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2026-04-11 16:08:06 CEST

Illegal UK weapons shipment intercepted in Belgian airport bound for Israel
[Israel]
After the farce of the Starmer government’s [fake and short-lived ‘ban’][1] on arms sales to Israel, illegal weapons destined for Israel have fallen foul of an NGO’s efforts. A disguised cargo of weapons and military spare parts en route from the UK has been [seized][2] at Liège airport in Belgium. An operation by an NGO identified the shipment after concerns were raised about the accuracy of its cargo manifest, which did not disclose the real contents.
The consignment was scheduled to fly on Challenge Airlines, a firm that regularly flies to the genocidal colony.
In total, 33 crates of undeclared military equipment were opened and seized. The contents included laser sights, fire control systems and spare parts for fighter jets involved in the bombing of civilians in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. The items would have needed specific declaration, followed by authorisation from the Belgian government, to transit legally — an unlikely outcome given [decisions in 2025 in Belgium’s top courts][3] and the policies of federal and regional government.
Belgian authorities have opened an investigation to identify those responsible for the attempted smuggling.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Skwawkbox][4]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2025/05/13/government-in-court-israel-arms-sales/
[2]: https://www.rtl.be/actu/regions/liege/une-cargaison-militaire-interceptee-liege-airport-avant-son-depart-vers-israel/2026-04-10/article/785402
[3]: https://www.politico.eu/article/brussels-court-orders-flanders-belgium-stop-transfer-military-equipment-israel-palestine-dual-use/
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/skwawkbox/
https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/04/11/israel-illegal-uk-weapons/

2026-04-11 13:01:53 CEST

Watch: Hegseth says Hormuz is safe for transit except for Iranian missiles
[Hegseth]
What happens when you put a half-soaked ([allegedly][1]) TV presenter in charge of the military? Well, Trump’s ‘secretary of war’ Pete Hegseth is doing his best to show us.
His latest nugget? Encouraging shipping companies to keep sailing through Iran’s Strait of Hormuz despite its [re-closure because the US and Israel won’t stop slaughtering innocents][2]. Because, y’know, Hormuz is safe. The only risk is getting hit by an Iranian missile.
You couldn’t make it up. Tragically for the world, you don’t need to:
> View this post on Instagram
>
>
> [A post shared by Saadia Mirza (@saadia___m)][3]
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Skwawkbox][4]
[1]: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/pete-hegseths-drinking-worried-colleagues-fox-news-sources-tell-nbc-ne-rcna181471
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/04/08/trump-ceasefire-collapses/
[3]: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DV1eGg4iblX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/skwawkbox/
https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/04/11/hegseth-says-hormuz-is-safe/

2026-04-11 00:02:48 CEST

Porto 1 Nottingham Forest 1: Ortega stands tall as Forest escape the Dragão with the tie alive
[Porto]
***Our sports editor Faisal Ali was on the ground in Portugal to watch Porto face Nottingham Forest in the [UEFA Europa League][1]***
Porto came [out on the front foot][2] and tested Nottingham Forest from the first whistle. Moﬃ forced Stefan Ortega into the first of several sharp saves, a moment that set the tone as Porto looked to control territory and tempo.
Porto struck first with a composed, incisive move. In the 11th minute, Gabriel Veiga’s disguised, angled pass split the Forest defence, allowing William Gomes to meet the ball at the far post and thunder it high into the net — a textbook Porto finish.
Just two minutes later, the match turned. Under no pressure, the young full back rolled a routine back pass toward Diogo Costa — only to watch it skip past the goalkeeper’s foot and trundle into the net, handing Forest an unexpected equaliser and quieting the Dragão.
## Ortega maintains Forest’s hopes
Following their concession, Porto intensified their eﬀorts, and Ortega emerged as Forest’s most active player. His remarkable reaction save against Moﬃ’s glancing header just before the break proved pivotal; Ortega “leapt to his right to expertly claw the ball away,” safeguarding the 1–1 score line as the teams headed into half-time.
After the interval, Porto [persisted in their search][3] for opportunities, crafting numerous chances and challenging Ortega time and again. One particularly noteworthy save, made with his left hand in response to a curling shot, was described as “the kind of save that keeps a European tie alive”, a fitting testament to Ortega’s performance as Forest maintained their compactness and discipline throughout.
## VAR drama and near misses from Porto
Porto’s substitutions upped the intensity, and Froholdt’s low drive came agonizingly close to settling the contest. Igor Jesus seemed to have handed Forest a shock lead, only for VAR to chalk it oﬀ for a high boot after review, a decision that briefly unsettled the rhythm.
In the final moments, Porto launched a concerted oﬀensive. During stoppage time, Thiago Silva ascended to meet the ball, but Ortega was once more equal to the task, expertly palming it away with both hands.
This remarkable save epitomised Forest’s resilience, ensuring the tie remained alive as they headed into the second leg.
## Managers, players, and perspectives
Porto boss Francesco Farioli was candid after the match:
> We created enough to win two matches… We left the door open.
Forest’s head coach praised his players’ spirit:
> We had to suﬀer — and we did… Ortega was outstanding, the defenders were brave” (BBC Sport). Ortega himself stayed matter of fact: “My job is to keep the ball out. Tonight it was busy, but that’s football. We’re still in the tie.
Porto thoroughly controlled possession and created a multitude of opportunities; however, Forest’s steadfast organization, bolstered by a stroke of luck, resulted in a 1–1 away draw that maintains the suspense of the Europa League quarter-final.
The tie now transitions to Nottingham, where the second leg will determine which side advances.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Faz Ali][4]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/04/09/betis-braga/
[2]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c04xr2znkpkt
[3]: https://www.skysports.com/football/live-blog/11095/13529207/porto-vs-nottm-forest-live-europa-league-quarter-final-first-leg-commentary-live-updates-scores-and-team-news
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/faz-ali/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/04/09/porto-nottingham-forest/

2026-04-11 00:02:42 CEST

Businesses and civil society urge Europe to seize next-generation geothermal
[Geothermal power plant in Iceland]
Europe risks missing the “geothermal revolution” unless policymakers act decisively to unlock next-generation deep geothermal energy. This is according to [an open letter to EU leaders][1].
The coalition consists of nearly 70 businesses, investors, think tanks, and civil society organisations. It calls for concrete measures to scale geothermal energy for both electricity and heat. And it highlights this technology’s potential to generate up to 301 terrawatt-hours annually in the EU. This is equivalent to around [42% of its coal- and gas-fired generation][2]. Meanwhile the letter points to a much larger potential estimated at nearly 40 terrawatts, or roughly [35 times Europe’s current installed electricity capacity][3].
Next-generation geothermal technologies enabled by deeper drilling could provide a domestic source of reliable, 24/7 [clean energy][4] across many member states. These technologies allow access to heat resources several kilometres underground, significantly expanding geothermal’s potential beyond traditional volcanic regions.
The letter warns that the European Commission’s forthcoming Geothermal Action Plan, due in May, risks underestimating the technology’s strategic opportunity if it is treated primarily as part of heating and cooling policy rather than as a broader source of firm electricity, industrial heat, and critical raw materials such as lithium.
Dr. Marlène Siméon, director of policy at Future Cleantech Architects, said:
> With next-generation geothermal energy, Europe has abundant, clean, and firm energy at its feet. By embracing this technology, it can strengthen energy security, towards reliable and dispatchable energy, better compete with Chinese and US geothermal projects, and reduce dependence on oil and gas – the Achilles heel of the EU’s energy system.
The letter, addressed to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and key commissioners, is led by Cleantech for Europe, Future Cleantech Architects, and the European Geothermal Energy Council. Nearly 70 signatories support it, including cleantech companies, innovators and investors, NGOs, and research groups.
## Factors limiting geothermal growth
While Europe has strong technological leadership in advanced geothermal systems, the coalition argues that insufficient political prioritisation has slowed deployment compared to other clean technologies.
The letter identifies three key barriers limiting investment:
* High upfront costs and risk associated with exploration and deep drilling.
* Lack of long-term revenue certainty.
* Complex permitting and grid connection procedures.
To address these challenges, the coalition calls for:
* A dedicated EU geothermal de-risking facility.
* Bankable market frameworks supporting investment.
* Faster permitting procedures and improved access to data.
* Stronger political prioritisation of geothermal in the EU energy strategy.
With global competition in next-generation technologies accelerating, the signatories emphasise that the upcoming Geothermal Action Plan represents a critical opportunity to position geothermal as a pillar of Europe’s clean industrial strategy.
Sanjeev Kumar, policy director at the European Geothermal Energy Council, said:
> The Geothermal Action Plan must outline effective measures to overcome investment barriers and rapidly deploy geothermal so that everyone benefits from cheap, stable and homegrown energy.
Director of Cleantech for Europe Victor van Hoorn added:
> Europe can ill afford another energy crisis like 2022. Scaling firm 24/7 domestic energy is now a competitiveness and security imperative. Geothermal – the heat below our feet – has the potential to play a system-level role – but only if we unlock investment and deployment at scale.
GA Drilling founder Igor Kocis said:
> Europe has the technology and resources to unlock geothermal at scale, the missing piece is faster execution and targeted investment. If we are serious about energy security and reducing dependency on imported fuels, we need to invest in stable, local baseload energy, and geothermal is the most effective solution to deliver that over time.
And Baseload Capital CEO Alexander Helling commented:
> Europe must break free from its fossil fuel addiction, and the answer lies beneath our feet: by rapidly scaling geothermal energy, we can unlock clean, always-on power, heating, and cooling for a competitive, affordable and sustainable future.
*Feature image via the Canary*
By [The Canary][5]
[1]: https://fcarchitects.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Open-letter-%E2%80%93-Geothermal-April-2026.pdf
[2]: https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2026/02/Hot-stuff-geothermal-energy-in-Europe-1.pdf
[3]: https://fcarchitects.org/content/fca-standpoint-the-potential-of-next-generation-geothermal-for-heating-in-europe/
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/renewable-energy/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/04/10/businesses-and-civil-society-urge-europe-to-seize-next-generation-geothermal/

2026-04-11 00:02:35 CEST

Israeli occupation soldiers and settlers terrorise al Mughayyir resident daily
[Israeli occupation soldiers photographed against a backdrop of rocky hills in April 2026]
Maher Rizq Abdullah Naasan lives in the village of [al Mughayyir][1], north east of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. His home is in the south of the village, only 100 metres from his sizable plot of land.
Two kilometres away in the[ al Khaleel valley][2] is a newly established illegal settler grazing outpost and, unfortunately for Naasan, 60, the settlers have now constructed a dirt track.
He said:
> This dirt track runs from the outpost to our area, almost to the edge of my house. Every day, the settlers are with their sheep, damaging the olive trees growing on our land, many of which are more than 100 years old.
>
> The army then turns up to protect the settlers and expels us from our land. They prevent us from taking care of our land and when they see us with our olive trees, they fly a drone overhead.
[Israeli occupation soldiers photographed against a backdrop of rocky hills in April 2026]
Naasan had recently found himself being filmed by a drone. Then, five minutes later, a Hummer vehicle belonging to Israeli occupation soldiers arrived on the scene. They dropped gas bombs on the homes close to Nassan’s. Settlers then appeared and began grazing their livestock on his land.
[https://www.thecanary.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/WhatsApp-Video-2026-04-06-at-07.59.43.mp4][3]
Several days later on 2 April, at 1pm, the Israeli occupation vehicle again arrived in the area, this time with five soldiers inside and went straight to Naasan’s house.
He said:
> I didn’t leave the house because if I did, they would have assaulted me. These aren’t regular soldiers but a militia dedicated to protecting settlers. My car was parked in front of my home and I have video footage documenting what they did to it.
>
> They searched the car first, then opened the bonnet and put a substance in the oil reservoir to destroy the engine. They cut all the wires and cables inside the car, including to the battery, and they damaged the fan. After that they withdrew.
## Israeli attacks on Palestinians exceeded 23,800 in 2025
[https://www.thecanary.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/WhatsApp-Video-2026-04-06-at-08.00.39.mp4][4]
## ‘The goal is to seize our land and surround our homes’
Naasan, who said there was no reason for this behaviour because his car was legal, added that the drone was hovering above him taking pictures when he made the video of his damaged vehicle.
> The reason for all this harassment is to remove us from our land, and for the occupation’s soldiers and settlers to let us know that they can do whatever they want.
>
> The goal, in general, is slow evacuation — to seize our land and surround our homes. The army is protecting these settlers while their livestock are eating the olive trees. They have plenty of land already but now come to ours to make us leave it.
Surveillance cameras have now been placed on a tall tower to monitor Naasan and other Palestinians when they go to their land.
“The soldiers then arrive and start firing heavy gas at us,” Naasan added.
A 2022 report by [Israeli human rights organisations, Kerem Navit and Peace Now,][5] says that huge areas of land are stolen through the use of grazing outposts. A huge 70% of all Palestinian land seized by settlers has been taken under the guise of grazing activities. These grazing outposts either directly displace farmers and shepherding communities from their land or use violence, harassment and intimidation to force them away.
## Nearly one in four people in the West Bank are settlers
The [Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission’s new report][6] states that the Israeli occupation now controls more than 42% of the West Bank through settlements, outposts, bypass roads and military zones.
It adds that more than 780,000 illegal Israeli settlers live in more than 540 settlements and outposts across the area.
Almost 60 outposts were established in 2025 alone. Attacks by colonial settlers have become a “functional tool to [reshape geography][7] in the West Bank, particularly in Bedouin and agricultural communities,” Mu’ayyad Shaaban, head of CWRC, said. This undermines projects for a viable Palestinian state.
Data from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics indicates Israeli occupiers now make up more than 23% of the West Bank population, so nearly one in four.
The organisation also shared that in 2025:
* More than 23,800 attacks were carried out against Palestinians by Israeli occupation authorities and settlers
* Some 5,770 of these attacks involved the killing of civilians, burning of homes, facilities and vehicles, and property theft
* There were 16,664 attacks on individuals and nearly 1,400 attacks on land and natural resources
* More than 35,000 trees, including about 26,990 olive trees were damaged, bulldozed and uprooted during these attacks
Attacks on Palestinians are continuing at unprecedented levels, with nearly 3,800 attacks recorded in January and February of this year alone.
The sole purpose of this land theft is to forcibly displace Palestinians and ethnically cleanse the West Bank.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Charlie Jaay][8]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/02/28/israel-attack-ramallah/
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/03/west-bank-displacement/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/WhatsApp-Video-2026-04-06-at-07.59.43.mp4
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/WhatsApp-Video-2026-04-06-at-08.00.39.mp4
[5]: https://www.keremnavot.org/the-bad-samaritan-en
[6]: https://www.cwrc.ps/page-4358-en.html
[7]: https://www.cwrc.ps/page-4358-en.html
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/charlie-jaay/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/10/israeli-settler-attacks-april/

2026-04-11 00:02:29 CEST

Greens Organise pledge against austerity
[Greens]
Overflowing bins. Closed sports centres. Libraries run by unpaid volunteers. That’s the reality in towns and cities up and down Britain. Austerity is the cause, introduced by the Conservative-LibDem coalition.
Labour have continued with austerity. Reform have promised austerity on steroids, with something between [£40 billion][1] and [£150 billion][2] of cuts per year, but they [refuse to specify][3] how or where.
The pressure group [Greens Organise][4] have launched their [pledge to oppose austerity][5] for the local elections.
## Four principles
The pledge commits Green councillors to four principles:
1. Hold an emergency summit to make our communities heard to kick-start a mass campaign.
2. Community organisation and mobilisation to push for long-term national solutions.
3. Democratic control of local assets, including a full range of Community Wealth Building approaches.
4. Transparency over spending and responsible use of financial powers. At the moment, council finances can be impenetrable, even to elected councillors.
## A false logic
Austerity is a false logic. It takes money out of local economies. [13,649 shops closed for good in 2024, costing 119,405 jobs][6]. 17,349 shops closed in 2025, costing 201,953 jobs. As a result, councils receive less in business rates. High streets become run down.
Infrastructure is effected too. In December 2024, Gateshead Council closed a major road flyover with zero notice. A [lack of inspections][7] led to deterioration going unnoticed. [It created havoc,][8] closing the Metro tunnels underneath it for weeks. Fifteen months later, it’s still closed with diversions in place.
There are also countless undocumented stories about inadequate healthcare and spiralling mental health crises.
Councils end up spending time and money fixing what could have been prevented.
## National solutions
The solutions are national. Any government with a sovereign currency can earn, borrow, tax or create money. The use of monetary policy [in conjunction with wealth taxes][9] could reverse austerity. All of us would live in a cleaner, safer, more prosperous country. Sure, a handful of people might have to buy a smaller yacht. But we’d have a healthier, happier, more skilled workforce. We’d also have [cheaper energy][10] and infrastructure that works.
Local councils don’t have the same freedom to implement these measures. But it’s not much good throwing your hands up and saying there’s nothing we can do. We’re all sick of politicians blaming the last lot who were in power.
## Community Wealth Building
In local government, Community Wealth Building has been proven to work. It’s perhaps best known for making sure anchor institutions – councils, hospitals, etc. – spend their money with local suppliers. Whether this is a local joinery firm or a co-operative of education psychologists, this keeps money from leaking out of local economies.
This needs work – the big outsourcing companies have professional bid writers. Small, local firms often don’t know where to start. The pledge means making it easier for local firms with diverse ownership to compete with the billionaire-owned multinationals. In fact, the [Social Value Act][11] allows councils to weight procurement in favour of social impact. Contracts are awarded extra points if they create jobs locally.
It means standing up to the business-as-usual approach of doing quick and easy deals with developers. As Regional Mayor, I [stopped £3.5 million of public money subsidising luxury apartments][12] and a hotel right next to St James’ Park. Newcastle’s Labour council had signed it off, but I refused to put any money into a project that had no affordable housing.
## Rebalancing the economy
Care homes are perhaps the single biggest source of wealth extraction from our councils. Care workers are paid a pittance and around [30% of staff leave every year][13]. Yet companies are structured so very rich people make profits [by running them into the ground][14]. Councils are left to clean up the mess. We need a National Care Service. In the meantime, we should restructure these deals.
[Community energy companies][15] are working across the UK. Community housing trusts can convert old town halls into flats that are collectively owned by all residents. They pay their rent into their joint cooperative, preventing landlordism and property speculation.
As Mayor, I set up venture capital deals where the Combined Authority financially supported start-ups in return for equity stakes. It made millions of pounds for the Combined Authority. Every £1 invested returned more than £3 to in payroll taxes alone. I’d like to see more community bonds and regional finance institutions.
Rebalancing the economy, reversing austerity, ending rip-off Britain. Whatever you call it, there is no lever in No. 10 that you can switch from ‘capitalism’ to ‘socialism’. We need a cohort of leaders at every level with the skills and motivation to run the economy in the interests of the people who do the work.
You can read the full text of the [Pledge to Oppose Austerity in Local Government here][16].
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Jamie Driscoll][17]
[1]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg735z447kro
[2]: https://ifs.org.uk/articles/reform-uk-manifesto-reaction
[3]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YETicCXj6BU
[4]: https://greensorganise.uk/
[5]: https://greensorganise.uk/pledge-oppose-austerity/
[6]: https://www.retailresearch.org/retail-crisis.html
[7]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c24lv872nyjo
[8]: https://www.facebook.com/JamieDriscollNE/posts/pfbid0DCQbxLBXya5xenkjAt66LKqXTK7Zn91rr5WCgNmZjfsSSc4mMc9g8FWYQwfpHjhml
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/03/22/zack-polanski-economics/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/04/02/renewables-billionaires/
[11]: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/3
[12]: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/strawberry-place-st-james-park-26120828
[13]: https://nursebuddy.co/blog/tackling-high-staff-turnover-in-homecare
[14]: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/28/the-great-care-home-cash-grab-how-private-equity-turned-vulnerable-elderly-people-into-human-atms
[15]: https://humshaughnetzero.org/community-solar-farm
[16]: https://greensorganise.uk/pledge-oppose-austerity/
[17]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/jamie-driscoll/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/10/greens-organise-against-austerity/

2026-04-11 00:02:23 CEST

The Liquidation of a Lebanon: Political Folly and the Suicide of the State at the Negotiating Table
[israel]
In the realm of international relations, negotiation is traditionally regarded as the art of extracting the possible from the impossible.
However, in the political lexicon of the current Lebanese administration, this process has devolved into a demonstrable act of political folly – a reckless gambit that transcends mere incompetence to border on a deliberate conspiracy against the very [survival of the state][1].
By scurrying towards ‘[direct negotiations][2]‘ with the Israeli enemy, the authorities are not only flouting the 1955 [Anti-Israeli Boycott Law][3], which criminalises the slightest contact. They are placing the entire Lebanese entity, spearheaded by its military, into the firing line of a comprehensive civil war.
## The art of exchange or the trap of liquidation?
At its core, negotiation is a trade-off – a *quid pro quo*. The Israeli enemy – a power that has never offered ‘charitable gifts’ – will not be satisfied with mere technical or [maritime border][4] arrangements.
The transparent Israeli demand, which lies beneath every diplomatic overture, is the total dismantlement of the Resistance.
Here, the ‘political idiocy’ of the government is laid bare: how can a decaying authority negotiate the disarmament of a force that is fundamentally beyond its executive reach? How can it promise what it does not possess, unless it is planning a suicidal bet that gambles with the blood of its own citizens?
## The fatal trap
Any negotiated outcome that mandates the Lebanese army to [disarm the Resistance][5], raid its depots, or arrest its combatants is, in reality, a death warrant for the military institution itself.
The administration, believing it can appease ‘foreign agendas’ through such commitments, is effectively pushing the army into an inevitable collision with the very people it is sworn to protect.
This path leads to three catastrophic certainties:
1. **The Fragmentation of the Military:** The collapse of the army along sectarian and ideological lines at the first sign of internal confrontation.
2. **The Disintegration of the State:** Lebanon’s transformation from a political entity into an open ‘militia playground’, where the central government loses the final vestiges of control.
3. **An Israeli Playground:** Once the army falls and sedition is ignited, Lebanon becomes a security vacuum, totally vulnerable to the enemy’s whims, allowing them to achieve through internal strife what they failed to secure through direct military aggression.
## Slaughtered National Pact and legal treachery
The purported consent of the President cannot be used as a shield to bypass this ‘[legal treason][6]‘.
The Anti-Israeli Boycott Law is not a mere detail to be sidestepped by a ‘political understanding’; it is a pillar of the Lebanese national doctrine. To circumvent it through direct talks is to demolish the foundation of Lebanon as a state of confrontation.
Furthermore, the ‘National Pact’ ([*Mithaqiya*][7]) is slaughtered the moment a faction in power decides to gamble with the fate of an entire people. By turning the Lebanese people against one another, they seek to satisfy external diktats that view Lebanon as nothing more than a ‘security file’ to be liquidated.
## Perpetuating conflict, not ending it
This trajectory does not lead to peace; it perpetuates war in its most hideous form: internal strife.
The rush to negotiate from a position of profound weakness, devoid of a vision that preserves national unity, renders the government a mere tool for the implementation of the Zionist agenda to fragment Lebanon.
Sovereignty is not reclaimed by tearing the national fabric, and dignity is not preserved by conspiring against those who defend the land.
Those who believe the path to ‘stability’ passes through the destruction of Lebanon’s elements of strength and the dismantling of its army are either political simpletons or agents for hire, driving the country toward the ultimate abyss.
By [Mohammad Fakih][8]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/18/israel-lebanon-displacement/
[2]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/9/israels-netanyahu-ready-for-talks-with-lebanon-as-soon-as-possible
[3]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/8/27/boycotting-israel-in-lebanon-a-lot-more-to-be-done
[4]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/14/what-to-know-about-the-israel-lebanon-maritime-border-deal
[5]: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10347/
[6]: https://thearabweekly.com/domestic-support-grows-aoun-amid-hezbollah-treason-campaign
[7]: https://dearborn.org/preview/qabalan-any-bypassing-of-speaker-nabih-berri-will-explode-the-country-the-authorities-are-risking-a-disaster-77647
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/mohammad-fakih/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/10/liquidation-lebanon/

