The Musgrave structure, which is a scheduled ancient monument, contains the rare Musgrave Engine, said by the council to be the UK’s only one of its kind to remain in its original location.
The engine's external elements would be protected with a covered shelter, with Wardell Armstrong acting as the council's consultants for the scheme.
Work is also planned to preserve two tall neighbouring chimneys.
Meanwhile, the Vivian Engine House would feature a mezzanine floor, while a new building would link the two engine houses and an outdoor terrace would be created.
These developments would, the council said, make it suitable for a range of uses, including restaurants and cafes, exhibition-style space and shops.
The council said it believed the loco shed, which was built in the 1800s, had possibly been last used around 1980.
The proposals would involve the restoration and reconstruction of the existing building, which the council said had suffered structural damage after being disused for "many years".
The restored loco shed could then have "a range of possible future uses", a council spokesperson added.
The development would also include the building of new access routes from the copperworks site, along with landscaping and the fitting of sustainable new drainage.
Nearly two years on and the council's website reports that huge progress has been made in restoring the historic laboratory building:
Contractors have spent recent months carefully repairing and enhancing the structure, with a new Welsh slate roof due to be installed next.
The project is expected to be completed this year, after which the building will be ready for fitting out by a future occupier.
The Laboratory Building once played a key role in the world-famous copperworks that helped put Swansea on the global industrial map.
The council also report on progress in restoring the bascule bridge with construction expected to start soon:
The upcoming phase is intended to complete restoration of the structure, including repairs to timber trestles, the replacement of some bridge elements, and the lifting of the historic bascule span back into place using a specialist crane operation.
Once complete, the bridge will be brought back into use as a public footpath and cycle track, helping to improve access and connectivity along the river corridor.
Labels: lochist
