Analysis: Big Tech’s battle against disinformation March 3, 2022 As the horrifying war on the ground in Ukraine drags on, the disinformation campaign waged by the Kremlin is under attack from all sides. Nick Clegg, Meta’s head of global affairs, announced this week that Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik will have their access to Facebook and Instagram restricted in the European Union. The two [...]
Are charities losing our trust and donations? March 3, 2022 The UK charity sector needs to rethink its foundations, writes Leah Montebello
Covid-19 conspiracy theories were a dress rehearsal for toxic climate change rhetoric March 3, 2022 Misinformation and conspiratorial politics have enjoyed a boom throughout the pandemic. As the fight against climate change ramps up, it is crucial we learn the lessons from the last two years and do not let these divisive political forces flourish. Major global events tend to ignite a rise in conspiracy theories and misinformation. Over the [...]
Letters: A reliable and clean answer March 2, 2022 [Re: Crude Awakening: The necessity of oil and gas in the green transition, February 15] Gas price hikes, petrol and diesel shortages and the impacts of a Russian invasion of Ukraine all demonstrate the UK’s need for reliable energy. There needs to be a diverse energy mix – including renewable power, hydrogen production, oil and [...]
Explainer-in-brief: The ping-pong of the police and crime bill on protesting March 2, 2022 On Monday, MPs voted in the Commons to reinstate the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, overturning the decision taken in the House of Lords to amend some of the restrictions on protests. The bill aims to give more power to police to quell peaceful protests, for instance if they become too noisy and create [...]
Subsidies to Wales have made devolution a begging bowl rather than a point of pride March 2, 2022 Did you raise a toast yesterday to the staff of Gwynedd Council in North Wales? They were enjoying their very own special Bank Holiday to celebrate the day of the patron saint of Wales, St David. Gwynedd council proudly declared in January that it would “grant” this extra holiday. All very well and good, except that [...]
Boris Johnson’s political headache isn’t over as the threat to the Union rears its head again March 2, 2022 Boris Johnson has often been both the Houdini and the Heineken politician over the past decade. But if he survives the latest party-gate scandal he may unwittingly walk into a much bigger domestic political headache, with more than just his career on the line – the future of the union. Of course he will do [...]
The West’s tech export ban could crush Russia and Putin’s war against Ukraine March 2, 2022 AS UKRAINE was plunged into war its allies around the world hurried to put together punitive packages of sanctions in retaliation. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week announced he’s planning to bring forward a bill in Parliament that will effectively cut Russia off dual-use technologies critical for its defence sector. President Biden has also [...]
Opinion-in-brief: Stay at home at the slightest inconvenience March 1, 2022 Today there will be the first full tube strike since 2017, as 10,000 RMT workers walk off and all London Underground lines stop running. Instead of directing people to find other ways to get to work, Transport for London told people to stay at home. Part of the problem facing the transport network is a [...]
Letters: A priceless ofgem? Don’t scrap us, says CEO March 1, 2022 [Re: Is it time for Ofgem to head to the scrapheap? Feb 24] This article underplays both the history and the current circumstances affecting the energy market. In 2010, the market was dominated by a small number of large vertically integrated players without pricing regulation. For customers, this meant systemically high prices and poor service [...]