2026-04-11 00:02:17 CEST

Sunderland football fans launch petition to ban Nigel Farage from the club
[reform farage]
Supporters of Sunderland AFC [have launched a petition][1] to keep Nigel Farage away from the football club.
## Farage and Reform are predatory in working-class cities like Sunderland
[The Reform UK][2] leader was in Sunderland last month to launch the party’s local election campaign. For the first time all of Sunderland’s 75 council seats will be up for reelection. There are fears across the city that Reform could muscle in due to the [working-class population’s dissatisfaction with Labour][3].
[In 2024 Sunderland city centre][4] came under attack during far-right riots. [Reform denied any part in the riots][5], despite its voters massively supporting them.
Whilst in Sunderland for the local election launch, Farage [told *ITV News*:][6]
> I am hoping to go to a home game there at some point before the end of the season.
He continued:
> I have been talking to one of the directors and they would very much like to see me there for a home game. If I can make it, I will.
*ITV* reports that the director in question was Juan Sartori, whom Farage met at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year.
In response, a petition has been launched to ‘[keep Nigel Farage out of Sunderland AFC][7]‘
The petition says:
> We, the undersigned Sunderland supporters, call on the club and its directors not to extend any invitation to Nigel Farage, or any other politician, whether at the Stadium of Light or elsewhere.
## Reform does not represent Sunderland or SAFC
It sets out many reasons why fans should oppose a potential visit. These include that Farage’s visit would be a publicity stunt to secure votes:
> He doesn’t care about the club, has never mentioned it before, and has no real connection with it… Such behaviour is totally inappropriate for any politician, from any party. It’s also totally inappropriate for any football club to enable such actions.
The [petition also lays out][8] that it would reflect badly on the club, especially since it’s been actively involved in Show Racism the Red Card. It also highlights that [many current and former players have experienced racism][9] on and off the pitch.
The petition also points out that while you don’t need to belong to a particular political party to support Sunderland, Farage’s politics are in complete opposition to the club’s values and foundations:
> The working-class, socialist history of the fan base, who often worked as shipbuilders or miners, still resonates. There’s a reason why Durham Miners’ Association banners are still paraded at the Stadium of Light. There’s a reason why the road next to the stadium is named after Keir Hardie. There’s a reason fans sing The Red Flag. Hosting Farage in particular is a slap in the face to the history of our club, what it stands for, and fans, past and present.
[Ipswich Town][10] recently came under fire after Farage visited the club’s stadium ahead of a rally in Ipswich later that day. He posed for photos in the dressing room and on the pitch. The petition says the publicity stunt by Farage left Ipswich fans ashamed and that Farage:
> seized on the chance for a photo opportunity and to pander to their fans for votes, then left.
The [petition is calling on SAFC][11] to:
> 1. Withdraw any existing invitations to Nigel Farage – or any other politician – to visit the club.
> 2. Affirm the club’s independence from party politics.
> 3. Affirm that the club will never allow itself to be exploited as a platform for shallow political stunts and promotion.
> 4. Explain to fans if an invitation was extended to Farage and, if so, when, by whom, and in what form and capacity.
> 5. Affirm that no one involved in running the club will unilaterally invite any politicians to the club or seek to use their position for personal gain.
If you are a Sunderland fan, live in Sunderland or want to show solidarity, you can support the petition [here][12].
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Rachel Charlton-Dailey][13]
[1]: https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/26006975.fans-launch-petition-ban-nigel-farage-sunderland-afc/
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/reform/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/07/rachel-reeves-celebrate/
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2024/08/06/riots-uk-working-class/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2024/08/07/reform-race-riots/
[6]: https://www.itv.com/news/2026-03-27/nigel-farage-offered-sunderland-stadium-of-light-visit-by-club-director
[7]: https://www.change.org/p/keep-nigel-farage-out-of-sunderland-a-f-c
[8]: https://www.change.org/p/keep-nigel-farage-out-of-sunderland-a-f-c
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/22/premier-league-racist-abuse/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/03/27/farage-stunt/
[11]: https://www.change.org/p/keep-nigel-farage-out-of-sunderland-a-f-c
[12]: https://www.change.org/p/keep-nigel-farage-out-of-sunderland-a-f-c
[13]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/rachel-charlton-dailey/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/10/farage-sunderland/

2026-04-11 00:02:12 CEST

Too many women are being remanded into custody
[Prison corridor Women on remand]
The use of remand (holding a person in custody before [trial or sentencing][1]) is at its highest level in over 50 years. Today, one in four women in prison are being held on remand. Women on remand are less likely than men to be granted bail, and racially minoritised and migrant women are significantly overrepresented in the remand population.
Court delays mean women can wait months in detention, sometimes longer, without knowing their future. Even a short period in custody can lead to a woman losing her job, housing and care of her children.
A briefing by the Howard League for Penal Reform noted that for women remanded by magistrates:
> almost two-thirds … go on to be found not guilty or do not receive an immediate custodial sentence.
A new key findings paper by the chief inspector of prisons reinforces the scale of the problem. People on remand now make up 19% of the total adult prison population. Suicide is more common among this group and the report also found that 67% of people on remand report mental health difficulties.
Together with six other women-led organisations working for justice, [Women in Prison][2] has formed The Remand Collective. The other organisations are:
* [Hibiscus Initiatives][3].
* [The Howard League for Penal Reform][4].
* [Clean Break][5].
* [Birth Companions][6].
* [One Small Thing][7].
* [Not Beyond Redemption][8].
This is a bold new partnership committed to ending the [unjust, unsafe and unfair use of remand][9] for women. Together, we are calling for fewer women to be imprisoned whilst awaiting trial or sentencing, and for alternatives that are based in care, safety and trust.
One woman involved in the Remand Collective highlights its importance:
> I’ve never been asked what I need to feel safe – only told what’s expected of me. This space was different.
Change is possible and it starts by listening to women and investing in alternatives that keep women safe while upholding justice and dignity.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [The Canary][10]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/justice/
[2]: https://www.womeninprison.org.uk/
[3]: https://hibiscusinitiatives.org.uk/
[4]: https://howardleague.org/
[5]: https://www.cleanbreak.org.uk/
[6]: https://www.birthcompanions.org.uk/
[7]: https://onesmallthing.org.uk/
[8]: https://notbeyondredemption.co.uk/
[9]: https://insidetime.org/information/the-remand-collective/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/10/too-many-women-are-being-remanded-into-custody/

2026-04-11 00:02:06 CEST

Hormuz is not a chokepoint the US can bomb or sanction away
[strait of hormuz]
The US has been begging and pleading with Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz to nations attacking them. As the *Canary* has already noted, the strait is [open to nations who are not bombing Iran][1]. Evidently, the US is finally facing robust opposition to its previously unchecked hegemony.
Traditionally, the imperialist settler state of the US has been able to dominate proceedings via two avenues:
* domination of aerospace which allows it to issue threats to smaller nations
* its ability to ransack global south resources and economies via bombs, sanctions, IMF / World Bank loans, and funding counterinsurgencies.
Iran’s refusal to capitulate to the US’s demands to open the Strait of Hormuz doesn’t mean that the world’s biggest military power has become powerless. However, it does mean that the gap between the US’s geopolitical ambitions and its capabilities is widening.
Herein lies the opportunity for global south countries to widen this gap even further so they are never threatened with being turned into rubble again. And, the US’s domination of the globe is facing robust opposition from not just Iran, but also China.
## Hormuz to China’s ascendency
The US is well aware of its loss of productive capacity to China, especially on critical minerals.
At a recent [Senate committee hearing][2], officials testified that the entire US military apparatus, from fifth-generation aircraft and precision-guided munitions to satellite constellations and naval vessels, depends on a reliable supply of rare earth elements (REE) and minerals, including gallium, antimony, germanium, and others.
Chinese hegemony of these REE and minerals is a “clear and present” danger, officials said. The Senate [heard][3]:
> *Today, our primary strategic competitor, China, controls the global supply chain for numerous critical minerals. On heavy rare earths alone, China controls 95% of global output, with the United States importing almost 100% of what we use, 90% of that coming from China. This control provides Beijing with the ability to weaponise these supply chains, threatening to disrupt our Defence Industrial Base and compromise military readiness in a crisis.*
The beauty is that instead of taking ownership of the rabid post-1970s neoliberal era, which led to the hollowing out of the industry in the West, they blame China for “malign adversarial efforts to manipulate markets” and its efforts to “undermine” the US’s domestic market.
Accountability is not their competitive advantage, one can say!
## US’s inability to diagnose or treat internal contradictions
This is part of capitalism’s hubris. A part of the solution, according to them, lies in leveraging their “private capital markets, one of our few remaining comparative advantages against Beijing.”
In fact, as Costas Lapavitsas, Professor of Economics, SOAS University of London, [explains][4], it was US multinationals that:
> exported productive capital, established global production chains, outsourced labour-intensive processes upstream, and financialised their own operations through share buybacks rather than domestic investment.
He says that the hollowing out of the US industrial base was carried out largely by the very corporations Trump and his predecessor Biden are most aggressively defending.
## Critical minerals through economic coercion
Another way US hubris gets in the way is the belief that countries are breaking Chinese ties.
The Senate heard that [countries are:][5]
> poised to ditch the predatory debt trap diplomacy Beijing has foisted upon them in this area.
Not only is this self-aggrandising claim wrong, but the opposite is true. Trump, in fact, [boasts][6] about the use of economic sanctions and coercion.
The list is endless of economic coercion being used by the US for access to minerals. Just recently, Trump [threatened][7] to withhold HIV medication from Zambia to coerce access to minerals. His so-called [peace deal][8] between Congo and Rwanda is a guise for American corporations to “make a lot of money”. And then he is coercing Venezuela for access to its oil and critical minerals by the illegal kidnapping of president Maduro.
Or that in Indonesia, Trump used the threat of tariffs to [sign][9] the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) with Indonesia, which gives US investors the same access as domestic firms across the entire critical minerals value chain.
That the US’s World Bank [sits][10] on the Gaza Board of ‘Peace’ says everything about the US’s economic and debt policy for the global south.
Meanwhile, between 2000 and 2019, China cancelled at least US$3.4bn of debt in Africa, according to a [study][11] by Johns Hopkins University.
## China holds important levers
In April and [October][12] 2025, China [imposed][13] export controls on heavy rare earths, expanded them to include any product containing Chinese-sourced materials or technology, and added five more elements to the restricted list. Worth noting, these restrictions were [retaliatory][14] – the US first imposed export restrictions on 140 Chinese semiconductor firms.
Trump and Xi were supposed to meet in China in[ March-April][15], and now he has postponed the meeting to May. The White House has cited the war on Iran as the reason.
Economist Michael Hudson explained that Trump believed that the US could conquer Iran in two to four weeks:
He intended to use regime change in Iran as leverage to confront China, threatening to cut off its oil supply unless China agreed to export key raw materials such as gallium and tungsten, which the US military needed. Well – that didn’t work out!
## Hormuz exposes dependency
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was recently [asked][16] if the US would need an extension on rare earth access by October. He said, “We’ll assess that down the road.” He admitted the process with China was working “fairly well” but noted, “a few things here and there where we didn’t feel like we were getting rare earths in a timely fashion.” Chinese counterparts, he said, “took note of that and have it under consideration.”
China – they can’t bomb countries into rubble without your magnets needed for jet engines – keep that in mind!
The US’s handicaps on minerals should not be underestimated. Even at the height of the US-backed Ukraine and Russia’s war – the US kept [importing][17] uranium from Russia. Yes, American exceptionalism is really something. Europe couldn’t buy Russian LNG, but the US could buy Russian uranium.
Worth adding that these were the two countries – China and Russia – that recently [vetoed][18] the US-backed Bahraini proposal to authorise defensive military action for securing commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
## Brand America, dollar hegemony injured
China [beat][19] the United States in global approval ratings in 2025, with a median of 36% approving of China’s leadership, compared with 31% for the US, according to the latest Gallup polling.
Even the pro-US *Economist* [published][20] a cover of Chinese President Xi overshadowing Trump that read – “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”
Deutsche Bank has warned in a [new report][21] that the rise of the petroyuan poses a clear challenge to the US currency. The[ petrodollar system][22], built on a 1974 agreement between the US and Saudi Arabia, faces a “perfect storm” from the ongoing war on Iran initiated by the US / UK / Israel, the bank said.
Reduced global oil trade would also create more room for the pricing of goods and services to shift away from the dollar, the report said. Both petro (ie oil) and one of the US’s main exports, as well as the US dollar, the US’s currency, would be impacted adversely. Hormuz is evidently a central strategic point.
## Bombing countries into rubble is still a viable threat
The [US military budget i][23]s roughly $1tn annually. That is more than the next ten countries combined, including China, Russia, and every European power. The US operates 800-plus military bases worldwide.
American exceptionalism will be here for the near future despite losing industrial productive capacity to China. As Lapavitsas noted, the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet functions as “[the ultimate collateral backstop for global markets.][24]” The dollar remains the world’s currency; nearly 60 percent of global reserves and roughly half of all cross-border payments are settled in dollars.
Despite losing productive capacity, US banks and multinationals still dominate global finance and corporate control. As Lapavitsas [notes][25], three large investment funds – BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street – control roughly 25 percent of all US corporate equity. These same firms are the largest shareholders in European, Japanese, and emerging market corporations.
## Growth at any cost
This was the reason Starmer was proud of his photo op with BlackRock’s Larry Fink.
> I’m determined to deliver growth, create wealth and put more money in people’s pockets.
>
> This can only be achieved by working in partnership with leading businesses, like [@BlackRock][26], to capitalise on the UK’s position as a world leading hub for investment. [pic.twitter.com/qDPpEYEYAh][27]
>
> — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) [November 21, 2024][28]
Owning the elites like Starmer and NATO’s [Mark Rutte][29] across the globe is another card up the US’s sleeve. They have Modi, who is [mentioned][30] in the Epstein files, as well as his best friend Adani, facing an SEC indictment, giving the US [blackmail leverage][31] over India’s prime minister.
They have Pakistan’s elite on Trump’s Board of Peace and its [crypto traders][32] chasing the Americans crypto industry.
However, popular support in both [India][33] and [Pakistan][34] against Trump – another contradiction – is not in favour of the US. Not dissimilar to what the popular masses want in the [UK][35] or other NATO countries like [Italy][36].
Are the stacks in favour of the global majority? Or the elites with Trump as the head of the snake? The gap between US ambitions and its capabilities is certainly widening. As Iran’s closure of Hormuz shows, here lies the opportunity for global south countries to widen this gap even further – and not get bombed or sanctioned back to the Stone Age.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Nandita Lal][37]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/09/hormuz-open/
[2]: https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/transcript_full_02-24-26.pdf
[3]: https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-receive-testimony-on-rebuilding-american-critical-minerals-supply-chains
[4]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP7fsiO0bGw&t=39s
[5]: https://www.wicker.senate.gov/2026/2/chairman-wicker-leads-sasc-hearing-on-rebuilding-american-critical-minerals-supply-chains
[6]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXUnC0JDdlk
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/18/trump-zambia/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/12/12/trump-colonialism/
[9]: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/us-indonesia-trade-deal-slammed-as-extractive-colonialism-over-mining-fossil-fuels/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/02/24/world-bank-epstein-ties/
[11]: https://download.ssrn.com/20/12/08/ssrn_id3745021_code414695.pdf?response-content-disposition=inline&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEE4aCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJHMEUCIEsze5PL5YQwaKBCV5cIJb4vR5qNzsW1Hrr5MyVPBTD9AiEA7zNNIdKO8dDbaQwm5BUR4DPRxmQ9KUacoCA%2BQsOfJi0qvQUIFxAEGgwzMDg0NzUzMDEyNTciDHgWtHJr4FOxD6H%2FYyqaBQ7kGgV%2FiTkQGFuW9giwCQaFg5Sxix8Fzf8z3rYtbWYsJKOh2x0qKW6jSGrmPE0qslbgEM1cWpGWVy%2B8pDs4ksM7Ne6ki2OH%2FGgbopAV6dctq8MgoKeyNxbueOvOo0cdEP2QQ6d%2FXLDQc9efIE5OsqvLWVpf8HrnHGqg3ceEtANcuehJpETKjF3IGtQDFDXZSWCk7VpG%2BFdOI0MKQzhmc8DZPpJOJ%2FFaONohIXLde5WawV1oznxbt%2FTc3fIRoa0MOE%2F2lsb%2F2q9pFuF6TzSRRcRnLJrr%2Fd%2FoqF%2BzWxejed9WNluMAB2AZ%2FwWGwqcUmsFE7tAgxe7NXtd75wX37%2F%2Bpbi5MtSMSL9ITPf3ZjehwpFvY5S4X2%2BCYYmBfKj4%2Fn0OxMOtcgEyRRqrV0F8fHniyaMz0Iol2io4qZ3sxZ0yGX37fmhr%2Bo%2FuO7rQFfHHHBaNVM%2FmCVHM9CSiDJNflEFTkSfp%2BCP9HkKsypijY%2BwGMkHKfH5q3wVTqk4R7Pq6%2B1xO2tDw3DQSmlo9Eg1DxF1THxkS%2BhJZE5dCgj15FIWngQacCEjGJ%2BPYTpztohwinKulHr4TuNIgtOaljHcOAy7vRV81CRiM%2FbAWAoTCccEgxv5uOMNoeiHRGv1VqKar
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[12]: https://ecfr.eu/publication/beijing-holdem-european-cards-against-chinese-coercion/
[13]: https://www.iea.org/commentaries/with-new-export-controls-on-critical-minerals-supply-concentration-risks-become-reality
[14]: https://bisi.org.uk/reports/escalating-trade-war-chinas-ban-on-rare-mineral-exports-to-the-us
[15]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/16/trump-seeks-to-delay-meeting-with-chinas-xi-by-month-or-so-amid-iran-war
[16]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUdHnT4J_QY
[17]: https://bellona.org/news/nuclear-issues/2025-03-enriched-uranium-fuels-russias-war-machine-but-the-u-s-still-imports-it
[18]: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-vetoes-un-resolution-protecting-hormuz-shipping-2026-04-07/
[19]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/07/china-trump/
[20]: https://x.com/TheEconomist/status/2039304624759263346
[21]: https://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/IE-PROD/PDFVIEWER.calias?pdfViewerPdfUrl=PROD0000000000622186&rwnode=REPORT
[22]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/03/18/petrodollar-gulf-states/
[23]: https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2025-04/2504_fs_milex_2024.pdf
[24]: https://www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/31/03/2026/trumps-iran-war-may-mark-beginning-end-dollar-backed-us-empire
[25]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eBtU1GkU4I
[26]: https://twitter.com/BlackRock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[27]: https://t.co/qDPpEYEYAh
[28]: https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1859682871876911310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[29]: https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250624-trump-posts-nato-chief-gushing-message-praise-extraordinary-iran-action-rutte
[30]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/epstein-said-qatar-had-sing-and-dance-israel-modi-escape-gulf-blockade
[31]: https://x.com/INCIndia/status/2026938157263106307?s=20
[32]: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2026-03-29/how-a-35-year-old-crypto-bro-from-pakistan-won-over-trump
[33]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/02/17/india-historic-strike-challenges-modi/
[34]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/02/pakistan-us-consulate-protest/
[35]: https://news.sky.com/story/more-than-half-of-the-uk-sees-us-as-a-negative-force-because-of-the-iran-war-poll-finds-13529828
[36]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/27/italy-meloni-referendum-defeat-trump/
[37]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/nandita-lal/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/10/hormuz-china/

2026-04-11 00:01:55 CEST

Former NEC-er Rahman outs Labour’s antisemitism smear vs Green candidate
[labour]
Mish Rahman is a former – and longstanding – member of the national executive committee (NEC) of the Labour party. He is now a member of the Greens. And he has outed the hypocrisy and racism of Labour’s desperate attempt to smear a London Green candidate as antisemitic.
Labour is clearly still stung by its [humiliating defeat in the Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election][1] and terrified of the outcome of [May 2026’s local elections][2]. It is just as clearly still desperate to propagate the [Israel lobby’s attacks on the Greens][3] for opposing Israel’s genocide. Hence the hollow arrogance of Lewisham mayor Brenda Dacre’s blatantly electioneering letter to Green leader Zack Polanski demanding the removal of Forest Hill candidate Bernard Mani:
Dacre’s pretext for her demand is that he has apparently questioned Israel’s atrocity narrative concerning 7 October 2023. The fact that the narrative has already been completely debunked seems to have escaped her notice – or at least her computer keyboard.
But according to Rahman, who has extensive experience of Dacre when she was a Labour party functionary, her ability to ignore facts has previously protected racists, rather than attack opponents of genocide. In a post on X, he recounted one such experience:
> I chaired a disciplinary panel with Brenda Dacres and one other white bloke.
>
> We interviewed a racist who called a Muslim female Cllr Jezbollah in public – refused to apologise and said he stands by his comments.
>
> Brenda and Merton voted to reinstate him outvoting me 2-1 [https://t.co/VBzn7MMaFp][4]
>
> — Mish Rahman (@mish_rahman) [April 9, 2026][5]
## Labour and bigotry
Appalling. But Dacre is anything but an anomaly in her party, which has a [long record][6] of anti-Black, anti-Muslim, and anti-Roma racism.
The Labour Muslim Network published a [damning report on the rampant Islamophobia among the Labour right][7]. Keir Starmer and his sidekick David Evans promised to immediately implement all the LMN report’s recommendations, but two *years* later LMN had to [report that the situation continued unabated and was so serious that most Muslim party members had no confidence in Starmer][8] or his interest in tackling the issue. Three years later still, and Starmer is [no better][9].
Anti-Black racism, meanwhile, has run riot among the Labour right, with whole swathes of Black councillors deselected – in at least one case, involving the [removal of *every* Black councillor in a London borough][10]. Unlike the Abbott suspension, the issue was ignored by the so-called ‘mainstream’ media. In 2026, Starmer’s party is [busy trying to normalise it][11] across UK society.
And MPs who made or [propagated][12] grossly racist comments against Gypsy Roma people went unpunished by the party and were even appointed to [Starmer’s front bench][13]. Those who [hound left-wing Muslim and Black MP women MPs][14], by contrast, are enabled and protected.
So rampant was the issue and so uninterested was the leadership in doing anything about it that in 2021, [Black party members went on campaign ‘strike’ in protest][15] – and in 2022, [black MPs and activists protested publicly against the leadership’s complete inaction][16] over the racist abuses highlighted in the Forde report.
Even on the issue of antisemitism, Starmer and co are selective: while left-wingers [including many Jews][17] are thrown out of the party for legitimate criticism of Israel or even for wanting to discuss the so-called ‘IHRA working definition’, right-wingers who have [made clearly antisemitic statements][18] have been allowed to remain on the front bench or even [promoted][19].
Polanski’s [record of tackling Israel lobby smears head on][20] suggests that he will tell – may already have told – the desperate Labour mayor to stick her demands somewhere sunlight doesn’t reach. He certainly should.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Skwawkbox][21]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/03/01/labour-death-rattle/
[2]: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/your-election-information
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/02/26/israel-spouts-debunked-lies/
[4]: https://t.co/VBzn7MMaFp
[5]: https://twitter.com/mish_rahman/status/2042181747736019076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/03/22/laura-kuenssberg-why-would/
[7]: https://skwawkbox.org/2020/11/14/lmn-report-exposes-rife-islamophobia-among-labour-right/
[8]: https://skwawkbox.org/2022/03/15/after-2-years-of-inaction-by-labour-7-out-of-10-muslims-dont-trust-starmer-to-tackle-islamophobia/
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/11/05/islamophobia-labour-starmer/
[10]: https://skwawkbox.org/2018/06/11/excl-enfield-caliskan-scandal-grows-all-black-councillors-were-deselected/
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/10/labours-normalisation-of-racism/
[12]: https://skwawkbox.org/2021/04/02/labour-shadow-equalities-minister-posts-picture-handing-out-anti-grt-campaign-leaflet/
[13]: https://www.travellerstimes.org.uk/news/2020/07/labour-shadow-minister-apologises-inappropriate-and-careless-statement-about
[14]: https://skwawkbox.org/2022/10/11/starmer-shredded-for-mental-health-day-tweet-while-letting-vulnerable-women-be-hounded/
[15]: https://skwawkbox.org/2021/01/23/exclusive-black-labour-members-go-on-strike-no-campaigning-in-2021-for-mps-who-look-other-way-on-anti-black-racism/
[16]: https://skwawkbox.org/2022/09/02/black-politicians-to-protest-starmers-inaction-over-forde-exposed-racism-tonight-at-5pm/
[17]: https://skwawkbox.org/2021/08/12/anatomy-of-labours-purge-of-jews-the-68yo-palestinian-solidarity-and-peace-activist/
[18]: https://skwawkbox.org/2020/08/02/yet-another-right-wing-mp-forced-to-apologise-after-tweets-linking-jewish-figures-with-israeli-money-where-is-starmers-zero-tolerance/
[19]: https://skwawkbox.org/2020/07/06/breaking-starmer-tells-reed-no-action-over-complaints-re-reeds-puppet-master-and-israeli-billionaire-tweets-as-reed-deletes-tweet-praising-action-vs-long-bailey/
[20]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/01/15/zack-polanski-blasts-board/
[21]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/skwawkbox/
https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/04/10/labour-green-smear/

2026-04-11 00:01:50 CEST

Zionist oligarch implicated in bombing of Iranian pistachio factories
[pistachio]
[Satellite imagery flagged by the @mhmiranusa account on X][1] indicates that US & Israeli Zionist war criminals have been bombing Iranian pistachio warehouses. The account owner said:
> The pistachio warehouses of Iranian Pistachio Company near Rafsanjan Airport were targeted by American/Israeli fighter jets in the first week of Farvardin.
The attached before and after images show clear differences, with many buildings seemingly no longer standing. The blog *The Dissident *[suggests a reason for the destruction, saying it’s][2]:
> …likely a gift to Lynne and Stewart Resnick, the Zionist billionaires who own the California-based Wonderful company, the largest producer of pistachios in the world.
As the writer elaborates, the Resnicks have benefited from over four decades [of brutal US sanctions][3] on Iran:
> For as long as anyone can remember, Iran had been the world’s main supplier of pistachios. But Carter’s 1979 embargo on the country effectively cut off Iranian pistachio growers from the American market and created a need for alternative pistachio production, which was virtually nonexistent in the United States.
Over much of that period, the Resnicks have built up a farming empire in California, with:
> …nearly 160 square miles…growing cotton, pistachios, almonds, oranges, lemons and grapefruit.
## Sanctions on Iran boost US pistachio industry
A picture tells a thousand words, so this image best shows the effect Washington’s sanctions have had on the relative success of pistachio markets in the US and Iran.
This degrading of Iran’s capacity to produce the foodstuff gives the US – and the Resnicks in particular – an opening into a global market [worth over $5 billion][4]. Iran and California are two of only a few areas in the world where pistachios are grown.
The Zionist plutocrats have certainly contributed to the current shape of the market, with [Mondoweiss documenting how][5]:
> …the Resnicks did what any smart and ruthless American would do: they made common cause with oil companies, Islamophobes, neocons and Likudniks, and began funneling money to think tanks and political advocacy groups that take a hardline approach with Iran. Economic sanctions, sabotage, vilification—all these things worked in the Resnicks’ interest. Bombing some of Iran’s pistachio fields wouldn’t be so bad, either.
The pair are:
> …on the board of trustees of the highly influential Washington Institute for Near East Policy think tank, which was created as an AIPAC spin-off in the ’80s. In the realms of US government mid-east policy and media reporting about the region, the think tank is considered to be one of the most influential in the country. It is also ridiculously hawkish on Iran, calling for heavy sanctions and military strikes against the country.
Given so-called ‘Israel’ gleefully bombs [schools][6], [hospitals][7], [mosques][8] and even [synagogues][9], it wouldn’t be a stretch for it to bomb a nut factory to help out one of their key advocates and financial backers. The terrorist land theft project has an entire military philosophy predicated on attacks against non-military targets, known as the [Dahiya Doctrine][10].
## Centuries of violent intervention to protect profits
It would also be entirely in line with centuries old corporation-backing imperial policy. It stretches back at least as far as Britain using its military might to back the [East India Company][11] which pillaged South Asia. Famously, the United States [staged a coup in Guatemala in 1954][12] to overthrow the country’s legitimate president Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán. The illegal attack was done to help out the United Fruit Company, with Árbenz planning to redistribute their vast land holdings.
And of course, most relevant of all in the current context is what happened just one year earlier – [Operation Ajax][13]. This was the British-US plot in which they overthrew Iran’s elected prime minister Mohammad Mossadegh.
They acted after Mossadegh sought to put oil profits in the hands of Iranians, rather than imperial powers. He aimed to do this by nationalising the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, now known as BP. Iran has not had democratic governance since.
The Resnicks’ offences extend beyond backing Zionist war crimes. A [documentary called *Pistachio Wars*][14] highlights their hoarding of water in California:
> As drought intensifies and communities struggle for access to water, this film exposes the hidden systems of power, greed, and corruption shaping the future of food, farming, and survival in the American West.
It is executive produced by Adam McKay, [who directed ][15]*Vice, *the excellent skewering of mass murderer Dick Cheney.
The illegal attack on Iran has caused fuel prices to soar, and that will soon have a knock-on effect on the price of everything else. If you’re paying more for pistachios in particular, you now know why.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Robert Freeman][16]
[1]: https://x.com/mhmiranusa/status/2040997481874350292
[2]: https://the307.substack.com/p/whats-behind-usisraeli-strikes-on?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=489w7e&triedRedirect=true
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/02/27/us-citizens-israel/
[4]: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/the-5-billion-pistachio-war-how-us-and-turkey-are-wiping-iran-off-the-map/articleshow/129755938.cms
[5]: https://mondoweiss.net/2013/07/oligarch-valley-how-beverly-hills-billionaire-farmers-lynda-and-stewart-resnick-profit-from-the-iran-sanctions-they-lobbied-for/
[6]: https://www.savethechildren.net/blog/education-under-attack-gaza-nearly-90-school-buildings-damaged-or-destroyed
[7]: https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/4/1/the-destruction-of-gazas-al-shifa-hospital
[8]: https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2025/9/17/gaza-city-mosque-blown-up-by-israeli-air-attack
[9]: https://www.newarab.com/news/irans-jews-israel-strike-synagogue-attack-anti-zionism
[10]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/israels-war-lebanon-what-exactly-dahieh-doctrine
[11]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/04/east-india-company-original-corporate-raiders
[12]: https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/jacobo-arbenz-guzman-deposed/
[13]: https://jacobin.com/2023/08/cia-mi6-churchill-roosevelt-iran-mossadegh-coup-cold-war-imperialism
[14]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyzXtEWzB1U
[15]: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6266538/
[16]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/robert-freeman/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/10/pistachio-zionist/

2026-04-04 18:43:00 CEST

Trump just said Iran has 48hrs until he ‘reigns hell’ on them
[Trump]
Trump has once again threatened to up the ante in his [war on Iran][1]. This time, he’s vowed to ‘reign down hell’ if Iran doesn’t re-open the Strait of Hormuz. The problem for Trump is that the constant escalations seem to have worked more in Iran’s favour than America’s:
> Donald Trump has posted this on his Truth Social media account saying that Iran has "48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them" if they don't make a deal and open the Strait of Hormuz. [pic.twitter.com/Hz8WssiS64][2]
>
> — Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) [April 4, 2026][3]
## Trump is flailing
Despite Trump claiming he gave Iran 10 days to make a deal, the hostilities have continued:
> [🗞] U.S.-Israeli airstrikes hit Shahid Beheshti University in northern Tehran on April 3, targeting the Laser and Plasma Research Institute at its Velenjak campus, according to Iranian Red Crescent and university officials.
>
> The research facility sustained significant damage,… [https://t.co/nf0ovanGPN][4]
>
> — Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) [April 3, 2026][5]
The big development of the past few days has been that Iran successfully shot down an American fighter jet:
> [🚨] BREAKING | An Iranian official told Drop Site News that a U.S. F-15 warplane struck by Iranian forces went down over southern Tehran Province, with intense fire reported at the crash site.
>
> The official said the nature of the strike prevented the pilot[s] from ejecting before… [https://t.co/iUKD0AqRQQ][6] [pic.twitter.com/BI4TzolmZY][7]
>
> — Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) [April 3, 2026][8]
On 3 April, [*Drop Site* reported on all the US aircraft incidents which had happened in the prior 24 hours][9]:
> [▪] One F-15E Strike Eagle (fighter-bomber): downed; 1 pilot rescued, 1 crew missing, search continues
> [▪] Two HH-60W Jolly Green II (combat rescue helicopter) hit by Iran: all crew accounted for, both landed safely
> [▪] One A-10 Warthog (close air support jet) crashed into Persian Gulf: pilot rescued
> [▪] Another A-10 aircraft hit; made emergency landing with one engine disabled
> [▪] F-16 (multirole fighter): declared emergency over Iraq; landed safely
> [▪] KC-135 Stratotanker (refueling aircraft): declared emergency over Israel; landed safely
> [▪] Iran also claimed it struck and downed another U.S. jet near Qeshm Island yesterday
As this has been going on, the Trump regime has been sacking senior military figures:
> It's likely that experienced generals are telling Hegseth his Iran war plans are unworkable, disastrous, and deadly.
>
> Also, Hegseth is firing a ton of experienced generals right now. [https://t.co/I2iKshfjNX][10]
>
> — Chris Murphy [🟧] (@ChrisMurphyCT) [April 3, 2026][11]
> The same day that Hegseth fires multiple senior army leaders, he announces that individuals "trusted" by the administration will be able to carry arms on base…
>
> On the same day Trump is purging his cabinet…
>
> This is like coup level shit. [https://t.co/fopaihE4R3][12]
>
> — Adam Cochran (adamscochran.eth) (@adamscochran) [April 3, 2026][13]
It’s also reported that War Secretary Pete Hegseth may be paranoid about potential replacements:
> Fox News: Multiple sources tell us the Hegseth firing of Army Chief of Staff Randy George has to do with Hegseth's rivalry with Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, who is a close ally of JD Vance & was considered on the short list to replace Hegseth at one point [pic.twitter.com/lmwqaPN5Sm][14]
>
> — Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) [April 4, 2026][15]
[The war on Iran has gone so poorly that it’s understandable the war secretary would now fear for his job][16]. Things are so bad dire for Hegseth that Iran is actually mocking him:
> An Iranian embassy trolling the Trump administration over Pete Hegseth’s purge of the US military mid-war [https://t.co/IrgFxd0x7R][17]
>
> — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) [April 3, 2026][18]
It’s really not a strong look for a country to start sacking its military officials in the middle of an offensive. America isn’t a strong country, though, is it? It’s a weak country with a military industrial complex to serve.
## Human suffering
While the actions of Trump and Hegseth are laughable and buffoonish, [it’s important to remember that real people are suffering as a result of these childish men and their tantrums][19]. It’s equally important for us here in Europe to keep up the pressure on our leaders.
This isn’t our war, and we must not allow our leaders to drag us into it.
*Featured image via Pixabay (via Canva)*
By [Willem Moore][20]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/25/iran-german-bank-petroyuan/
[2]: https://t.co/Hz8WssiS64
[3]: https://twitter.com/I_amMukhtar/status/2040433167484555629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://t.co/nf0ovanGPN
[5]: https://twitter.com/DropSiteNews/status/2040107134327644543?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://t.co/iUKD0AqRQQ
[7]: https://t.co/BI4TzolmZY
[8]: https://twitter.com/DropSiteNews/status/2039966732417130831?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[9]: https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2040160825890213943?s=20
[10]: https://t.co/I2iKshfjNX
[11]: https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/2039903769693958403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[12]: https://t.co/fopaihE4R3
[13]: https://twitter.com/adamscochran/status/2039867198710157496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[14]: https://t.co/lmwqaPN5Sm
[15]: https://twitter.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/2040234886959607944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[16]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/01/trump-iran-war-latest/
[17]: https://t.co/IrgFxd0x7R
[18]: https://twitter.com/mehdirhasan/status/2040089954609422374?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[19]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/02/28/iran-school-massacres-done/
[20]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/04/trump-just-said-iran-has-48hrs/

2026-04-04 18:29:48 CEST

Reform welcomes ‘shoot the p*kis’ scandal ex-Tory
[Reform]
Every day, Reform’s battalion of [local election candidates][1] is looking worse and worse. Today, we learned that the party has welcomed a notorious ex-Tory councillor who voiced what can only be described as hardcore, Nazi-grade genocidal intent:
> Reform claimed they have the most rigorous candidate vetting in the UK; yet a simple google search of Derek Bullock’s name brings up several news articles about Derek’s racist past.
>
> So is Reform’s vetting process broken, or do they condone Derek Bullock’s call to violence?
>
> — thelefttake (@thelefttake) [April 4, 2026][2]
## ‘Shoot them on the spot’
In March 2020, the Conservatives suspended Bolton councillor Derek Bullock. [As the *Manchester Evening News* reported at the time][3]:
> It is alleged that Coun Derek Bullock, who represents Hulton ward on Bolton Council , posted an article from anti-Muslim activist Robert Spencer’s ‘JihadWatch’ on Facebook.
>
> In response to an article about former party chair Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, he reportedly added: “She’s been a cuckoo in the nest!”
>
> In another post, from February 2015, he is shown to have shared a Daily Mail article under the headline ‘Number of Muslim children in England and Wales doubles in a decade’, adding the comment ‘the clock is ticking’.
Despite this, [Bullock was actually re-selected to run for the Tories in 2023][4] (although he was suspended, he remained a councillor). At the time, Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi said:
> …culture of Islamophobia which has been found to exist throughout the party
>
> Moreover, this decision shows a lack of commitment to integrity and calls into question his suitability for public office and ability to represent our multicultural town.
>
> — Yasmin Qureshi MP (@YasminQureshiMP) [April 5, 2023][5]
In response to the backlash, the Tories re-suspended Bullock, with the *Mirror* reporting on this truly obscene post from him:
> [Following the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017][6], an account in Mr Bullock’s name commented on a news article: “Shoot the P***s on the spot.”
He’s clearly woken up to the fact that he’s not getting back into the Conservative Party. The question is whether Reform will tolerate a councillor who’s expressed an intent to eradicate a sizeable UK minority group.
## Reform vetting
*The Canary’s *[Antifabot][7] posted the following:
> Hey [@reformparty_uk][8] [🙋‍♀️]
>
> I just wanted to know, do you screen your candidates and if you do, is being a total and utter fascist who looks like a nonce a must?
>
> Just so you know, if you do get in, we will absolutely stand up against people like this
>
> Fucking dickhead [pic.twitter.com/qz5hP9ZpFd][9]
>
> — 𝔸𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕗𝕒𝔹𝕠𝕥 – AKA The Intolerant Left (@_Wrevolution_) [April 4, 2026][10]
As we reported earlier today, [there is reason to believe that Reform just isn’t vetting its candidates:][11]
> Brett Muscroft is Reform UK’s candidate in Castleford Central & Glasshoughton, Wakefield.
>
> He shows clearly that Reform UK’s vetting is nil for this coming local elections.
>
> His posts on Islam, his support of Tommy Robinson, Enoch Powell and posting far-right and racist content… [pic.twitter.com/2kDm9P5DSI][12]
>
> — Reform Party UK Exposed [🇬🇧] (@reformexposed) [April 3, 2026][13]
The exposed posts from Brett Muscroft were found on his personal Facebook account. When we looked into it, this account was still public, and was instantly discoverable with a search on Facebook.
This leaves two possibilities:
* Reform isn’t vetting candidates.
* Reform has decided to accept the absolute dregs of humanity.
Either way, we get to the same result.
*Featured image via [Derek Bennet (Wikimedia)][14]*
By [Willem Moore][15]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/04/reform-uk-accused-of-nil/
[2]: https://twitter.com/thelefttake/status/2040377961380037058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3]: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/conservative-councillor-suspended-over-islamophobic-17864130
[4]: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tory-council-candidate-kicked-out-29639810
[5]: https://twitter.com/YasminQureshiMP/status/1643641798714073088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tory-council-candidate-kicked-out-29639810
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/antifabot/
[8]: https://twitter.com/reformparty_uk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[9]: https://t.co/qz5hP9ZpFd
[10]: https://twitter.com/_Wrevolution_/status/2040369011393720322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/04/reform-uk-accused-of-nil/
[12]: https://t.co/2kDm9P5DSI
[13]: https://twitter.com/reformexposed/status/2039965842763342181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[14]: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nigel_Farage_happy_%2824875303420%29.jpg
[15]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/04/reform-welcomes-shoot-the/

2026-04-04 18:05:37 CEST

Animal Justice Project urge people to ‘Skip the Lamb’ this Easter
[Easter]
[Animal Justice Project][1] has staged a demonstration in Leicester Square asking people to “Skip the Lamb” over Easter. As the charity highlights, lambs are usually only a few months old when they’re slaughtered:
> We’re in Leicester Square today, urging the public to ‘Skip the Lamb’ this Easter.
>
> Joined by dedicated activists and a powerful street stunt featuring a lamb and butcher, we’re challenging passersby to confront the reality behind their choices… and who ultimately pays the… [pic.twitter.com/eHD2GhHkBJ][2]
>
> — AnimalJusticeProject (@ajpReact) [April 4, 2026][3]
## This Easter — Skip the Lamb
In a press release, the group said:
> Organised by Animal Justice Project, the demonstration features a powerful visual installation exposing the reality behind lamb consumption. A performer portraying a lamb lies on a table, dressed in a white costume with lamb ears and realistic prosthetic wounds, including a slit throat and severe leg injury. A figure dressed as a butcher appears to cut into the body, while a pile of severed leg props represents the scale of animals killed.
>
> Volunteers are holding placards and distributing leaflets encouraging passers-by to “Skip the Lamb”, while a life-size lamb prop reinforces the connection between animals and the food on people’s plates.
In a video posted to social media, the group showed their activists interacting with the public:
> Over 75% of the public are meat-eaters… but what percentage realise they are eating babies?
>
> For many, Easter is a time for eating ‘a leg of lamb’, yet the disconnect is present even in the language.
>
> Eating a lamb’s leg means killing baby animals, sometimes as young as 10… [pic.twitter.com/5VzhIMe1sY][4]
>
> — AnimalJusticeProject (@ajpReact) [April 4, 2026][5]
Claire Palmer (Animal Justice Project founder) said:
> Easter is often seen as a time of renewal and compassion, yet it’s still associated with eating lambs — animals who are only a few months old when they’re killed.
>
> We want people to stop and think. Behind every Easter meal is an animal who wanted to live.
Palmer added:
> Traditions can change. And when they involve the lives of young animals, they should.”
Animal Justice Project also provided the following statistics:
> * April: 893,336 lambs slaughtered
> * June: 1,106,894 lambs slaughtered
> * Lambs are typically slaughtered at 4–8 months old
## A Change of Heart
Animal Justice Project are simultaneously releasing a new film titled *A Change of Heart: From Sheep Farmer to Vegan**. *The video follows Sivalingam “Kumar” Vasanthakumar — a former sheep farmer. Kumar took his flock to a sanctuary before transitioning to a plant-based livelihood.
As the press release notes:
> [Previously featured by BBC News][6], Kumar now grows vegetables and runs a vegan street food business, Kumar’s Dosa Bar, using largely home-grown produce.
>
> . …
>
> “I saw them as individuals,” Kumar says in the film. “Once you see that, you can’t continue as before.”
You can watch *A Change of Heart: From Sheep Farmer to Vegan* [here][7].
*Featured image via [Animal Justice Project][8]*
By [Willem Moore][9]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2025/05/12/cranswick-pig-farm/
[2]: https://t.co/eHD2GhHkBJ
[3]: https://twitter.com/ajpReact/status/2040402310371614832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://t.co/5VzhIMe1sY
[5]: https://twitter.com/ajpReact/status/2040416818020381095?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: http://tracking.animaljusticeproject.com/tracking/click?d=9kyWQyT4zRXtwC9GPnJ-GI5Hx4gn3vOPjLxDQTGFfsODObKCLbfDqkN21zZLUPkC8rbXYdnA-Q-X8ATrwfZNh5FpKtX-cTNeURuCHB9eJcCiBFdV9MZ9pqNjSH3aWUooQcC-o7rqKY3UFyGR4fJrYq_hVhEz66VoAsjXVO6JdKi10
[7]: http://tracking.animaljusticeproject.com/tracking/click?d=vqWOZkiWnkkRiWjWEMG1uLdUDEvj8xJfIa6Bhy6BPtPgPOHL3f9Ur-8HTidHSvVodXlRm_VoWZ3CYC62lEL_8NEYUUvvIt-Wp0DpynxYOdf32kuJQNc-iiGuXfxkMlk3UhfUbR4vMbRIhWBEy93hQ941
[8]: https://animaljusticeproject.media/pages/search.php?search=%21collection130525&k=abfbf103d3
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/04/easter-animal-justice-project/

2026-04-04 16:50:10 CEST

‘Liar’ Farage accused of copying Zack Polanski & Rupert Lowe
[Farage]
Farage’s his Reform have started their own podcast — you know — like that Zack Polanski did.
On the one hand, this is understandable, because a good idea is a good idea. On the other hand, Reform — as ever — have decided to push the truth to breaking point:
> “do things differently” = “copy the Green Party” [pic.twitter.com/RVaNO1zrYA][1]
>
> — Adam Smith (@adamndsmith) [April 4, 2026][2]
## Farage — bold Politics VS bold-faced lies
As noted above, Zack Polanski runs his own podcast called *Bold Politics*. The most recent episode features *Canary* contributor [Cody Dahler][3]:
To be clear, Polanski did not invent podcasting. He’s also not the first politician to have his own podcast. He is, however, the only one who isn’t infinitely repellant (we’re looking at you, [Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart][4]).
Bold* Politics* is absolutely a Green Party podcast, anyway; it’s not like Polanski is on there discussing true crime or recapping *The Traitors*. Farage can pretend otherwise, but it just makes him look like a liar and a copycat at the same time. Pick a lane, Nigel!
Perhaps what Farage means is ‘*Reform is the only party with a podcast named after itself’*? The problem is that this still wouldn’t be true:
> Oh look [@Nigel_Farage][5] is lying AGAIN [pic.twitter.com/LJtVylapWt][6]
>
> — Capman #FBPE (@Euro_toff) [April 4, 2026][7]
As we’ve reported, Restore Britain is a Reform UK breakaway party that is to Farage’s lot what Reform are to the Tories (i.e. a more right-wing version). Founded by ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe, [Restore is basically just the Conservative Party 3.0.][8] Although, to be fair, they do have far fewer Tories than Reform does:
> ‘We do things differently at Reform’ [pic.twitter.com/U3PcNKsYFf][9]
>
> — shatners (@shatners144143) [April 4, 2026][10]
The fact that we have three right-wing parties means these people are all struggling to differentiate themselves. In this instance, Reform have attempted to show that they’re different from the Tories by literally copying Restore.
People had other criticisms of Farage’s post too:
> The entire fucking media is a Reform podcast. Everything you say is repeated to death.
>
> — Oliver (@OWS1892) [April 4, 2026][11]
> Preaching to the converted won’t arrest your decline in the polls. [pic.twitter.com/JQI3VwScTI][12]
>
> — Zokko (@Zokko18) [April 4, 2026][13]
## Pobcasting
We’ll be honest, we do think Reform are missing a trick. After all, they could have had Matt Goodwin host the show so they could refer to it as the Reform UK Pob-cast:
> Just realised Matt Goodwin reminds me of ‘Pob’ and now I can’t unsee it [🤦🏼‍♀️][😂][😂] [https://t.co/bPO2E8GxWE][14] [pic.twitter.com/Sac7lgD5qM][15]
>
> — Susan Cowell (@SusanCowell) [February 17, 2026][16]
If they follow our advice, they could truthfully say they’re [the only party to have a podcast which is hosted by a failed MP who was recently accused of using AI to write an error-riddled book][17].
*Featured image via [Parliament][18]*
By [Willem Moore][19]
[1]: https://t.co/RVaNO1zrYA
[2]: https://twitter.com/adamndsmith/status/2040339544432685120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3]: https://www.instagram.com/mrcodydahler/
[4]: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-rest-is-politics/id1611374685#:~:text=Alastair%20Campbell%20and%20Rory%20Stewart,to%20www.goalhanger.com.
[5]: https://twitter.com/Nigel_Farage?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://t.co/LJtVylapWt
[7]: https://twitter.com/Euro_toff/status/2040366483725746528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/02/14/rupert-lowe-reform-breakaway-party/
[9]: https://t.co/U3PcNKsYFf
[10]: https://twitter.com/shatners144143/status/2040340059669377482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[11]: https://twitter.com/OWS1892/status/2040338324284678418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[12]: https://t.co/JQI3VwScTI
[13]: https://twitter.com/Zokko18/status/2040342512754102283?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[14]: https://t.co/bPO2E8GxWE
[15]: https://t.co/Sac7lgD5qM
[16]: https://twitter.com/SusanCowell/status/2023829319760675160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[17]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/28/reform-matt-goodwin-flayed-in-debate-on-ai-book-inaccuracies/
[18]: https://members.parliament.uk/member/5158/portrait
[19]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/04/farage-accused-of-copying/

2026-04-04 15:21:50 CEST

Pam Bondi has literally been tossed in the trash
[Pam Bondi]
On 2 April, [Donald Trump][1] sacked attorney general Pam Bondi. Her sacking came as a great shock. Not because she was competent or deserving of her position, but because it meant Trump has found someone else who’s willing to make themselves legally culpable for improperly handling the Epstein Files.
Now, we’re once again seeing how Trump repays those who tarnish their reputation to protect him:
> Lmao [https://t.co/wNWw0MiKA3][2]
>
> — evan loves worf (@esjesjesj) [April 3, 2026][3]
## Pam Bondi binned
This is how the [*BBC* reported][4] on Bondi going:
> The president’s frustration had been growing with her leadership at the justice department – particularly over her handling of the Epstein files which have become a reputational liability for the administration.
This is a bit rich from Trump, to be honest. His big issue wasn’t Bondi; [it’s the fact that he’s personally named thousands of times in the Epstein Files][5].
While we’re sure there are people who could have pulled off a more competent cover-up than Bondi, the question is who would want to expose themselves like that? Because the task at hand is risking jail time to protect a senile creep of a president who’s accused of the worst crimes imaginable.
You could argue that Bondi did a lot to prevent the files coming out, but there was only so much she could achieve (this isn’t praise):
> "She did it because we threatened contempt, we threatened impeachment, we passed a law!"
>
> After Trump removes US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Democrat Ro Khanna on whether she deserves credit for having released 3.5 million pages of the Epstein Files.
>
> [pic.twitter.com/LdzkeQ1Y4x][6]
>
> — Simon Gosden. Esq. #fbpe 3.5% [🇪🇺][🐟][🇬🇧][🏴‍☠️][🦠][💙] (@g_gosden) [April 4, 2026][7]
Bondi didn’t only provide cover on Epstein either, [as More Perfect Union reported][8]:
> Under Bondi the Justice Department:
> – Dropped 23,000 criminal investigations including white collar and corporate crime
> – Halted 159 corporate enforcement actions
> – Settled the lawsuit to break up LiveNation/Ticketmaster
> – Let 18 companies avoid $3.1 billion in penalties
[The *BBC* also wrote][9]:
> Trump has often demanded unrestricted control of the justice department to pursue investigations into targets of his choosing, even when he was warned there was no evidence to do so.
>
> He addressed that directly in a post directed at Bondi – saying the delays in those cases were “killing our reputation and credibility”.
The guy replacing Bondi is Todd Blanche who has suggested that Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators are safe:
> Q: Is the public going to learn the identities of the men who abused the girls in the Epstein files?
>
> Acting AG Todd Blanche: Like, what does that mean? I don't understand what that means. [pic.twitter.com/CkKLHaWcDU][10]
>
> — FactPost (@factpostnews) [April 2, 2026][11]
> Acting AG Todd Blanche declares mission accomplished on the Epstein files: "The DOJ has now released all of the files with respect to the Epstein saga" [pic.twitter.com/1Yugz7ItEA][12]
>
> — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) [April 3, 2026][13]
The above is not true, by the way, and Blanche is already facing scrutiny:
> Congratulations AG Blanche. Now you have 30 days to release the rest of the files before becoming criminally liable for failure to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. [https://t.co/LOcytrTXJV][14]
>
> — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) [April 3, 2026][15]
Oh, and just because Bondi is gone, that doesn’t mean she won’t still be legally responsible for her handling of the Epstein Files or other matters
> Pam Bondi, "There is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime"
>
> Ted Lieu, "You just lied under oath. There is ample evidence in the Epstein files"
>
> Pam Bondi, "Don't you ever accuse me of a crime"
>
> Ted Lieu, "You just lied under oath, and this is on video tape"
>
> Ted… [pic.twitter.com/v2Feci6P4u][16]
>
> — Farrukh (@implausibleblog) [February 11, 2026][17]
Whether this translates into actual accountability is anyone’s guess.
As many have said, crime is essentially legal in the US now if you’re one of the elites.
## Good riddance
The following image is from the same hearing as the above. The women with their hands up are victims of Jeffrey Epstein. And the reason they have their hands up is because they’re answering affirmatively that Bondi’s justice department ignored them:
> This photo and the Epstein file cover up will be Pam Bondi’s legacy. [pic.twitter.com/FOX5wgnNAy][18]
>
> — Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) [April 2, 2026][19]
So yes, this disgraced politician does belong in the bin.
And by ‘the bin’, we of course mean ‘prison’.
*Featured image via [Gage Skidmore (Wikimedia)][20]*
By [Willem Moore][21]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/02/01/maga-trump-epstein/
[2]: https://t.co/wNWw0MiKA3
[3]: https://twitter.com/esjesjesj/status/2040111934318485510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cd9gjwdw9ygt
[5]: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/us/trump-epstein-files.html#:~:text=The%20files%20are%20peppered%20with,files%20has%20found%20so%20far.
[6]: https://t.co/LdzkeQ1Y4x
[7]: https://twitter.com/g_gosden/status/2040314794880782528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[8]: https://x.com/MorePerfectUS/status/2039762357141098943?s=20
[9]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce843ge47z4o
[10]: https://t.co/CkKLHaWcDU
[11]: https://twitter.com/factpostnews/status/2039774968863494402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[12]: https://t.co/1Yugz7ItEA
[13]: https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/2039864749014302914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[14]: https://t.co/LOcytrTXJV
[15]: https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/2039861935001219147?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[16]: https://t.co/v2Feci6P4u
[17]: https://twitter.com/implausibleblog/status/2021639800584057211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[18]: https://t.co/FOX5wgnNAy
[19]: https://twitter.com/harryjsisson/status/2039761371533807996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[20]: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pam_Bondi_%2854349613479%29.jpg
[21]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/04/pam-bondi-binned/

2026-04-04 14:38:12 CEST

Journalist publishes full interview with suspended Labour MP
[Labour]
On 31 March, we reported that Labour [had suspended Karl Turner][1]. Turner had criticised Labour’s plan to abolish jury trials as a universal right; he’d also given an interview to independent journalist and [*Canary* contributor Jody McIntyre][2].
Following his suspension, Turner tried to distance himself from McIntyre. Now, McIntyre has set the record straight:
> Last week, I interviewed Karl Turner, the MP for East Hull. Within days, the Labour Party suspended him.
>
> Turner has since claimed that some of his comments were “misrepresented”. This is untrue.
>
> In the interest of openness, here is the FULL interview:[🧵] [pic.twitter.com/HGQiDWLcmM][3]
>
> — Jody McIntyre (@jodymcintyre_) [April 3, 2026][4]
## ‘Lying bastard’ McSweeney still running Labour
As we reported at the time, much of Turner’s interview with McIntyre focussed on Morgan McSweeney:
> This morning on Sky News, Keir Starmer said that it is “a little bit far-fetched” to think that McSweeney could have known that “sometime in the future there would be a request for the phone”.
>
> Labour MP Karl Turner told me this morning that the statement is “absolute bollocks”. [pic.twitter.com/ANxfikYWai][5]
>
> — Jody McIntyre (@jodymcintyre_) [March 26, 2026][6]
The summary of the[ McSweeney scandal][7] is as follows:
* [The government sacked ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson][8] because of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
* People began to ask questions about Mandelson’s protege Morgan McSweeney.
* McSweeney’s phone was conveniently ‘stolen’ not long after Mandelson’s firing.
* McSweeney gave incorrect details to the police and failed to tell them he was a key member of government.
* The government launched an investigation following the revelation that Mandelson was leaking UK government information to Epstein.
* [We learned that many of the potential messages between Mandelson and McSweeney were missing or not being investigated][9].
## In full
Now, McIntyre has provided details on his full interview with Turner:
> Karl Turner told me that he has been “good friends” with Keir Starmer for many years + texts the PM “things that are very f***ing private…that I don’t want everyone knowing”.
>
> This didn’t stop Labour officials briefing against Turner’s mental health, calling him “mad” + “nuts”.
>
> Karl Turner said to me that he believes Morgan McSweeney was worried that messages “slagging off the Prime Minister” would be uncovered on his “stolen” phone.
>
> He also claimed that the appointment of Peter Mandelson was the result of “weeks and weeks” of McSweeney’s lobbying.
>
> On McSweeney, now ex-Labour MP Karl Turner told me: “I was texting Keir, ‘Sack this silly bastard immediately, you are making us all look like fools.’”
>
> He also said that “McSwindle is a man with a history of being a lying bastard” who “needs checking out”.
[McSweeney is indeed a man with a history of dishonesty][10], as we reported in 2024:
> In a bizarre turn of events, the *Guardian/Observer* has revealed that [Labour Party][11] PM Keir Starmer’s top Downing Street aide Morgan McSweeney plotted to ‘destroy the *Canary*‘ – before ‘we destroyed the Labour right’. It shows not only how him and his closest cronies tried to kill us – but also how they brought about [Jeremy Corbyn’s][12] downfall. The intention all along? To install Starmer as Labour leader, and eventually PM.
## ‘the world’s biggest f***ing paedophile!’
Back to McIntyre, he added:
> Karl Turner, the MP for East Hull, also complained that “McSweeney and [Matthew] Doyle, protégés of Mandelson, were asked to question a friend of the world’s biggest f***ing paedophile!”
>
> Doyle had campaigned for a Scottish Labour councillor later convicted of child sex offences.
Labour’s recent and ongoing paedophile-related scandals include:
* [Labour MPs are talking mutiny over Starmer’s ties to Mandelson][13].
* [Starmer’s other paedo problem: silence on links of new Zionist peer][14].
* [Liron Velleman pleads guilty: another Labour Friend of Israel paedophile][15].
* [Zionist former Labour MP Conor McGinn charged with sexual offence][16].
* [LBC has paedo-sting Labour freak on to discuss Burnham][17].
McIntyre continued:
> A former MP I spoke to who served on Labour’s frontbench for five years identified Doyle as one of Morgan McSweeney’s “inner circle”.
>
> The whistleblower told me: “The inner circle were tight. WhatsApp tight. They talked openly of…getting rid of every existing MP eventually.”
>
> The former Labour frontbencher also told me that McSweeney installed his relatives “in the Whips’ office…to spy on people.”
>
> McSweeney’s wife, Imogen Walker, was appointed assistant government whip last September.
>
> Did Walker and/or McSweeney have a say in Turner’s suspension?
>
> When Karl Turner, the MP for East Hull, was suspended by Labour on Tuesday, he stated that the Whips’ Office had not bothered to call him, choosing to brief journalists instead.
>
> Turner had been a consistent and blistering critic of McSweeney, telling me he “still runs the job”.
>
> Karl Turner told me that he believed McSweeney’s stolen phone could reveal “vicious messages…calling the Prime Minister a f***ing idiot and listing the reasons why”.
>
> Turner said this might include McSweeney and Mandelson expressing dismay at Starmer’s “crap” Chagos deal.
>
> When I asked now-independent MP Karl Turner directly if he thought Keir Starmer really believes Morgan McSweeney’s “stolen phone” story, he said it comes down to “psychology”:
>
> “If you WANT to believe a person, then you will believe them rather than questioning every detail.”
>
> At the end of the interview, Karl Turner told me that he “had to be careful” because Labour had been threatening him with suspension.
>
> Within days, those threats came to fruition.
>
> Were his friendship with Starmer + years of service to Labour overcome by McSweeney’s influence?
## Help him take on Labour
To be fair to Turner, he is apparently struggling with mental health issues; he’s also a member of one of the world’s most toxic political organisations. At the same time, though, he needs to clarify what points he thinks were “misinterpreted”, because we’re not seeing it.
You can support Jody McIntyre and the excellent work he does via the links below:
> The TRUTH about my interview with Karl Turner MP: [https://t.co/iPREtRoIyF][18]
>
> My investigations take many hours of meticulous work. Subscribe to support what I do: [https://t.co/4lb1GxXPQx][19]
>
> And follow [@jodymcintyre_][20] for more Labour Party exposés.
>
> — Jody McIntyre (@jodymcintyre_) [April 3, 2026][21]
*Featured image via [Parliament][22]*
By [Willem Moore][23]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/31/starmer-turner/
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/jody-mcintyre/
[3]: https://t.co/HGQiDWLcmM
[4]: https://twitter.com/jodymcintyre_/status/2040104180258365550?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[5]: https://t.co/ANxfikYWai
[6]: https://twitter.com/jodymcintyre_/status/2037133572662837623?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/26/starmer-pathetic/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2025/09/11/starmer-mandelson-sacking/
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/26/mandelson-whatsapp-messages/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/editorial/2024/09/15/morgan-mcsweeney-canary-corbyn-starmer/
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/labour-party/
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/jeremy-corbyn/
[13]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/02/03/mandelson-mcsweeney/
[14]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/02/05/starmer-other-paedo/
[15]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/01/06/liron-velleman/
[16]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/01/28/conor-mcginn/
[17]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/01/25/burnham-discussed-on/
[18]: https://t.co/iPREtRoIyF
[19]: https://t.co/4lb1GxXPQx
[20]: https://twitter.com/jodymcintyre_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[21]: https://twitter.com/jodymcintyre_/status/2040114499198370164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[22]: https://members.parliament.uk/member/4030/portrait
[23]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/04/labour-mp-journalist-publishes/

2026-04-04 13:44:31 CEST

PSNI chief constable admits use of Israeli spyware by his force
[PSNI]
Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) chief constable Jon Boutcher has admitted that his officers make use of phone hacking software made by Israeli company Cellebrite. Amnesty International have [previously reported][1] how Serbian authorities have used the technology to undermine journalists and broader civil society within Serbia.
Boutcher made the confession during the PSNI’s monthly public policing board meeting. It was in response to Sinn Féin MLA and police spokesperson Gerry Kelly [asking about the potential use of Cellebrite][2] and other spyware made by the Zionist entity, such as NoviSpy and Cosain.
The PSNI chief attempted to downplay the use of the privacy-destroying tech, saying it was used as “software under license” rather than a “direct contract with Cellebrite”.
Software companies sometimes offer their products at different price points. A direct contract may include an agreement for the company to make bespoke alterations to the software to suit the client’s needs. A license may mean the tech is supplied ‘as-is’ in a more generic form. Boutcher did not elaborate on these sort of details, however.
## PSNI’s previous illegal spying on journalists and solicitors
It’s somewhat of a moot point, given it is an obscenity to pump any money into a genocidal settler-colony’s coffers, regardless of the contract’s exact nature. The use of such software from the PSNI is also concerning given the force’s proven illegal surveillance of journalists and solicitors, not unlike the Serbian case above.
The [McCullough Review][3] from September 2025 outlined how the PSNI engaged in 21 unlawful uses of covert powers to acquire the sources of eight journalists. Journalists Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey were among those spied on. The pair were investigating the [Loughinisland massacre][4] in which loyalist paramilitaries killed six people in an attack on a pub in 1994.
[They said][5]:
> *We are concerned that there has been an attempt to normalise state surveillance in Northern Ireland.*
Solicitors Darragh Mackin and Peter Corrigan were also unlawfully surveilled by the North of Ireland police. [UN officials said the PSNI’s spying on the two men][6]:
> …may amount to a violation of international standards protecting the right of lawyers to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference.
The Law Society of Northern Ireland [said McCullough’s report had][7]:
> …highlighted instances of unauthorised surveillance directed at solicitors in Northern Ireland, including a failure on the part of the PSNI to respect legal professional privilege.
Adding further disgrace to the PSNI, Boutcher also revealed that the force have a £5.5 million contract with Source Tactical Gear Limited, another Israeli firm. It was [already known that this sum was going to a company based in the apartheid land theft project][8], but the PSNI had refused to reveal any further information. Their response to a Freedom of Information request cited “security concerns” as the reason for refusal to reveal more.
## Kelly exemplifies Sinn Féin failure on Palestine
Sinn Féin’s Kelly seemed entirely unmoved by either the revelation on the body armour contract or the use of Cellebrite. After Boutcher’s response, Kelly said:
> Okay, thank you, chief constable. Actually, one of the answers that I did get back [to a previous question] was around the body armour. I don’t think I have an issue [with that]. It’s for protection of people.
That is indeed the purpose of body armour. However, it could be bought from any number of sources. There is no need to fund a settler-colony’s atrocities by purchasing it from them.
Concluding rambling and barely coherent remarks, Kelly then went on to mistakenly describe Mackin and Corrigan as journalists rather than solicitors. His behaviour underscores the hypocrisy of Sinn Féin on Palestine matters. Kelly was happy to go through the motions of asking the question, but do absolutely nothing to meaningfully hold the police to account for use of Zionist firms in contracts.
The party have similarly [had fine words][9] in support of those being slaughtered in Gaza, but have been [happy to obfuscate][10] as Stormont invest in making the planes used in the mass murder. They have also been willing to [meet with one of the key men behind the slaughter, Genocide Joe Biden][11]. Once in Washington party reps [met with companies][12] on the [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) list][13]. The party has shown no initiative when it comes to [ending tax breaks for the likes of Caterpillar][14], who make bulldozers used to wreck Palestinian homes.
Given this sort of ‘opposition’, it’s little wonder the PSNI feel free to sign contracts that pump millions into funding genocide, apartheid and ethnic cleansing.
*Featured image via [the Detail][15]*
By [Robert Freeman][16]
[1]: https://securitylab.amnesty.org/latest/2024/12/a-digital-prison-surveillance-and-the-suppression-of-civil-society-in-serbia/
[2]: https://youtu.be/lmcF62dlm5A?t=7971
[3]: https://www.mcculloughreview.org/
[4]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loughinisland_massacre
[5]: https://thedetail.tv/articles/trevor-birney-and-barry-mccaffrey-reaction-to-the-mccullough-review
[6]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crl1j2e5r86o
[7]: https://www.irishlegal.com/articles/law-society-of-northern-ireland-demands-action-following-psni-spying-report
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/13/psni-israel/
[9]: https://x.com/moneillsf/status/1947707195648610385
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/10/24/f-35-stormont-israel/
[11]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-68539797
[12]: https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/people-before-profits-gerry-carroll-hits-out-at-oneill-and-little-pengelly-for-meeting-us-firm-supplying-israeli-military/a252277848.html
[13]: https://bdsmovement.net/Guide-to-BDS-Boycott
[14]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/10/21/stormont-act-now/
[15]: https://www.thedetail.tv/articles/psni-partnership-with-israeli-police-and-prisons-ministry
[16]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/robert-freeman/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/04/psni-chief-constable-admits/

2026-04-04 13:31:34 CEST

Corbyn denies endorsing ex-Tories – but it’s still an almighty mess
[Jeremy Corbyn and a leaflet from councillors who claim Corbyn backed them]
On Thursday 2 April, a leaflet emerged featuring three ex-Tory councillors who claimed to be “endorsed” by Jeremy Corbyn. Since then, Your Party and Corbyn have denied endorsing these men. Instead, the situation seems to be that they recently joined the Walsall Community Independents group which Corbyn has voiced support for.
Corbyn’s supporters are furious that anyone believed the endorsement in the first place. Others are saying the situation exposes the broader problem with supporting independent groups who aren’t beholden to Your Party (YP) values.
## “Endorsed” by Corbyn?
As we reported on 2 April, the ‘endorsement’ was first reported by the Green Party’s Mish Rahman:
> the candidates in my area are 3 deselected Tory cllrs, all cabinet portfolio holders part of the local Tory administration lol
> They have moved wards as indys and are standing against me in the same ward. [pic.twitter.com/b4Em7up7Ur][1]
>
> — Mish Rahman (@mish_rahman) [April 2, 2026][2]
The Stats for Lefties account also highlighted the leaflet. They noted in a subsequent discussion that if the endorsement wasn’t real, the councillors were violating electoral law:
Later that same day, *New Statesman’s *Ava-Santina reported that Your Party would indeed be supporting independent candidates in Walsall:
> NEW: Your Party unveil their "get Labour out" local election strategy.
>
> Full list of YP candidates coming later today
> – Walsall
> – Bradford
> – Southport
> – Oldham
> – Redbridge
>
> Corbyn: “These elections are the beginning of the fightback against austerity, privatisation and fear.
>
> — Ava-Santina (@AvaSantina) [April 2, 2026][3]
As we reported:
> This could be ex-Tories highlighted above, [or it could be the ex-Labour independents who joined Your Party last year.][4]
We did ask Your Party to confirm if the endorsement was real, but hadn’t heard back at the point of publication, and we noted this in the piece. Your Party would later tell us:
> Neither Jeremy nor Your Party has endorsed these candidates in Walsall. Any suggestion otherwise should be immediately corrected.
>
> No permission has been given for Jeremy’s name to be used on any individual candidate’s leaflet.
And Rahman has now said:
> 2/2
>
> It is appalling that any election candidates would seek to mislead voters on their endorsements and distribute a leaflet to thousands of residents spreading this misinformation.
>
> I shall be referring this to the Election commission for further investigation
>
> — Mish Rahman (@mish_rahman) [April 3, 2026][5]
As Rahman highlights, it is indeed wrong to print misleading information on an election leaflet (albeit par for the course with Tories / ex-Tories).
The discussion hasn’t ended there, though.
## Walsall Community Independents
On 14 February, Corbyn spent his Valentines Day with the Walsall Community Independents:
> Walsall Community Independents Launch Event
>
> It was an exciting, inspiring, and great evening at Palfrey Centre.
>
> Shyekh Omar Ali, Councillor Pete Smith, Councillor Aftab Nawaz, and Chief guest Jeremy Corbyn MP spoke of unity, supporting each other and putting the people before… [pic.twitter.com/b6LELenCgs][6]
>
> — Walsall Community Independents (@IndWalsall) [February 14, 2026][7]
[The above tweet also said][8] (emphasis added):
> Jeremy Corbyn MP endorsed Walsall Community Independents and **asked everyone to support Walsall Community Independents in the May 2026 Local Council Elections**.
This was posted nearly two months ago and remains up. Presumably, this means no one in Your Party took issue with it. Presumably *that* means Corbyn did voice his support for the group in the upcoming local elections.
The argument coming from Your Party now is that Corbyn did not give blanket support to individuals within the group, [as Nicola James said][9]:
> Appearing on a stage with a community group is not a personal endorsement of every candidate in that group. Support for the creation of an independent community group does not equal blanket endorsement. Jeremy has made it clear that he does not endorse those candidates.
The Walsall Community Independents group have said that Corbyn supports them in the local election; Your Party are saying his support does not represent endorsement of individuals within the group.
Okay, so *what does* his support constitute?
## Hang on, Corbyn
James would later claim that the three ex-Tories only joined the Walsall Community Independents [*after* Corbyn gave his support:][10]
> Those candidates weren’t even in the group when Jeremy was there. Your Party has been crystal clear that neither Jeremy nor the party has endorsed those specific candidates.
However, the three ex-Tories were in the front row of the event that Corbyn spoke at:
The photo these candidates used on the controversial flyer was clearly taken on the same night – as they are all wearing the same clothes. Plus, on 8 February – six days before the event Corbyn spoke at – the three ex-Tories had a meeting with Your Party MP Ayoub Khan:
Independent alliances are free to work with whoever they like. Once Your Party has thrown its support behind them, though, Your Party is no longer free to say it has nothing to do with them. If YP objects to the group containing ex-Tories, then it should publicly withdraw the support for the group in the local elections – support which the group is publicly claiming they have received.
As several people highlighted, the situation has exposed the issue with Your Party’s support for independents:
> Regardless of which individual candidates Corbyn did, or didn’t give an endorsement to… this whole situation is indicative of the political level of the YP leadership – willing to endorse any old independent group regardless of their selection process and actual politics. [https://t.co/lcXgN1sCdr][11]
>
> — Oisín (@OisinMul_) [April 3, 2026][12]
> At the danger of being that guy who sincerely comments on the absolute farce that is the YP leadership, perhaps the fact this independent group is happy to let in councillors who were deselected by the Tories should have factored into the considerations for endorsing them? [https://t.co/nPh3ivRaRa][13]
>
> — S (@henrycowmunist) [April 2, 2026][14]
Interjecting my own opinion here (this is an Opinion piece, so I’m allowed), I don’t believe Corbyn knowingly endorsed three ex-Tories. At the same time, I *do* think the cadre of Chuckle Brothers surrounding him have created a situation which plausibly allowed them to claim they have his backing.
I’d be interested to see how all this holds up in court, anyway, should the trio face criminal consequences. This won’t happen, obviously, because UK ‘electoral law’ is a joke.
## The independent push
On the topic of Your Party supporting / endorsing independent groups, [we published the following on 2 April based on a YP press release][15]:
> Jeremy Corbyn has unveiled Your Party plans to target Labour’s heartlands in the upcoming English local elections in May. The start-up party is supporting allied community independent groups at the local elections.
Additionally:
> At Your Party’s founding conference in November 2025, members voted to adopt a targeted strategy. This aims to maximise the party’s seats, rather than standing everywhere. As party structures continue to develop, Your Party will support around 250 candidates across England. The vast majority of these will be standing as Independents or for allied local community parties.
Also:
> Corbyn was elected as Your Party parliamentary leader earlier this month after his allies were victorious in the party’s leadership elections. He is expected to tour the country in support of the Your Party-backed independents and groups in the coming weeks, following a first event in Redbridge.
Your Party is saying it will support “250 candidates” and also that Corbyn will “tour the country in support of the Your Party-backed independents and groups”. Again, this is going to create a high degree of ambiguity – especially if these groups contain members who are at odds with the broader YP movement.
Corbyn himself said:
> These elections are the beginning of the fightback against austerity, privatisation and fear.
>
> All across the country, there will be community independent groups offering an alternative to the despair of Labour and the division of Reform. We are proud to support those candidates and groups standing up for redistribution, inclusion and peace.
>
> People in power underestimate the power of people at their peril – and arrogance in office always comes back to bite you in the end.
Presumably, YP will now have to rethink if it ‘supports’ entire groups, or whether it only supports individuals that closely align with YP values. It should also make clear what sort of vetting is conducted before a group or individual receives the party’s support. The very fact that three ex-Tories were already in talks with a Your Party MP, and the attended an event Corbyn endorse the group at, shows a clear lack of any kind of due diligence around this.
The independent drive isn’t happening because there were no YP members willing to stand, by the way, [as we reported][16]. Supporting independent groups has certainly saved YP the effort of vetting, fielding, and supporting its own candidates, but it’s unarguably created issues of its own.
And this isn’t the first time that working with independents has created a problem for Your Party.
## The trouble with independents and Corbyn
When Your Party got going, it included Jeremy Corbyn and his Independent Alliance. Corbyn and the other independent MPs did good work opposing the government’s support of Israel’s genocide. At the same time, there were some pretty big gaps between the politics of some of these men and the YP membership.
The two big issues that came up were:
* [Accusations of transphobia against two of the MPs][17].
* [The fact that one of the MPs was a landlord][18].
Transphobia and landlordism were big reasons why left-leaning voters abandoned Labour. As such, the presence of these issues in Your Party served to turn away potential members.
Following the backlash, people who criticised the independent MPs were accused of being intolerant or racist. This was because the independent MPs were Muslims, and some argued that we needed to respect their “socially conservative” values. As Maryam Jameela wrote for the *Canary*, independent MP Adnan Hussain:
> is wrong that Muslims tend to be socially conservative. Perhaps because he has [chosen][19] to be a [landlord][20] and [real estate][21] mogul, his circle of Muslims is correspondingly socially conservative. The notion that Muslims tend to be socially conservative is a lie that is hauntingly in-step with Western stereotypes of Muslims as regressive and backwards.
>
> Whilst certain schools of thought within Islam are of course socially conservative, it’s a joke to think of the majority of two billion Muslims worldwide as such. Muslims come with all manner of political positions – socialist, liberal, conservative, and so on. And, perhaps to Adnan’s surprise – some of us are even trans!
The months of fighting around this issue should have clarified something; namely that supporting independent MPs who aren’t beholden to the party’s broader project is a massive hurdle to having a broader project in the first place.
Clearly, however, the people at the top of YP have learned nothing.
## FAQs
I wrote the original *Canary* article on Corbyn ‘endorsing’ the ex-Tories, so I’m well placed to answer some of the criticisms. The first is this:
> I hate, hate, hate that this has happened to the Canary,
> “Suggests” “implies;”
> This is the language red top rags use before implying gossip is fact.
>
> This used to be my go-to publication. I hope they find their way back. [https://t.co/HC2VBpmuOI][22]
>
> — Cassi_Bellingham@banburyUK (@BanburyUK) [April 3, 2026][23]
I wrote “Leaflet suggests” to be clear there was a degree of doubt around whether Corbyn had endorsed the men. I highlighted this doubt in the piece, and also noted that we’d approached Your Party for comment.
In terms of ‘finding our way back’, many of us have been at the *Canary* for years; some since 2015.
The following is another critique we received:
> Have the actual journalists vacated the Canary? Did you approach Your Party for comment or do you exist to boost shit posters like Eleanora?
>
> — oli (@OL1UR) [April 3, 2026][24]
As noted, it was made clear in the piece that we approached Your Party. They got back to us 23 hours later for what should have been a yes / no question.
To be completely fair, it was late in the day when we approached them, but we did say we were publishing that day and gave them four hours to respond. That is standard when dealing with political parties. They should be ready to deal with media at any time of the day.
## No skin in the game
Clarifying my stance on all this, I’m not unhappy with Your Party because I’m a member of [the socialist faction which lost out to Corbyn’s group in the recent elections][25]. It’s also not the case that I have no skin in the game. I returned to full time reporting because I was enthused by the announcement that Your Party was happening, and I’ve taken no joy in watching what happened next.
Personally, I think Corbyn should have established a party from the top down which was in line with his own politics – i.e. progressive Labour-style social democracy. After getting the ball rolling, Corbyn should have stepped down as leader, and opened the position up to elections. I don’t think Corbyn himself should have run, because he will be 80 in 2029, and come on – that’s clearly too old – what are we doing here?
For clarity’s sake, I don’t think Corbyn should have done the above because I share his politics; I think he should have done it because that was where the energy was, and that’s where his instincts are. Instead, he oversaw a half-arsed project of endless meetings which gave the impression that people could collectively shape the party. When that shape took on a form that Corbyn’s allies didn’t like, though, they freaked out, and months of confusion and infighting ensued.
I have the upmost respect for the YP members who tried to make the party fully socialist, by the way; I just think their project was hamstrung by Corbyn’s involvement. Corbyn has never been a full socialist, and most of the 800,000 people who showed that initial interest clearly did so because they wanted more Corbyn-style politics.
With hindsight, then, it would have been better for the socialists to start from scratch and build their own thing. That or run as independents, anyway. If they’d done that, presumably they would have received unconditional support from Corbyn and his team – the sort of support they never enjoyed as paying members.
## The state of things
The benefit of being an independent politician is that you’re free to pursue your politics as freely as you like; the downside is that you lack the support of a wider party.
The benefit of being a political party is that you have strength in numbers; the downside is that individuals may have to forgo individual beliefs for the benefit of the movement.
Your Party keep experimenting with a system in which they’re a mass-movement party with a special class of non-movement politicians – specifically the independents who regular members are encouraged not to criticise even when said independents stray from the party’s politics.
In 2025, this meant asking members to hold their tongues on ‘social conservatism’ ; in 2026 it means asking members to support independents who are comfortable standing shoulder-to-shoulder with ex-Tories.
[This is the tagline that Your Party have in their bio][26], by the way:
> We’re building a new kind of political party. One that belongs to you – join us!
Your Party is telling members that the party ‘belongs to them’ but it’s backing politicians who don’t even belong to the party.
[Adding to the weirdness][27], Jeremy Corbyn himself remains an independent MP despite being the YP parliamentary leader. This isn’t out of necessity, because YP is a registered party, [and Zarah Sultana is a YP MP][28].
If the party wasn’t ready to field its own candidates, that’s a shame, but it is what it is. At the same time, that unreadiness should have demonstrated that YP needed to spend more time building up its own people. And clearly, launching a national pro-independents campaign has only added to the confusion about what Your Party is and what it aims to become.
## In summary
So all in all, it’s a mess whichever way you look at it. It may not be the dumpster fire that people initially suspected, but it’s still a flaming skip of disappointment.
On the plus side, Corbyn isn’t endorsing ex-Tories on purpose; he’s simply doing so by accident, as a result of a *Thick of It*-style comical mishap by the people around him.
If Your Party want their own Malcolm Tucker, by the way, I’d be happy to swear at Corbyn’s underlings.
*Featured image via [Sophie Brown (Wikimedia)][29]*
By [Willem Moore][30]
[1]: https://t.co/b4Em7up7Ur
[2]: https://twitter.com/mish_rahman/status/2039683176805671163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3]: https://twitter.com/AvaSantina/status/2039718165349818448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/walsall-independent-councillors-join-jeremy-32636346
[5]: https://twitter.com/mish_rahman/status/2040100029143138804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://t.co/b6LELenCgs
[7]: https://twitter.com/IndWalsall/status/2022715739828871386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[8]: https://x.com/IndWalsall/status/2022715739828871386?s=20
[9]: https://x.com/NAJ562/status/2040134269645754775?s=20
[10]: https://x.com/NAJ562/status/2040157962228892142?s=20
[11]: https://t.co/lcXgN1sCdr
[12]: https://twitter.com/OisinMul_/status/2040105938976211061?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[13]: https://t.co/nPh3ivRaRa
[14]: https://twitter.com/henrycowmunist/status/2039828966882578548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[15]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/02/corbyn-takes-aim-at-labour-heartlands-as-your-party-unveils-local-elections-strategy/
[16]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/03/24/your-party-local-elections-silence/
[17]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2025/11/15/another-your-party-mp-is-accused-of-explicit-transphobia/
[18]: https://www.thecanary.co/editorial/2025/09/07/your-party-transphobia/
[19]: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/15012297
[20]: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10500530
[21]: https://members.parliament.uk/member/5231/registeredinterests
[22]: https://t.co/HC2VBpmuOI
[23]: https://twitter.com/BanburyUK/status/2040101245692584054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[24]: https://twitter.com/OL1UR/status/2040098979564679240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[25]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/02/26/your-party-cec-results/
[26]: https://x.com/thisisyourparty
[27]: https://members.parliament.uk/member/185/career
[28]: https://members.parliament.uk/member/4786/contact
[29]: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jeremy_Corbyn,_Leader_of_the_Labour_Party_02.jpg
[30]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/04/04/corbyn-ex-tories-walsall/

2026-04-04 13:25:04 CEST

The least Miliband could do is stand against new North Sea oil drilling
[North Sea]
Energy secretary [Ed Miliband][1] is facing renewed pressure to enable new privatised oil drilling in the North Sea. But the right-wing press appears to have [jumped][2] the gun in reporting that he is poised to license such climate-destroying activity. And prime minister Keir Starmer has said the [decision][3] lies with Miliband.
## North Sea — The war on Iran, just an excuse for Big Oil
The noise around more North Sea licenses is similar to the ‘greedflation’ companies engage in when they can use volatile international markets as cover for more profit.
This time, the war on Iran is an excuse for more drilling rather than just when companies put up energy bills by more than increased costs.
New oil and gas drilling in the North Sea will be owned by private companies and sold on international markets to the highest bidder. There is no reason it will reduce UK energy bills or shield the country from the outcomes of the war on Iran.
On top of that, fossil fuel giants have already extracted over 90% of oil and gas in the North Sea.
The UK Energy Research Centre has [said][4]:
> Squeezing additional oil and gas production from the UK may be technically possible, but it will have negligible impact on the UK cost of living.
## Green energy: the way forward
It’s clear that speeding up the transition to renewable energy would have much more than a “negligible” impact on UK bills. In fact, a publicly owned Green New Deal would be the fastest and most equitable way to bring in green energy.
In Keir Starmer’s campaign to become Labour leader, he pledged to “put the Green New Deal at the heart of everything we do”. But it turned out this was merely a con to get the party’s membership on side.
With that in mind, the least Labour can do is stand against new North Sea drilling.
*Featured image via [OurFutureEnergy][5]*
By [James Wright][6]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/12/climate-activists-demand-miliband-kills-off-rosebank-oil-and-gas-project/
[2]: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iran-war-oil-prices-jackdaw-miliband-b2951427.html
[3]: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/04/03/miliband-expected-to-block-north-sea-oil-drilling/
[4]: https://ukerc.ac.uk/news/drilling-for-oil-and-gas-will-not-reduce-bills-or-deliver-energy-security-heres-why/
[5]: https://ourfuture.energy/how-it-works/north-sea-oil-and-gas/
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/james/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/04/04/north-sea-the-least-miliband/

2026-04-04 12:48:23 CEST

Reform UK accused of ‘nil vetting’ as another racist candidate exposed
[Nigel Farage in front of posts from a Reform candidate]
Yet another Reform UK candidate has been exposed for their racist social media posts:
> Brett Muscroft is Reform UK’s candidate in Castleford Central & Glasshoughton, Wakefield.
>
> He shows clearly that Reform UK’s vetting is nil for this coming local elections.
>
> His posts on Islam, his support of Tommy Robinson, Enoch Powell and posting far-right and racist content… [pic.twitter.com/2kDm9P5DSI][1]
>
> — Reform Party UK Exposed [🇬🇧] (@reformexposed) [April 3, 2026][2]
At this point, Reform candidates are being exposed so regularly that you can use a Google alert for ‘*Reform candidate exposed*‘ as your alarm clock.
## Reform UK in Wakefield
This is how Reform announced candidate Brett Muscroft:
The above is on Facebook, which is ironic, as it’s his Facebook account which caused his problems.
Reform Party UK Exposed highlighted the following posts from Muscroft:
## [Reform UK]
Reform Exposed suggested that Reform just aren’t vetting their candidates, and you can see why they’d say this. The above posts are from Muscroft’s personal Facebook. Possibly he didn’t tell them about the account, but that shouldn’t matter, because the account comes up with a simple search:
[Reform UK]
At the time of writing, HIS ACCOUNT IS STILL PUBLIC.
So yes; we think it’s fair to suggest Reform aren’t vetting candidates.
That or they’re just completely incompetent.
Either way; is this who you want running your council?
Muscroft isn’t the only candidate being exposed either. [As Reform Exposed reported][3]:
> Reform UK’s candidate Holly Drafahl standing in Hoxne & Eye, Suffolk thinks it’s ok to stir up resentment against ‘Turkish looking people’.
>
> In a series of Facebook posts she described how she had seen someone flying a drone near a school, and that this could have been to potentially plan a terrorist attack on the school. The description of the person moved between ‘Turkish looking’ and ‘Turkish’ throughout her posts and replies. The person stated they were doing drone photography, and she herself admitted he wasn’t filming children at a school (there were none there). So she moved on to saying he could have been filming to plan a terrorist attack.
>
> She even then created a vague petition to further hype the situation.
>
> (She changed her name on FB to Holly Smith recently but you can see her name still connected in her petition).
>
> Her true colours however were shown in the screenshot here where she liked the reply “Turkish, alarm bells. Muslim pedos, common sense to worry.”.
>
> And now she’s standing to be councillor.
> Reform UK’s candidate Holly Drafahl standing in Hoxne & Eye, Suffolk thinks it’s ok to stir up resentment against ‘Turkish looking people’.
>
> In a series of Facebook posts she described how she had seen someone flying a drone near a school, and that this could have been to… [pic.twitter.com/KpCVSHZFoN][4]
>
> — Reform Party UK Exposed [🇬🇧] (@reformexposed) [April 4, 2026][5]
## It keeps happening
Articles we’ve put out on Reform’s local election chaos include the following:
* [Reform welcome candidate who thanked Putin][6].
* [Reform candidate sparks mass resignations in the party][7].
* [Day One Reform activist accuses party of ‘sewer’ politics in explosive resignation letter][8].
* [Farage heckled at Reform’s Jimmy Saville-aping London launch][9].
* [Video emerges of Reform’s ‘Nazi salute’ candidate drink driving][10].
* [Reform’s chaotic collapse continues: Scottish candidate suspended over ‘financial conduct’][11].
Potential candidates have clearly clocked that it’s easy to get a Reform endorsement; so easy that you seemingly don’t even need to go private on Facebook.
That or they’re just too stupid to delete their Facebook accounts before signing up.
*Featured image via [Gage Skidmore (Flickr)][12]*
By [Willem Moore][13]
[1]: https://t.co/2kDm9P5DSI
[2]: https://twitter.com/reformexposed/status/2039965842763342181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3]: https://x.com/reformexposed/status/2040346996100256110?s=20
[4]: https://t.co/KpCVSHZFoN
[5]: https://twitter.com/reformexposed/status/2040346996100256110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/reform-putin/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/31/reform-resignations/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/29/reform-activist-accuses/
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/29/farage-heckled-at-reforms/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/28/reform-nazi-salute-candidate/
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/03/21/reform-chaotic-collapse/
[12]: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/40499351592
[13]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/04/reform-uk-accused-of-nil/

2026-04-04 12:32:02 CEST

Review finds ‘clear evidence of sexism and misogyny within the PSNI’
[PSNI]
[A review][1] aimed at improving the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)’s handling of domestic violence, violence against women and girls (VAWG) and misogyny has:
> …identified clear evidence of sexism and misogyny within the PSNI.
The report arrives following renewed focus on the North of Ireland having the [worst rate of femicide across Britain and Ireland][2]. In the last month, two men are suspected to have brutally murdered young women. In an additional case, a jury found Stephen McCullagh guilty of the horrific killing of his pregnant partner Natalie McNally in 2022.
PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher requested the report in mid 2025, which was ultimately carried out by Rachel Langdale KC. The PSNI published a summary of the report on 2 April 2026 as part of the [monthly Northern Ireland Policing Board meeting][3].
Langdale also criticised the police service for a “misconduct process [which] is flawed” and said the PSNI needed:
> …better data collection surrounding children involved in criminal or sexual exploitation and ensuring domestic abuse child aggravators are attached to
> relevant offences where appropriate.
The report provided 42 recommendations for improvement for procedures around tackling domestic violence and violence against women and girls. These include further developing work with community and voluntary sector groups through:
> …**multi-agency co-location** or attachment to police stations (e.g. Women’s Aid, Social Services, ASSIST NI)…
Langdale also called for:
> …**mandatory referral** of victims to support services at an early stage for VAWG offences, with an opt out for victims.
## PSNI told to speed up punishment for predatory cops
To fix the PSNI’s cultural issues with misogyny, Langdale called on:
> Senior leaders across all areas of the PSNI to create and foster a culture of
> psychological safety, enabling the prompt reporting of sexism and misogyny
She also made numerous recommendations to speed up disciplining of officers suspected of misconduct, stressing the need to:
> Address delays in disciplinary proceedings as a matter of urgency
At the start of March, [a separate report][4] by the police ombudsman (the watchdog overseeing policing conduct) found that:
> Police predatory behaviour now makes up 30% of the most serious cases being investigated by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, a figure which continues to rise…
It looked into cases of PSNI officers engaging in:
> …alleged ‘abuse of position for sexual purposes’ (APSP)”
The period examined was 2018–2024. These incidents involved cops preying on highly vulnerable women with the intent of taking advantage of them sexually. The report said:
> Every victim of alleged predatory police behaviour in the analysis was female and all were vulnerable to some degree. A significant number had multiple vulnerabilities. The most common of 18 vulnerabilities identified in the report was being a victim of crime, while others also included vulnerabilities as a result of mental health issues, domestic abuse, suicidal ideation or addiction. Some victims were involved in crimes themselves, a fact which made them more vulnerable to exploitation by a police officer.
[Ombudsman CEO Hugh Hume said][5]:
> Such is the power imbalance that many women do not report the offending directly for fear of reprisal and others can be so vulnerable that they do not recognise that the officer is abusing them and instead see him as a ‘knight in shining armour’ figure.
## Chief constable accepts report’s findings
All policing is affected by a power imbalance in favour of officers, hence the need for constant, rigorous oversight. Clearly the PSNI has been falling short in this regard. The ombudsman is currently occupied by another investigation into extreme predatory behaviour within the PSNI. It involves an officer who committed potentially [hundreds of sexual offences][6] between 2000 and 2009. The task of looking into the matter is so great that the ombudsman has warned all other work by the body will be affected.
Responding as part of the PSNI’s [monthly accountability report][7], police force head Boutcher said:
> Abuse of position for sexual purposes is wholly unacceptable. It is a serious breach of trust and a clear abuse of authority. Where it occurs, it causes significant harm to victims and undermines confidence and the legitimacy of policing.
He also acknowledged Langdale’s findings, saying:
> I am grateful to Rachel for her work and the learning it provides. I accept the findings and recommendations in full and as a Service we will ensure that clear and measurable action is taken to address them.
While [Boutcher obnoxiously quibbled over stats][8] when discussing the Six Counties’ terrible femicide figures in Westminster recently, the response in his report shows a more serious approach. Over half is dedicated to the matter of VAWG and the PSNI’s cultural failings on misogyny.
No one expects the PSNI to reform by itself. However, with sufficient pressure from external reports and more involvement from [third-sector groups][9] that have [women’s wellbeing][10] as their core focus, standards may improve.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Robert Freeman][11]
[1]: https://www.psni.police.uk/sites/default/files/2026-03/The%20Langdale%20Review.pdf
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/27/femicide-in-northern-ireland/
[3]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmcF62dlm5A
[4]: https://www.policeombudsman.org/getmedia/ca15b1b6-3da6-45a7-93fb-f0e41331a89f/APSP-Analysis-and-Emerging-Findings,-Final,-Tagged-for-Website,-February-2026.pdf
[5]: https://www.policeombudsman.org/news/police-ombudsman-police-predatory-behaviour-now-accounts-for-30-of-most-serious-cases
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/12/north-ireland-ex-police-sexual-offences/
[7]: https://www.psni.police.uk/sites/default/files/2026-04/Chief%20Constable%27s%20Accountability%20Report%20to%20the%20Northern%20Ireland%20Policing%20Board%2002%20April%202026.pdf
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/27/femicide-in-northern-ireland/#:~:text=On%2026,femicide
[9]: https://www.facebook.com/WomensAidNI
[10]: https://x.com/WSN_NI
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/robert-freeman/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/04/psni-evidence-of-sexism/

2026-04-03 04:05:51 CEST

East Jerusalem Palestinian families eviction orders
In the early hours of 25 March 2026, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) and police entered homes in [Silwan,][1] in occupied East Jerusalem, escorting settlers as Palestinian families were forced out of their properties in the Batn al-Hawa neighbourhood.
## East Jerusalem — evicted after 10 year legal battles with settler organisation
[16 Palestinian families][2], approximately 100 people, who had lived in the area for decades, were forcibly evicted from their homes. Their apartments were then emptied of their possessions. In many of these cases, illegal settlers from the settler organisation[ Ateret Cohanim ][3]moved into the properties immediately after the families were removed.
[https://www.thecanary.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/WhatsApp-Video-2026-04-02-at-20.01.29.mp4][4]
These evictions come after Israeli occupation courts [upheld ownership claims][5] based on pre-1948 Jewish property rights, which had been fought by Palestinian residents[ since 2016. ][6]Since 7 October, 2023, the Israeli occupation has forcibly displaced [28 Palestinian households][7] from Batn al Hawa. Another 15 families are also expecting to be evicted from the neighbourhood imminently, by the same court order.
A law, known as the [Legal and Administrative Matters Law of 1970][8], exclusively enables Jews to “reclaim” property in East Jerusalem. This is one of the many examples of the occupation’s [discriminatory, apartheid ][9]policies. The [many thousands][10] of Palestinians who were forcibly displaced during the ethnic cleansing of the Nakba, in 1948, have not been allowed to return to their homes.
Since “Israel” occupied East Jerusalem, in 1967, it has expanded its presence and control over East Jerusalem, and attempted to alter the city’s religious identity, history, and demography- to [Judaise Jerusalem][11]. It has done this by exploiting its discriminatory laws and policies And through a combination of evictions, demolitions and [restrictive planning policies][12], such as in Silwan, “Israel” is able to dispossess Palestinians of their land and property. .
## Israeli occupation demolishing homes in al Bustan for biblical park tourist attraction
Several days after the Batn al Hawa evictions, on 30 March, the occupation’s police, military and bulldozers stormed the al-Bustan neighbourhood of Silwan, to demolish [four Palestinian properties][13]. No prior warning was given before the homes belonging to the Awad, Abu Shafaa, and Al-Ruwaidi families were destroyed[. Retaining walls][14], gates and fences were also destroyed, roads bulldozed, and nearby infrastructure damaged,
[East Jerusalem ]
The demolition of homes in the al Bustan neighbourhood, has been driven by the occupation’s plans to transform the area into [public gardens][15], Torah-related projects, and settlers’ parking. He also highlighted that this neighborhood, located near the Al-Aqsa Mosque, is one of the most affected by Judaization and settlement initiatives.Demolitions accelerated in 2024 and 2025, and by February 2026, the occupation had [demolished 35 homes][16] and issued 17 additional demolition orders in al-Bustan. A total of[ 1500 Palestinians][17] in the area have demolition orders on their homes, so further ethnic cleansing is expected any day.
The Israeli occupation’s interest in Silwan is due to its location, against the southern walls of the Old City and close to al Aqsa, which would allow the zionist regime to cement control over East Jerusalem. Archaeological tourism projects, settlement expansion, and court-backed property claims are all being used to forcibly displace Palestinians, and ethnically cleanse occupied Jerusalem of Palestinians.
*Featured image via the author*
By [Charlie Jaay][18]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/02/08/silwan-east-jerusalem/
[2]: https://palestine.un.org/en/312611-escalating-forced-evictions-batn-al%E2%80%91hawa-silwan-16-families-removed-one-week#:~:text=At%20least%2016%20Palestinian%20families,the%20right%20to%20self%2Ddetermination
[3]: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/palestine-calls-for-blacklisting-israeli-settler-group-over-palestinian-displacement-east-jerusalem-judaization/3740248
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/WhatsApp-Video-2026-04-02-at-20.01.29.mp4
[5]: https://share.google/3ryO5pW42xAdqKnNB
[6]: https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/batan-al-hawa-neighborhood-silwan-next-target-jewish
[7]: https://palestine.un.org/en/312611-escalating-forced-evictions-batn-al%E2%80%91hawa-silwan-16-families-removed-one-week#:~:text=Since%207%20October%202023%2C%20Israel,sharp%20acceleration%20since%20early%202025.
[8]: https://docslib.org/download/118738/legal-and-administrative-matters-law-from-1970
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/explainer/2025/09/24/israel-apartheid/
[10]: https://www.jerusalemstory.com/en/photo-album/1948-and-beyond-ongoing-palestinian-displacement
[11]: https://alqudsjerusalem.com/geography/what-does-judaization-mean-and-how-is-it-implemented/#:~:text=Judaization%20is%20a%20policy%20through,Arab%20lands%20in%20the%20city.
[12]: https://www.btselem.org/topic/planning_and_building
[13]: https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/168825
[14]: https://www.alquds.com/en/posts/233706
[15]: https://www.silwanic.net/article/news/79950
[16]: https://www.btselem.org/jerusalem/202603_judaizing_jerusalem_11_palestinian_families_to_be_evicted_this_month_from_baten_al_hawa_in_silwan
[17]: https://www.btselem.org/jerusalem/202603_judaizing_jerusalem_11_palestinian_families_to_be_evicted_this_month_from_baten_al_hawa_in_silwan
[18]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/charlie-jaay/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/04/03/east-jerusalem-palestinian/

2026-04-03 03:50:35 CEST

Humanitarians warn of 10,000 displaced in Sudan by UAE-backed forces
[Sudan]
A humanitarian medical agency has warned that the UAE-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have displaced 10,000 more people in Sudan. This time in the Blue Nile region. The area is close to Ethiopia, leading to concerns about the destabilising effects across borders.
Sudan Doctors Network [posted][1] on X on 1 April:
> More than 10,000 displaced civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, have arrived today from Qissan province to Rosiers province. They are facing extremely dire humanitarian conditions, with severe shortages of food, medicine, and basic necessities of life.
> Sudan Doctors Network Appeals to National and International Organizations for Urgent Intervention to Provide Aid to Over 10,000 Displaced People from Qissan to Rosiers in the Blue Nile Region
>
> More than 10,000 displaced civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, have… [pic.twitter.com/4rdILIoI0b][2]
>
> — Sudan Doctors Network – شبكة أطباء السودان (@SDN154) [April 1, 2026][3]
The organisation called on the UN to supply aid quickly:
> The network warns of the worsening health and humanitarian conditions among the displaced, particularly due to the absence of medical services, the spread of diseases, and malnutrition.
Adding:
> This situation threatens an imminent humanitarian catastrophe if urgent intervention is not made to provide relief and necessary healthcare.
## Drone strikes in Sudan along Chad border
Meanwhile, government forces and the RSF have been hitting civilian targets with drones along the Sudan-Chad border. Doctors without Borders[ reported][4] on 2 April:
> Drone strikes carried out by Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied groups continue to hit civilian areas along the Sudanese border with Chad.
Rita Magano, medical project coordinator in Tine, Chad, [said][5]:
> We have been working around the clock. Our team has supported Chad’s health authorities in treating 457 people in two months.
Adding:
> Civilians were not spared from violence, with six children among the wounded.
But this isn’t just some far-off war. The UK’s conduct is at the heart of it.
## UK’s fingerprints all over this genocide
The UK’s role in the three-year-old genocidal war in Sudan was [exposed][6] this week after a *Guardian* investigation showed how Britain downgraded its assessments.
The report found:
> The UK seemingly abandoned El Fasher: reports predicting genocide apparently discarded; intelligence apparatus that should have prompted intervention were not updated throughout the 561-day siege.
>
> As fighting had intensified, the UK removed Darfur’s original genocide – when 300,000 were slaughtered by the RSF’s Arab predecessors – from its list of recognised mass atrocities.
Why, you might ask? Well, according to one US source:
> It was quickly clear the Starmer government did not want to piss off the Emiratis.
The war between Sudanese government forces and RSF has been raging since 2023. [So far][7] millions have been displaced and up to 150,000 killed. Several [Gulf states][8], [Egypt][9], [Israel][10], UK, US and many other local and global powers are pursuing their own colonial interests in Sudan.
The UAE is a major British arms customer and Gulf ally of the former colonial power in Sudan. This means the UK is culpable for the genocide in Sudan, every bit as much as it is for the one in Gaza. And now the conflict is threatening to spill into Ethiopia and Chad.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Joe Glenton][11]
[1]: https://x.com/SDN154/status/2039265752918749346
[2]: https://t.co/4rdILIoI0b
[3]: https://twitter.com/SDN154/status/2039265752918749346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://www.msf.org/chad-tine-two-months-after-repeated-attacks-border
[5]: https://www.msf.org/chad-tine-two-months-after-repeated-attacks-border
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/31/sudan-atrocity/
[7]: https://newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/sudans-world-war
[8]: https://newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/sudans-world-war
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/02/03/sudan-egypt/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/10/31/gaza-to-sudan-israels-role-is-being-overlooked/
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/joeglenton/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/04/03/sudan-rsdf-uae-backed/

2026-04-03 03:35:24 CEST

Top economist schools Labour on public-private partnerships, rather than corporate handouts
[Mazzucato]
Mariana Mazzucato, professor at UCL, has [shown][1] how Labour should be less willing to simply hand out [public money to corporations][2]. Instead, she says that subsidies and grants should come with a guarantee of public benefit.
## ‘Conditionalities’ — types of public benefit
There are various possibilities for making the most out of public money when it comes to partnering with the private sector.
Mazzucato outlines them in four categories. The first, ‘access’, means requiring that the resulting products or services that the government puts money towards are affordable to the population. The second, ‘directionality’, means mandating that the company follows desirable goals such as green power. The third, ‘profit sharing’ means that the company returns some of the profits to the government. This could go further, with the government taking a stake in company. The fourth, ‘reinvestment’, means that some of the company’s profits are reinvested into socially desirable activities.
Of course, a government could use the mandate and popular support of a manifesto to at least take basic essentials into public ownership, to deliver common good without relying on corporations. But if large corporations still dominate some sectors, equitable partnerships could be the way forward.
## Mazzucato — No nonsense approach
The government can already use legislation to ensure companies act in a certain way. Failing that, public-private partnerships can be useful.
Direct subsidies are not the only way the government hands out money to corporations.
22% of The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers [receive][3] universal credit (UC). That means the public purse is essentially subsidising the profits of companies like Tesco, which [makes][4] £6,150 of profit per employee.
This parliament, the government is [providing][5] £2.5bn to the steel industry. And that’s without taking a stake or profit-sharing with steel companies.
Although, the government has said that Tata Steel, which is receiving a £500m grant, will have to transition to Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs) to address climate change or share its profits with the government. This is an example of a conditionality as Mazzucato outlines, but alone is quite the piecemeal approach to the neoliberal system.
Featured image via UCL
By [James Wright][6]
[1]: https://academic.oup.com/icc/advance-article/doi/10.1093/icc/dtaf063/8528994
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/02/02/starmer-gorton/
[3]: https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/no-evidence-that-half-tescos-workforce-receives-universal-credit-2025-08-18/
[4]: https://merchantmachine.co.uk/profit-per-employee/
[5]: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-steel-industry-backed-by-major-new-trade-measure-and-strategy
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/james/
https://www.thecanary.co/uncategorized-en/2026/04/03/mazzucato-schools-labour/

2026-04-03 03:03:11 CEST

Prevent’s obsession with terrorist ideology has left the UK without recourse for non-ideological violence
[Prevent]
Today, Thursday 2 April, the *Guardian*ran an exclusive based on comments from the Prevent assistant commissioner, Laurence Taylor. He claimed that counter-terrorism scheme was being overwhelmed by a massive influx of referrals.
Trends indicate that Prevent will receive over 10,000 referrals in 2026. That represents a 33% increase compared to 2024. However, Taylor asserts that this doesn’t necessarily represent an uptick in the radical ideologies that Prevent was (nominally) set up to combat.
In fact, the majority of these referrals are apparently unrelated to extremist ideologies. Instead, they’re issued over concerns about people becoming interested in violence. As such, Taylor claims that Prevent’s time is being wasted, leaving it less able to deal with actual threats.
We at the *Canary *might phrase this another way. That is, the UK has invested so much in the very idea that [(Muslim) terrorism is the greatest threat][1] to our safety that we’ve actively started to damage the capacity to respond to non-terror threats.
## ‘Violence-fascinated individuals’
Back in July, interim independent Prevent reviewer David Anderson[ issued a report][2] which responded, in part, to the scheme’s (mis)handling of the cases of Axel Rudakubana and Ali Harbi Ali.
The teenage Rudakubana murdered three young girls and wounded eight other people during his attack on a dance hall in Southport in 2022.
Ali was determined to have been motivated by Islamist ideology. However, Rudakubana displayed no clear motive, and was determined to have been driven by no fixed ideology. Anderson [was appointed to][3]:
> identify remaining gaps or shortcomings that require further improvement and assure action to address them.
Released last July, the Anderson report stated that:
> Several years before the attacks, both the perpetrators had been referred by their schools to Prevent … Prevent’s Channel programme for early interventions had the capacity to address concerns of the kind that were raised in these referrals. But in neither case did it do so.
In fact, Prevent declined to take on Rudakubana’s case three times. As such, Anderson recommended that Prevent’s remit be expanded radically to include non-terror threats. Alternatively, he also suggested that the government create a separate scheme to deal with non-ideological ‘violence-fascinated individuals’ (VFIs).
## Prevent — ‘Overwhelmed with referrals’
Another report into the Southport attack is [scheduled for release][4] later this month. It’s expected to provide a damning indictment of local authorities, health services, and of course, Prevent itself.
After the attack, Prevent referrals started to rise dramatically. However, more than 50% of the individuals concerned had no clear ideological motivation. Assistant commissioner Taylor pinned this on the fact that there’s simply nowhere else to report these kinds of concerns.
However, he also claimed that this volume of non-terror referrals:
> increases the risk of us not spotting somebody that is … because the system is overwhelmed with referrals.
He went on:
> The challenge we have in the Prevent system is there is no triage that sits above it, so Prevent currently is the only bucket into which all of these referrals can sit.
>
> We see people with material from Isis and neo-Nazis. We see people watching beheadings and school shootings. We see the gamification of that. So it’s people who are just absorbing horrible stuff that is creating concern for the people who refer them, but they’re not motivated by an ideology specifically, ie extreme rightwing or Islamist.
## ‘I wouldn’t like to say’
Taylor then rattled off[ increasing threat levels][5] from states such as Iran and Russia, along with terror groups like Daesh. However, when faced with the question of whether Donald Trump and the American far-right was having a polarising effect, he suddenly became reticent to make a political statement.
Rather, per the *Guardian,* he characterised Trump as “one of several factors behind rising tensions”:
> We’ve seen for a number of years an increasing polarisation, without doubt. You only need to look at the level of protest in London and the diversity of protest in London to see how many different views there are …. Whether you could directly attribute that to the US and Trump, I wouldn’t like to say.
>
> I think there are many, many things at play here, of which that is but one.
If that isn’t the UK justice system’s attitude to ‘ideology’ in a nutshell, we don’t know what is. Is a fascist in the White House causing an uptick in radical ideology? Who’s to say? But look over there at the protesters!
Prevent, despite ostensibly being set up to target all extremist ideology, has [disproportionately targeted Muslims][6] from its outset. In fact, [hundreds of babies and toddlers][7] have been referred to the scheme, overwhelmingly due to “Islamist concerns”.
In 2022, the [Shawcross review][8] even had the nerve to call for a renewed focus on Islamic extremism, calling the definition of neo-Nazism has “expanded too widely”.
And now, we’re being told that non-ideological motivations are falling through the cracks precisely because of the state’s obsession with terrorist ideology? And, in fact, we have no real mechanisms in place for concerns of non-terrorist violence?
If the UK were any less Islamophobic, there’d be a lesson in all this. Pity, that.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Alex/Rose Cocker][9]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/discovery/feature/2023/04/14/prevent-and-the-shawcross-review-are-just-the-latest-iteration-of-state-sponsored-islamophobia/
[2]: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jul/16/prevent-anti-terrorism-missed-chances-amess-southport-killers-report
[3]: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lessons-for-prevent/lessons-for-prevent-accessible
[4]: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/02/overwhelmed-prevent-at-risk-of-missing-threats-as-referrals-rise-uk-counter-terror-chief-says
[5]: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/02/overwhelmed-prevent-at-risk-of-missing-threats-as-referrals-rise-uk-counter-terror-chief-says
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/editorial/2021/03/20/muslims-are-boycotting-the-shawcross-review-and-resisting-prevent-we-cant-do-it-alone/
[7]: https://hyphenonline.com/2025/11/12/babies-referred-to-prevent-counter-terror-islamist/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2022/05/19/prevent-leak-is-horrifying-business-as-usual/
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alexrosecocker/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/03/prevent-obsession-with-terrorist/

2026-04-03 01:53:14 CEST

Leaflet suggests Corbyn has endorsed three ex-Tory councillors
Jeremy Corbyn-led Your Party won’t be fielding councillors in the upcoming local elections. They will, however, be backing various independents. Now, we’re learning such independents could include ex-Tory councillors:
> [‼]BREAKING | Your Party's candidates for 2026 include three councillors who were Conservative members as recently as January 2026
>
> Gaz Ali, Amo Hussain, Izzy Hussain all sat as Tories on Walsall Council until Jan '26. Now backed by Corbyn.
>
> (Leaflet edited to hide phone numbers) [pic.twitter.com/azYoWufF0a][1]
>
> — Stats for Lefties [🍉][🏳️‍⚧️] (@LeftieStats) [April 2, 2026][2]
## “Endorsed by Jeremy Corbyn”
One thing to note is that the above flyer states “endorsed by Jeremy Corbyn” rather than ‘*endorsed by Your Party*‘. Corbyn is free to support whoever he likes, but as the party’s parliamentary leader, people will interpret his endorsement as the position of Your Party.
The endorsement was first highlighted by the Green Party’s Mish Rahman:
> the candidates in my area are 3 deselected Tory cllrs, all cabinet portfolio holders part of the local Tory administration lol
> They have moved wards as indys and are standing against me in the same ward. [pic.twitter.com/b4Em7up7Ur][3]
>
> — Mish Rahman (@mish_rahman) [April 2, 2026][4]
Rahman was a Labour NEC member between 2020 and 2024. [When defecting to the Greens in January 2026,][5] he said:
> Politics must be about clarity and courage.
>
> We are facing a convergence of crises: the rise of the far right, a cost of living emergency pushing working-class people to the brink and civil liberties eroded by successive governments. These are not abstract threats, they are lived realities for millions.
>
> Today I have joined The Green Party because it is prepared to confront these challenges honestly: to defend democracy, stand up for social justice, and recognise that economic fairness and environmental responsibility are inseparable.
Earlier today (2 April), [we reported on Your Party’s plans for the local elections:][6]
> As party structures continue to develop, Your Party will support around 250 candidates across England. The vast majority of these will be standing as Independents or for allied local community parties.
>
> Your Party targets
> Key targets for allied groups include:
>
> * Tower Hamlets, run by Lutfur Rahman’s Aspire since 2022.
> * Redbridge (see below).
> * Newham, where the Newham Independents Party has recently won multiple by-elections.
> * Bradford, where Labour’s support has been in massive decline.
Later in the day – and after the Mish Rahman tweet – *New Statesman’s* Ava-Santina posted that Walsall is in the mix too:
> NEW: Your Party unveil their "get Labour out" local election strategy.
>
> Full list of YP candidates coming later today
> – Walsall
> – Bradford
> – Southport
> – Oldham
> – Redbridge
>
> Corbyn: “These elections are the beginning of the fightback against austerity, privatisation and fear.
>
> — Ava-Santina (@AvaSantina) [April 2, 2026][7]
This could be ex-Tories highlighted above, [or it could be the ex-Labour independents who joined Your Party last year.][8]
Stats for Lefties engaged in the following discussion on whether the endorsement is real (we’ve got to admit; we do keep rubbing our eyes and glancing back at it):
People outside Your Party have reacted as follows:
## Independents
[As reported by *Birmingham Live*][9], Gaz Ali and Amo Hussain were actually deselected by the Conservatives. In other words, if they didn’t go independent, they couldn’t have defended their council seats in the upcoming local elections.
In a statement on why the three men subsequently quit the Conservative Party, they said:
> Our decision is driven by a number of factors. First and foremost is the treatment of several of our colleagues within the Aldridge and Brownhills Conservative Association. The exclusion of good, hard-working councillors, individuals who have given years of loyal service, has been deeply troubling.
>
> In particular, the failure to approve respected councillors such as Keith Sears, who has dedicated over 50 years of service to Walsall and to the Conservative Party, is something we cannot overlook.
>
> We are also increasingly concerned about the direction of the national Conservative Party. The tone and rhetoric emerging from parliamentary leadership appear divisive and risk marginalising communities.
>
> We have always believed that politics should bring people together, and that the party should be inclusive and unifying. Regrettably, this is no longer a position we feel able to align ourselves with.
Ah yes – the Conservative Party – those great unifiers of modern Britain.
[Who could forget how unified we felt when we suffered through the devastating austerity cuts of the 2010s][10] – cuts which didn’t touch the rich even slightly.
It just doesn’t wash, does it?
> Corbyn Endorsing Deselected Tories as "Independent Socialists" is no surprise, since we've already seen a near year of the "Social Conservative" shite from His Party.
> Honestly, he should have just ran for London Mayor & Kept whatever respect he had left. He could have even won. [https://t.co/VieTmnFXxi][11]
>
> — Michael Walsh (@thatbloodyMikey) [April 2, 2026][12]
The big question is this: would the trio have quit if not for being deselected?
The answer is ‘we don’t know’.
Forgetting that, Corbyn and Your Party should have a policy of never endorsing anyone who’s ever had anything to do with the Tories.
And never in a million years did we think we’d need to explain that.
## How did it come to this?
It’s not controversial to say Your Party has not turned out how many hoped it would.
Despite attracting 800,000 signups upons its announcement, [the party would go on to secure a fraction of that number once it opened up to members][13]. Since then, the party has failed to place in most polls, while the Green Party has captured much of Your Party’s initial enthusiasm.
There are good people in the party, and we know that many of them are struggling to process this latest development.
> That's quite enough for me, I think. What a massive disaster this has all been. Shame on those who squandered this opportunity to build a genuinely decent political alternative. [https://t.co/G8Z6DHUCfj][14] [pic.twitter.com/eWWBi4ofpR][15]
>
> — chloe (@Dykeocletian) [April 2, 2026][16]
Solidarity with all those who just wanted Your Party to be a clear alternative to Labour and the Tories.
*We contacted Your Party to confirm the endorsement, but had not heard back at the time of publication.*
*Featured image via [X/Twitter][17]*
By [Willem Moore][18]
[1]: https://t.co/azYoWufF0a
[2]: https://twitter.com/LeftieStats/status/2039696647962214781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3]: https://t.co/b4Em7up7Ur
[4]: https://twitter.com/mish_rahman/status/2039683176805671163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/01/12/former-labour-nec-member-mish-rahman-joins-the-green-party/
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/02/corbyn-takes-aim-at-labour-heartlands-as-your-party-unveils-local-elections-strategy/
[7]: https://twitter.com/AvaSantina/status/2039718165349818448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[8]: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/walsall-independent-councillors-join-jeremy-32636346
[9]: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/walsall-conservatives-perilous-position-three-33228378
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2016/09/28/watch-moment-george-osborne-finally-admits-dirty-truth-austerity-video/
[11]: https://t.co/VieTmnFXxi
[12]: https://twitter.com/thatbloodyMikey/status/2039712712389808342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[13]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2025/11/04/your-party-members-2/
[14]: https://t.co/G8Z6DHUCfj
[15]: https://t.co/eWWBi4ofpR
[16]: https://twitter.com/Dykeocletian/status/2039723319201562905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[17]: https://x.com/mish_rahman/status/2039683176805671163?s=20
[18]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/03/corbyn-three-ex-tory-councillors/

2026-04-03 00:44:42 CEST

Farage brands failed Reform candidates ‘liars’
[Farage]
Reform are having an absolute nightmare in the runup to the local elections. As we’ve reported, [they’ve been losing candidates left and right][1]. If you think this means the party’s vetting procedures aren’t up to snuff, don’t worry. According to Farage himself, the problem is many of the eager Reform members signing up are actually just liars.
> Farage defends Reform’s vetting failures after ‘abhorrent’ incidents[https://t.co/8uAu2Azx0V][2]
>
> — Reform Party UK Exposed [🇬🇧] (@reformexposed) [April 1, 2026][3]
## Farage — Liars, liars
We’ve covered the many woes that Reform have had in the runup to the local elections, with key calamities including:
* [Reform candidate sparks mass resignations in the party][4].
* [Day One Reform activist accuses party of ‘sewer’ politics in explosive resignation letter][5].
* [Farage heckled at Reform’s Jimmy Saville-aping London launch][6].
* [Video emerges of Reform’s ‘Nazi salute’ candidate drink driving][7].
* [Reform’s chaotic collapse continues: Scottish candidate suspended over ‘financial conduct’][8].
[As reported by the *Independent*][9], Farage defended Reform UK’s vetting process by saying:
> sometimes people lie
That’s true, Nigel, yes; this is what you’re supposed to uncover by vetting them.
The *Independent* also reported:
> Reform UK’s home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, also defended the process, stating that out of 8,000 candidates vetted, even a 99.9 per cent success rate means a handful of problematic individuals might still slip through.
If Reform had enjoyed a 99.9% success rate, they would have only had eight problem candidates. The truth is they’ve already had that many between Wales and Scotland alone, and we’re still a month out from the election:
> Reform UK Wales only announced their candidate list 3 days ago and already 3 have quit or been suspended:
>
> Andrew Barry
> Corey Edwards
> Patrick Benham-Crosswell
>
> It’s 6 out of a friend of 73 in Scotland.[#ReformShitshow][10]
>
> — Reform Party UK Exposed [🇬🇧] (@reformexposed) [March 28, 2026][11]
> Reform UK Scotland have seen 5 of their 73 candidates suspended or stood down.
>
> That’s nearly 7% of all of them. [#ReformScotlandShitshow][12] [pic.twitter.com/0FWLJLxafH][13]
>
> — Reform Party UK Exposed [🇬🇧] (@reformexposed) [March 27, 2026][14]
## All eyes on
When Yusuf was pressed on the number of candidates dropping out by the *BBC’s* Laura Kuenssberg, [Yusuf said][15]:
> Yes, of course it’s reasonable to hold Reform to account.
>
> But what consistently happens is the BBC pounces on every single Reform mishap and gives it vastly disproportionate coverage in your news cycles – and completely ignores the far most voluminous misdemeanours and frankly egregious things from other parties do.
This is the problem Reform have.
They want to be the biggest party in the country, but they don’t want the inevitable scrutiny that comes with it.
And as Kuenssberg pointed out:
> proportionally, Reform has lost more candidates over this kind of thing happening than other political parties
Farage’s response to his party’s candidate crisis is to brand signups ‘liars’.
We can’t imagine that going down well with the Reform faithful, but we’ll see.
*Featured image via [Canva][16]*
By [Willem Moore][17]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/31/reform-resignations/
[2]: https://t.co/8uAu2Azx0V
[3]: https://twitter.com/reformexposed/status/2039344035802825045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/31/reform-resignations/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/29/reform-activist-accuses/
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/29/farage-heckled-at-reforms/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/28/reform-nazi-salute-candidate/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/03/21/reform-chaotic-collapse/
[9]: https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/farage-reform-vetting-nazi-salute-corey-edwards-b2949306.html
[10]: https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReformShitshow?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[11]: https://twitter.com/reformexposed/status/2037923039619191207?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[12]: https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReformScotlandShitshow?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[13]: https://t.co/0FWLJLxafH
[14]: https://twitter.com/reformexposed/status/2037611563612270596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[15]: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/zia-yusuf-slams-bbc-amid-questions-over-reform-candidate-scandals_uk_69c90090e4b06be0a3089250/
[16]: https://www.canva.com/photos/free/
[17]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/farage-brands-failed-reform/

2026-04-03 00:42:24 CEST

First casualty of war: UK airline cancels flights amid Iran war energy crisis
[Uk]
A UK airline has permanently cancelled a flight due to pressure from the energy crisis caused by the [US attack on Iran][1]. Skybus operated an internal flight between London and the Cornish town of Newquay. The firm’s cancellation could be the first of many as air travel is hit by increasing pressure.
The National [reported][2] on 2 April:
> Skybus operates daily flights between London Gatwick and the seaside town of Newquay.
>
> The service was due to end on May 31, however the airline has announced that it will be ending now – nearly two months earlier than planned.
Adding:
> The airline’s managing director Jonathon Hinkles said it was due to various reasons including the increase in fuel costs.
Hinkles said:
> At a time of great economic uncertainty and steps being taken to conserve energy worldwide, it is neither environmentally nor economically sound for us to continue flying with vastly reduced passenger numbers.
It does beg a question: who the hell flies from London to Cornwall?
## UK — Widespread price hikes
But bigger providers say they are under pressure too. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary [said][3]:
> We don’t expect any disruption until early May, but if the war continues, we do run the risk of supply disruptions in Europe in May and June and obviously we hope the war will finish sooner than that and that the risk to supply will be eliminated.
The UK has been hit in other ways too. UK Pm Keir Starmer has [tried][4] to allay fears, but Brits are feeling the impact:
> Families with a 55-litre diesel car face paying more than £100 at the pump for the first time since December 2022.
LBC [reported][5] on 23 March:
> The Prime Minister chaired the meeting on Monday afternoon, during which the Chancellor spoke about steps she will set out in a statement to Parliament tomorrow.
>
> Ms Reeves, Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband gave updates on the situation and stressed that de-escalation and ending the Iran conflict was “the best thing we can do for the economy”, Downing Street said in a readout.
It is unclear when the war will end and on what terms.
US-Israel attacked Iran first on 28 February without provocation. Iran was offering[ unprecedented concessions][6] in negotiations at the time. The Pentagon has since[ stated][7] there was no imminent threat from Iran. And the UN’s atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has said there is[ no evidence][8] Iran was developing a nuclear weapon.
The US has achieved none of [its original war aims][9]. Iran [predictably closed][10] the Straits of Hormuz, a vital oil channel, once attacked – creating a global energy crisis. Far from being defeated, Iran has [said][11] the war will continue until “the enemy’s inevitable and permanent humiliation, disgrace, regret, and surrender”. Trump came to power on an anti-war ‘America First’ ticket. He now faces worldwide humiliation.
*Featured image via [Aerospace Global News][12]*
By [Joe Glenton][13]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/03/18/iran-threats/
[2]: https://www.thenational.scot/news/25990515.uk-airline-cancels-london-flights-due-fuel-crisis-amid-iran-war/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1775125073-1
[3]: https://www.thenational.scot/news/25990515.uk-airline-cancels-london-flights-due-fuel-crisis-amid-iran-war/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1775125073-1
[4]: https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/starmer-address-the-nation-iran-war-cost-of-living-5HjdX96_2/
[5]: https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/iran-war-cost-of-living-protect-working-people-reeves-starmer-5HjdWmR_2/
[6]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/full-transcript-omani-foreign-minister-badr-albusaidi/
[7]: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pentagon-tells-congress-no-sign-that-iran-was-going-attack-us-first-sources-say-2026-03-02/
[8]: https://aje.news/xgc2gx?update=4359748
[9]: https://www.forever-wars.com/so-you-lost-a-war-to-iran/?ref=forever-wars-newsletter
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/13/iran-strait-oil/
[11]: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-us-war-live-trump-speech-oil-strait-of-hormuz-b2950540.html
[12]: https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/skybus-newquay-london-cornwall-council-pso/
[13]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/joeglenton/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/04/02/uk-airline-cancels-flights/

2026-04-02 23:52:31 CEST

Macron tells deranged Trump to “be serious” about “unrealistic” threat to open Hormuz by force
[Macron]
French President Emmanuel Macron has bit back at Trump following his attempts to undermine NATO. Pointing to the US Presidents repeated attacks which he says has created[ “daily doubt about his commitment”][1] to the North Atlantic alliance, Macron tells Trump to [“be serious”.][2]
Yesterday, the US President once again went to the media, making comments that appear designed to pressure the alliance into bending to his will.
However, it appears Macron is not for giving in — even going so far as to try to educate Trump on diplomacy:
> We need to be serious, and if you want to be serious, you don’t go around saying the opposite of what you said the day before.
> BREAKING [🚨]: Macron is TROLLING Trump at epic level [🔥][😂]
>
> [🇫🇷]Macron: "When we are serious, we do not say the opposite of what we said the day before. Perhaps we should not speak every day."
>
> Bro calmly telling Trump that he is a big clown. [😂] [pic.twitter.com/Aupk0u3Sj8][3]
>
> — InfoGram (@_InfoGram_) [April 2, 2026][4]
## ‘Perhaps we should not speak every day’ says Macron
The US and Israel began its[ illegal war][5] on Iran at the end of February, and with typical Western duplicity, the bombs began falling whilst Iranian officials were at [the negotiating table.][6] Consequently, the Middle East has descended into chaos with Iran using its inalienable right to self-defence by[ targetting US bases ][7]and [interests][8] in their neighbouring states.
Unsurprisingly, Iran has also used its proximity and access to the Strait of Hormuz to make this egregious violation of international law as expensive as possible for the West. A pretty strong strategic move, really.
Now the Western world is seeing consequences for its complicity in the US’ colonialist actions, Trump is changing his rhetoric daily in an attempt to seemingly save face.
> The main challenge for Trump is to declare victory without being able to open the Strait of Hormuz: "Let France do it… Let the European countries do it… Let South Korea do it… Let Japan do it… This was not part of what I wanted to do" [pic.twitter.com/0GCnqocxp9][9]
>
> — Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) [April 2, 2026][10]
Thankfully, Macron is no longer being backwards about coming forwards and has confronted the President’s ridiculous political gameplaying.
In an interview whilst on a state visit in Seoul in South Korea, Macron [stated][11]:
> I believe that organisations and alliances like Nato are defined by what is left unsaid – that is, the trust that underpins them, and that has often been the case, incidentally, with military and strategic matters.
>
> If you cast doubt on your commitment every day, you erode its very substance.
>
> We need to be serious, and if you want to be serious, you don’t go around saying the opposite of what you said the day before.
>
> I think there is too much talk.
The French President then argued that the only way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is through dialogue and diplomatic cooperation with Iran. Lambasting the tactic of US military might forcing it open as “unrealistic”, he says the risks are too great for navies involved and seeks peace rather than any involvement in the US/Israel war on Iran.
## China: Illegal war and US-Israeli strikes responsible for fall out
China has today declared the war to be illegal and positioned the blame for the impact to global energy costs solely at the feet of the tyrants who started dropping bombs in the first place:
> JUST IN: [🇨🇳] China says US-Israeli strikes against Iran is "illegal" and is what caused the Strait of Hormuz to close. [pic.twitter.com/KEW2LhDQX9][12]
>
> — BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) [April 2, 2026][13]
A reminder that it is only complicit states who are being punished by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, which is responsible for the transit of roughly a quarter of global oil trade:
> BREAKING: Iran assures the Philippines that it will allow Philippine-bound and Philippine-flagged ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
>
> The Department of Foreign Affairs announced in a statement Thursday, April 2, that Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro spoke with… [pic.twitter.com/NV7bX53uLw][14]
>
> — Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) [April 2, 2026][15]
Like in previous aggressions, some have suggested the US’ [main interest is to weaken China,][16] who have long overshadowed the US in the size and health of its economy. Specifically, they depend on the Strait of Hormuz far more than Western countries.
Nevertheless, Iran has shown it values loyalty and a commitment to the rule of law over and above power plays and the instinct for collective punishment we so often see in the West.
> Everyone keeps saying Iran 'closed' the Strait of Hormuz. They didn't close it. They're deciding who gets through.
>
> China, India, now the Philippines 9 days after declaring an energy emergency. If you stayed out of the war, you get your oil. If you didn't, good luck.
>
> It's a… [https://t.co/zk1pOljP0K][17]
>
> — The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) [April 2, 2026][18]
## Play by the rules or fuck off
It is undeniable that we currently live in a world order in which powerful white men seek to throw the rule book out the window, like in Iraq and other western invasions. Unlike in 2003 however, it appears world leaders are finally pushing back against sensationalist statements and war-baiting from politicians corrupted by billionaires and the military machine.
Spain has gone[ far further][19] than most, [banning use of its air space ][20]and [its bases by the US military.][21] Whilst France’s intervention is welcome, Macron could go a hell of a lot further and see a far greater impact.
After all, this moment offers a chance to prioritise the rule of law, as the world receives yet another reminder of why an international rules-based system exists in the first place.
*Featured image via [PBS][22]*
By [Maddison Wheeldon][23]
[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/02/middle-east-crisis-live-trump-prime-time-address-white-house-iran-war-israel-strait-hormuz
[2]: https://www.reuters.com/world/macron-says-it-is-unrealistic-open-hormuz-strait-by-force-2026-04-02/
[3]: https://t.co/Aupk0u3Sj8
[4]: https://twitter.com/_InfoGram_/status/2039703811393257760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/02/iran-trump-wrong/
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/02/28/iran-must-return/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/02/28/iran-hits-us-5th-fleet/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/19/qatar-lng-hub-blew/
[9]: https://t.co/0GCnqocxp9
[10]: https://twitter.com/Glenn_Diesen/status/2039579979931886028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[11]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/02/middle-east-crisis-live-trump-prime-time-address-white-house-iran-war-israel-strait-hormuz
[12]: https://t.co/KEW2LhDQX9
[13]: https://twitter.com/BRICSinfo/status/2039639866393116812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[14]: https://t.co/NV7bX53uLw
[15]: https://twitter.com/PhilstarNews/status/2039626207780900975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[16]: https://x.com/nucleusprime/status/1962555104776880581?s=20
[17]: https://t.co/zk1pOljP0K
[18]: https://twitter.com/HormuzLetter/status/2039687459550761366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[19]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/05/spain-opposes-trumps-illegal-war/
[20]: https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-closes-airspace-us-planes-iran-war/
[21]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2025/09/29/spain-stops-the-us-using-its-bases-to-fuel-israels-genocide-as-unite-falters/
[22]: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/much-to-disagree-on-as-trump-macron-meet-on-d-day
[23]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/maddison-wheeldon/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/04/02/macron-tells-deranged-trump/

2026-04-02 23:33:30 CEST

US is lying through its teeth about Iran war casualties — and people are noticing
[US]
The US is still hiding casualty figures from its [failing Iran war][1]. The Pentagon is ‘cooking the books’ on the number of soldiers killed and wounded by using outdated reporting to keep the public in the dark. The *Intercept’s* Nick Turse [reported][2] on 1 April:
> Almost 750 U.S. troops have been wounded or killed in the Middle East since October 2023, an analysis by The Intercept has found. But the Pentagon won’t acknowledge it.
Adding:
> U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, appears to be engaged in what a defense official called a “casualty cover-up,” offering The Intercept low-ball and outdated figures and failing to provide clarifications on military deaths and injuries.
>
> 15 troops were wounded in a attack on a Saudi air base on 27 March alone, according to two government officials who spoke with The Intercept.
Turse said:
> Hundreds of U.S. personnel have been killed or injured in the region since the U.S. launched a war on Iran just over a month ago.
## US — Outdated figures
The Intercept [said][3] Central Command (CENTCOM) was using “outdated” figures:
> resulting in undercounts, including a statement sent Monday from spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins noting that “Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, approximately 303 U.S. service members have been wounded.”
The US outlet said:
> The comment was three days old and excluded at least 15 wounded in the Friday attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. The command did not reply to repeated requests for updated figures
They added:
> CENTCOM also would not provide a count of troops who have died in the region since the start of the war. An Intercept analysis puts the number at no less than 15.
An unnamed defence official told the Intercept:
> This is, quite obviously, a subject that [War Secretary Pete] Hegseth and the White House want to keep under major wraps.
The Trump approach starkly contrasts with the last US administration, run by then-president Joe Biden. That government sent the Intercept:
> detailed chronologies of attacks on U.S. bases in the Middle East that listed the specific outpost that was attacked, the type of strike, and whether — or how many — casualties resulted, along with an aggregate count of attacks by country.
Trump and Pete Hegseth’s department of war clearly have something to hide. This is likely exacerbated by the sense the US is losing — or has already lost — a war of choice with Iran.
US-Israel attacked Iran first on 28 February without provocation. Iran was offering[ unprecedented concessions][4] in negotiations at the time. The Pentagon has since[ stated][5] there was no imminent threat from Iran. And the UN’s atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has said there is[ no evidence][6] Iran was developing a nuclear weapon.
The US has achieved none of [its original war aims][7]. Iran [predictably closed][8] the Straits of Hormuz, a vital oil channel, once attacked – creating a global energy crisis. Far from being defeated, Iran has [said][9] the war will continue until “the enemy’s inevitable and permanent humiliation, disgrace, regret, and surrender”. Trump came to power on an anti-war ‘America First’ ticket.
The US and Trump now face worldwide humiliation.
*Featured image via [the Cradle][10]*
By [Joe Glenton][11]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/01/trump-iran-war-latest/
[2]: https://theintercept.com/2026/04/01/iran-war-us-casualty-numbers-trump-hegseth/
[3]: https://theintercept.com/2026/04/01/iran-war-us-casualty-numbers-trump-hegseth/
[4]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/full-transcript-omani-foreign-minister-badr-albusaidi/
[5]: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pentagon-tells-congress-no-sign-that-iran-was-going-attack-us-first-sources-say-2026-03-02/
[6]: https://aje.news/xgc2gx?update=4359748
[7]: https://www.forever-wars.com/so-you-lost-a-war-to-iran/?ref=forever-wars-newsletter
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/13/iran-strait-oil/
[9]: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-us-war-live-trump-speech-oil-strait-of-hormuz-b2950540.html
[10]: https://thecradle.co/articles/us-forces-kill-two-senior-isis-members-in-northern-syria-centcom
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/joeglenton/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/04/02/us-is-lying-through-its/

2026-04-02 23:18:00 CEST

DWP cuts leave Motability scrabbling for savings through discriminatory black-box scheme
[DWP]
DWP — In yet another escalation of its performative penalisation of disabled drivers, the Motability scheme is now planning to fit all vehicles for under-30s with compulsory black boxes.
The devices track the car’s speed, braking and rest habits. Using this information, they issue drivers with a weekly red, amber or green rating. If drivers receive more than four reds over a year, they face losing access to the vital lifeline.
## DWP and Motability
The Motability Scheme allows disabled people to exchange their qualifying mobility allowance for the lease of a vehicle. The Scheme is delivered by [Motability Operations][1], a commercial organisation, which is in turn governed by the [Motability Foundation][2] charity.
Motability currently helps around 860,000 people get around with a greater degree of independence.[ It’s funded][3] primarily through the Motability Endowment Trust and the exchange of individuals’ mobility allowance payments, as part of the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
However, the [DWP has recently confirmed that,][4] from 1 July, VAT and Insurance Premium Tax will apply to most new car leases. This means it will cost more to deliver the Motability scheme.
As such, Motability Foundation has been left scrabbling to find savings. Chief executive Nigel Fletcher explained it would be hit with a price rise of around £1,100 per driver:
> A lot of disabled people won’t be able to afford that, so we’re now having to try and work out how can we make changes to the scheme that protects pricing as much as we possibly can.
The mandatory black boxes for under 30s form part of this cost-cutting drive. Fletcher described this as being about “keeping prices down and keeping people safe”. As part of a pilot of the black box scheme, started back in September in Northern Ireland, it’s already removed 300 drivers. However, Fletcher stated that:
> They will get lots of warnings before they get taken off the scheme. And then if they are taken off the scheme, we will need to start looking at what our policies are around allowing them back onto the scheme in the future.
## ‘It’s not a point about our safety’
However, [critics of the black-box scheme][5] have called out this clear penalisation of younger disabled drivers. For example, actor Keron Day leases a specially adapted wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) through Motability. He pointed out that:
> Disabled people need to have the choice, just like everybody else.
>
> If I passed [my driving test] aged 17, I would have 13 years of a mandatory black box. None of my non-disabled peers would have that.
>
> We all have to pass the exact same driving tests that everybody else does, so it’s not a point about our safety.
Likewise, Eva Hanna leases a car with hand controls. She observed that the black box fitted to her car issued amber and even red reports for jerky driving. However, this is likely a consequence of the adaptations, rather than her own skill in driving:
> The braking and acceleration can be a bit more sensitive, because obviously it’s not the same as using your feet.
>
> You have to pull on the brake a little, or you have to pull on the accelerator to get it going. So I’ve found that during my journey I might have braked too hard or accelerated too harshly.
Faced with this problem, Fletcher stated that Motability was unaware of the potential flaw. However, he added that the scheme would continue to gather information.
## Performative cruelty
These cuts to Motability — along with the [‘luxury cars’ fiasco and halving mileage allowances][6] — just happen to follow immediately after the scheme became a[ favoured target of the right. ][7]
As critics have highlighted, disabled drivers are already subject to the same qualification thresholds and safety laws as the rest of us. This is a cost-saving measure, purely and simply.
We need look no further than its application to the under-30s as proof of its discriminatory nature. Sure, younger drivers are statistically more likely to be less safe — but if the boxes make them safer, surely the same logic would apply to the over-30s equally?
This amounts to nothing more than the latest in a series of performative blows to the disabled community. Whether it’s the wider government, the Labour Party, or the DWP itself, they’re using disabled people’s receipt of a ‘benefits’ payment as open permission to penalise and discriminate against the community.
*Featured image via [MyLondon][8]*
By [The Canary][9]
[1]: https://www.mo.co.uk/about-us/
[2]: https://www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/about-us/#
[3]: https://www.motabilityfoundation.org.uk/about-us/our-funding/#:~:text=The%20Motability%20Foundation%20is%20funded%20by:%20*,investments%20*%20%C2%A30.5m%20from%20other%20income%20sources
[4]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c203n6qx3ego
[5]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c203n6qx3ego
[6]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c203n6qx3ego
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/27/motability-changes-will/
[8]: https://www.mylondon.news/news/cost-of-living/who-eligible-dwp-motability-scheme-32979546
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/04/02/dwp-cuts-leave-motability/

2026-04-02 20:54:59 CEST

Viral poll shows the most antisemitic party, and it’s not the Greens
[antisemitism]
A poll from YouGov has shown the attitudes that Britons have towards Jewish people and Israel. [Given the manufactured furore in the British media][1], you could be forgiven for thinking that the Green Party was exposed as being a hotbed of antisemitism. Instead:
## Uncomfortable figures
The above was put together by commenter Cez using YouGov polling from September 2025:
> Almost half of British people, and almost three quarters of Green voters, say that Israel treats the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews.
>
> Only a small minority of people hold antisemitic beliefs, the lowest rate being among people who are more likely to be anti-Zionist. [pic.twitter.com/5JX0DBsa4I][2]
>
> — cez (@cezthesocialist) [April 1, 2026][3]
As you can see, Reform voters were:
* Considerably more likely to hold the antisemitic belief that “Jewish people chase money more than other people do”.
* Less open to having Jewish friends.
* Considerably more likely to be comfortable around Israel supporters.
This mixture of antisemitism with pro-Israel opinions is a phenomenon which you see at the highest levels of power. Take Donald Trump, for instance — the world’s most prominent Israel ally:
> Trump just used the antisemitic slur “Shylock”
>
> Surely all the people screaming about Zohran (who has done no such thing) will speak out against this [😕] [pic.twitter.com/ICW3lJBO0K][4]
>
> — The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) [July 4, 2025][5]
[And as we reported in February][6]:
> Many [American evangelicals][7] support Israel, but not because they like Israelis. In actuality, they think the creation of Israel is a signifier that the end times are approaching, and that Israel will trigger the Rapture.
>
> If you’re unfamiliar with the term, the ‘Rapture’ is the time when God calls his faithful back to heaven. Said ‘faithful’ will not include the Jewish men and women who live in Israel, even if they do play an instrumental role in jump starting the Armageddon.
Some will point to the polling on the Green Party’s criticism of Israel and its defenders as being antisemitic. As we constantly repeat, however, criticism of Israel, its actions, and its defenders is not antisemitism.
You wouldn’t call criticism of the [ongoing genocide in Sudan][8] ‘anti-Black racism’, so why should we treat Israel differently?
## Campaign Against Antisemitism
Digging further into the YouGov polling, it does conflate opinions about Israel and Jewish people in weird ways. [Take this question, for example][9]:
* Israel can get away with anything because its supporters control the media.
The idea that Jewish people control the media is a conspiracy theory.
The idea that Israel and its backers have exerted influence over how the UK media reports on the genocide in Gaza is born out by copious [studies][10] and [reporting][11].
Of course, it makes sense that the questions would be a little off. The study was conducted by YouGov on behalf of Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA). [As Skwawkbox reported for the *Canary*][12]:
> CAGE International raised concerns that CAA and another notoriously aggressive ‘charity’, UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), misuse their charitable status to defend Israel’s apartheid policies and genocide, and to suppress pro-Palestinian advocacy, through vexatious complaints – a breach of charity law. The Charity Commission has also placed UKLFI under investigation where it may face the same enforcement action.
The press release from CAGE International read:
> [The sanction] follows a formal complaint submitted by CAGE International earlier this year against both the CAA and UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), which detailed how both charities defend and advocate for the State of Israel’s apartheid and genocidal policies in a manner that contravenes their charitable purposes, while also engaging in vexatious and malicious complaints against pro-Palestinian individuals, universities, employers, and regulatory bodies – a tactic for which both organisations are notorious. This is done as a means of intimidating and silencing Pro-Palestinian activism.
>
> The Commission’s intervention marks the second regulatory consequence resulting from CAGE’s complaint. In September, Middle East Eye revealed that the Commission had opened an active investigation into the UKLFI Charitable Trust, the fundraising arm of UK Lawyers for Israel, over concerns that “some of its activities may fall outside the scope of its charitable objectives.”
>
> A spokesperson for the Charity Commission confirmed that, following the concerns raised by CAGE International, the Campaign Against Antisemitism has been issued a remedial Action Plan under section 15(2) of the Charities Act 2011. The plan requires the charity’s trustees to take specific steps to improve the administration, management, and governance of the organisation in light of the concerns raised. The Commission will follow up with the trustees to ensure that the charity implements the advice given.
>
> The Commission’s regulatory engagement with both UKLFI and CAA comes amid mounting public scrutiny over the political use of charitable structures to defend Israel’s apartheid regime and suppress pro-Palestinian advocacy.
## Bias
To be clear, the fact that CAA are a deeply problematic organisation who asked suspicious questions does not mean that YouGov conducted their polling unprofessionally. And by that, we mean we’ve no reason to doubt the statistics themselves (with the usual disclaimer that no poll can ever guarantee total accuracy).
What this means, then, is that there’s been credible polling since September last year that Reform UK is a hotbed of antisemitism.
Despite this, the *Daily Mail* doesn’t seem to be harassing Nigel Farage’s family — just the family of Zack Polanski — the UK’s only Jewish party leader.
> Polanski was unequivocal – the harassment of his family is a red line — and now the Independent Press Standards Organisation has stepped in.[@willem_moore_uk][13] has more.[https://t.co/sUnnfDrVnt][14]
>
> — Canary (@TheCanaryUK) [April 2, 2026][15]
So yet again, the hostile British media is stirring up antisemitism allegations to attack their political enemies.
*Featured image via [Cez][16]*
By [Willem Moore][17]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/polanski-daily-mail-feud/
[2]: https://t.co/5JX0DBsa4I
[3]: https://twitter.com/cezthesocialist/status/2039369624383553679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://t.co/ICW3lJBO0K
[5]: https://twitter.com/TheTNHoller/status/1940959830669512928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/02/21/israel-deserves-reparations/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2018/05/23/a-christian-academic-calls-out-us-evangelicals-for-supporting-israel-live-on-the-bbc/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/24/uae-funnels-weapons-to-sudan-militia/
[9]: https://d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/CAA_Results_250902_w_EJU8Eud.pdf
[10]: https://www.mediareform.org.uk/blog/bbc-bias-gaza-asserson-report
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2024/12/19/medecins-sans-frontieres-israel-report/
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2025/11/06/campaign-against-antisemitism-faces-regulatory-action/
[13]: https://twitter.com/willem_moore_uk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[14]: https://t.co/sUnnfDrVnt
[15]: https://twitter.com/TheCanaryUK/status/2039652766419661072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[16]: https://x.com/cezthesocialist/status/2039369624383553679?s=20
[17]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/antisemitism-party-and-its/

2026-04-02 20:24:59 CEST

Emirati entrepreneur upset that TIME magazine criticised UAE
[UAE]
[Emirati][1] entrepreneur Omar Al Busaidy expressed disappointment with TIME magazine for [publishing][2] an article on April 1, 2026, titled “How the Iran War cracked Dubai’s liberal facade.” Al Busaidy tweeted: “Very disappointing from you guys, after all the support you got from the UAE , never expected something like this.”
> Very disappointing from you guys, after all the support you got from the UAE , never expected something like this [https://t.co/fwImAyvIaE][3]
>
> — Omar Al Busaidy عمر البوسعيدي [🇦🇪] (@omaralbusaidy) [April 1, 2026][4]
In February 2025, TIME partnered with the UAE to [host][5] the TIME100 AI Impact Awards at Dubai’s Museum of the Future. In December 2025, the TIME100 Impact Awards were [held][6] in Abu Dhabi for the first time.
The magazine is owned by zionist Marc Benioff of Salesforce. Jerusalem Post [reported][7] that Benioff had “donated to United Hatzalah in the wake of the [Oct 7] attack, and his company has continued investment in its Israeli center, which remains one of Salesforce’s “strategic hubs.”
TIME’s article describes the fallout of Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Trump’s Gulf monarch ally. It wrote:
> The reality is that the Iran War has the UAE showing its true authoritarian colors as its government scrambles to [control the conflict narrative][8], cracking down on anyone sharing photos of missile and drone attacks and their aftermath. For Dubai, where young, rich, and glamorous influencers endlessly parrot the city’s claim to be “the safest city in the world,” the shift has been especially profound—not least as tens of thousands of foreigners have fled.
Radha Stirling says the UAE has arrested hundreds of ordinary people, from maids to millionaires, under draconian cybercrime laws for sharing attack-related content, causing long term reputational damage.
Stirling is the CEO of Detained in Dubai, an organization that provides legal and diplomatic assistance to foreigners in trouble in the UAE.
> “It’s everyone from a Filipina maid all the way to a multi-millionaire. It’s a really broad and draconian enforcement of the law.” – Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai [https://t.co/p4sBACe5F1][9]
>
> — Radha Stirling (@RadhaStirling) [April 2, 2026][10]
The comments under Al Busaidy’s post were dripping with condemnation for the UAE’s support to USA and Israel against Iran and for its complicity in crimes against “[Yemeni, Libyan, Sudanese, and Gazan children][11].”
When will West Asians learn that they will always be sacrificed by white supremacy, no matter how much they try to suck up to them?
Featured image via the Canary
By [The Canary][12]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/06/uae-billionaire-questions-trumps-iran-war/
[2]: https://time.com/article/2026/04/01/dubai-uae-iran-war-crackdown-safety
[3]: https://t.co/fwImAyvIaE
[4]: https://twitter.com/omaralbusaidy/status/2039299430520893625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[5]: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/tech/those-stuck-in-old-ways-will-be-disheartened-global-ai-leaders-gather-in-dubai-to-shape-whats-next
[6]: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jessicasibley_time-continues-global-expansion-with-inaugural-activity-7394824334675963904-jSZf
[7]: https://www.jpost.com/influencers-25/50jews-25/article-867920
[8]: https://time.com/article/2026/03/20/uae-arrests-more-than-100-as-crackdown-on-filming-iran-s-attacks-ramps-up/
[9]: https://t.co/p4sBACe5F1
[10]: https://twitter.com/RadhaStirling/status/2039529837610807331?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[11]: https://x.com/AlFurQa_n/status/2039333935268680135?s=20
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/uae-emirati-entrepreneur/

2026-04-02 19:34:05 CEST

‘Succession’ star Brian Cox narrates new film exposing controversial gannet hunt – watch here
[Still from animation showing gannet parent looking sadly at an empty nest following guga hunt]
*Succession* actor Brian Cox has narrated a harrowing new animated film. It calls for an end to Scotland’s [controversial guga hunt][1], and exposes the ‘tradition’ of killing gannet chicks.
Firelily Studios created the animation for wildlife campaign group [Protect the Wild][2]. It depicts the life and death of a single gannet chick, from the safety of their nest to the moment they are taken and killed by hunters.
Every year, men from the Isle of Lewis travel to the remote island of Sula Sgeir. There they kill gannet seabird chicks (known as guga). The practice originated in times of hardship as a source of sustenance. But today the killing goes on primarily to maintain tradition, with the young gannet flesh considered a local delicacy. It is the UK’s last remaining seabird hunt.
The guga hunt has come under increasing scrutiny from campaigners, with growing public concern for animal welfare and conservation. It can only happen if NatureScot, Scotland’s official nature agency, gives out a licence for it. A [petition urging NatureScot to stop its licensing][3] of the hunt has [shot past its target of 50,000 signatures][4].
That demand forms the basis of Protect the Wild’s emotive new animation, which urges members of the public to add their names to the petition.
## ‘Needless cruelty’ to gannet chicks
In the film’s final scene, a lone gannet parent stands at the edge of a cliff beside their now-empty nest, as Cox condemns the practice as “needless cruelty” and calls on NatureScot to end the guga hunt.
> View this post on Instagram
>
>
> [A post shared by Protect the Wild (@protectthewild__)][5]
In 2025, NatureScot allowed the killing of 500 gannet chicks. It maintains that the hunt is sustainable and is unlikely to threaten the long-term stability of the gannet population. But recent Freedom of Information requests by Protect the Wild revealed that [Sula Sgeir is Scotland’s worst-performing gannet colony][6]. And it’s the only Special Protection Area for gannets in Scotland to have declined while others are growing.
Devon Docherty, Scottish campaigns manager at Protect the Wild, said:
> We’re incredibly grateful to Brian Cox for lending his voice to this important campaign and helping to bring this hidden cruelty into the spotlight.
>
> We made this animation to show the reality of the guga hunt, where defenceless chicks are snatched from their nests before they can fly, and battered to death in front of their parents.
>
> This is not about survival. It’s about maintaining a tradition that comes at the cost of immense animal suffering. This horrific practice has to stop.
>
> NatureScot has a choice. This licence is discretionary. As Scotland’s nature agency, it has a duty to protect wildlife, not permit its destruction.
Protect the Wild released the animation across its social media channels at 5pm on 2 April.
*Featured image via Firelily Studios / Protect the Wild*
By [The Canary][7]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2025/09/15/scotlands-nature-agency-permitted-the-cruel-clubbing-of-gannet-chicks-this-september/
[2]: https://protectthewild.org.uk/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/02/18/25000-back-calls-for-naturescot-to-end-controversial-guga-hunt/
[4]: https://protectthewild.org.uk/gannet-petition/
[5]: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWoqE4VDEMp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/26/guga-hunt-island-is-scotlands-worst-performing-gannet-colony/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/02/succession-star-brian-cox-narrates-new-film-exposing-controversial-gannet-hunt-watch-here/

2026-04-02 18:46:48 CEST

Peace Vigil attenders see US ground attack planes leaving RAF Lakenheath
[Peace banners on the fence at RAF Lakenheath]
Peace Vigil attenders at RAF Lakenheath have observed more than 20 planes taking off on the morning of 2 April. At least six were A10 ground attack aircraft, likely heading for [West Asia][1], where Donald Trump is threatening a ground invasion of Iran.
Witness Avril Simpson said:
> This carnage should not be happening, and our government should not be taking part in Trump’s illegal war, and our taxes should be supporting genuine security not killing kids abroad.
Lakenheath Alliance for Peace members have been leafleting in local towns and talking with local people. They discussed what their local bases stand for, and whether their purposes are acceptable or need resisting. An Advan carrying CND’s digital billboard announced that nuclear weapons under the control of Trump have arrived at Lakenheath.
Campaigners are making more moving artworks to add to the display on the fence at the base. These are highlighting the horrors being perpetrated from there.
There will be a major demonstration and blockade at the main gates of RAF Lakenheath on Saturday 4 April. This will demonstrate opposition to its use in the deployment of nuclear weapons and in the illegal attack on Iran. The Alliance promotes genuine security that breaks the cycle of retaliatory violence instead of feeding it.
## Lakenheath Peace Camp
Lakenheath Alliance for Peace is holding its [Easter Peace Camp from 1-6 April][2]. All who care about surviving the nuclear weapons age are welcome.
A 24/7 vigil at the gates of RAF Lakenheath began at 4pm on Wednesday 1 April and will continue until 3pm on Monday 6 April.
Participants approached the main gate to [hand in a letter to the base commander][3] highlighting their concerns. On previous occasions, base staff have refused such attempts.
This time was no different. Angie Zelter, one of the co-authors, said:
> This base is taking part in deployment of nuclear weapons, and in illegal wars against Gaza and Iran. Ignoring our warnings by refusing to accept our letter, will not look good in a War Crimes tribunal.
Throughout the week at Lakenheath, peace campaigners will raise awareness of the risks posed by nuclear weapons. They’ll celebrate and promote alternative options, and tell governments that they’re not acting in their citizens’ names or best interests.
They will be joined on Saturday by coaches from around the country, musicians Seize the Day and speakers from CND and World Beyond War.
Camp schedule:
* Wednesday 1 April – Camp set up and beginning of 24-hour vigil outside the main gate of the base. Vigil will run throughout the duration of the camp. CND ad van visiting Cambridge.
* Thursday 2 April – Local outreach in Thetford and Bury St Edmunds – with CND’s digital billboards helping to raise the ‘Kick out Trump’s nukes’ demand.
* Friday 3 April – ‘Environment Day’ theme with workshops on the war on nature, attacks on the right to protest.
* Saturday 4 April – ‘Give Peace a Chance’ demonstration and blockade at RAF Lakenheath main gate.
* Sunday 5 April – ‘Coming Together – Rising Up’ with workshops, music, and poetry.
* Monday 6 April – ‘Grand Finale – Visions into Action’ with networking event and closing ceremony.
More details on the schedule and workshops are on [Lakenheath Alliance for Peace’s website][4].
*Featured image via Lakenheath Alliance for Peace*
By [The Canary][5]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/01/14/the-cradle/
[2]: https://lakenheathallianceforpeace.org.uk/international-peace-camp-2026/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/01/raf-lakenheath-and-mildenhall-accused-of-aiding-and-abetting-war-crimes/
[4]: https://lakenheathallianceforpeace.org.uk/international-peace-camp-2026/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/02/peace-vigil-attenders-see-us-ground-attack-planes-leaving-raf-lakenheath/

2026-04-02 18:05:46 CEST

It’s not renewables putting up your energy bills, it’s billionaires
[Hornsea Two wind energy project]
Do you remember Great British Energy? Labour’s 2024 manifesto had six pledges. No. 4 was ‘Set up Great British Energy’, a publicly owned clean power company, to cut bills for good and boost energy security.
If you’ve seen the news or paid a bill recently, you’ll be forgiven for wondering where those lower bills are. Then again, it was always smoke and mirrors. When it was set up in 2024, CEO Jürgen Maier appeared in front of a Select Committee. ‘When can we expect to see bills come down?’ SNP MP Stephen Flynn asked him. That is ‘not the scope of Great British Energy’, [answered Maier][1].
## Crunching the numbers
So far as state-owned electricity generation goes, GB Energy has helped solar panels get installed on [school and hospital roofs][2]. That’s a good policy. But in total, that’s between 70MW and 100MW of energy generation – it barely makes a dent.
Total UK electricity demand was 127 Terawatt hours last year. If we replace fossil fuel vehicles with electric vehicles, and gas boilers with electric heat pumps, demand will rise to between 500 and 800TWh. The lower figure requires us to insulate homes and expand public transport.
That’s a lot of numbers. But to save you the arithmetic, GB Energy’s solar on public buildings will generate between 0.013% and 0.027% of the extra capacity we need. So only another 3,730 years to reach net zero.
## Contracts for Difference
The UK government has [awarded][3] contracts for more offshore wind, though. 4GW was agreed in January – a benchmark of 4 gigawatts for all renewable energy-generating projects. That will deliver around 7.9% of what we need, which is a start. Except it’s all privately owned, with [contracts agreed by auction][4]. It uses a system called ‘[Contract for Difference][5]‘ (CfD). This means the government agrees the ‘strike price’ for the next 15 years, which rises with inflation. So whatever happens to the wholesale price, the company gets paid the same in real terms. That money comes from our electricity bills.
January’s CfD set the strike price at £91.20 per MWh. The actual cost to produce the electricity is £46.40 per MWh, according to the [International Renewable Energy Association][6]. That’s technically known as the [Levelized Cost of Electricity][7], and takes into account all the planning, manufacture, installation, operation and maintenance. So privatisation results in a 97% price premium. Who owns the companies that won the contracts? Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Blackrock are the biggest shareholders. The money is leaving the UK economy.
Financial jargon calls this ‘derisking’. No one will invest £4billion in a wind farm unless they are guaranteed a return, or so goes the argument. Another term would be ‘corporate welfare’. We’re told that capitalists should get profits because they’ve taken a risk. But they’re removing the risk. I never hear these people say that an engineer, teacher or chef should be guaranteed 197% of their living costs for the next fifteen years for taking the risk to become qualified.
## Private profits, nationalised losses
The UK electricity system was privatised in 1990. Not for any common-sense reason, but from pure ideology. It was explicitly structured to create ‘competition’. Except it’s a monopoly. Or at least an oligopoly – where a few large firms dominate. In the North East, our transmission grid was sold to an American billionaire, under the company name of Northern Powergrid. Their [2024 accounts][8] show a turnover of £536 million. They paid dividends of £300 million. In other words, 56% of everything we pay goes straight to the owners.
They’re not developing the grid, either. As Mayor I worked with a firm who wanted to expand. The electricity supply to their factory was inadequate. I had to step in with investment to get the supply upgraded. They could then install a new production line, creating good jobs. In fact, every £1 I invested in this way returned over £3 to the public purse in payroll taxes alone. Investment in electrical infrastructure is one of the best things that could happen to British industry. But not when every kWh is milked for profit for overseas investors.
The final piece of the puzzle is the energy retailers. They buy from the grid, and sell to us as consumers. In 2022, [loads of them][9] went bust. The system is set up so a generator is not allowed to be a retailer. This meant that, when energy prices spiked and a cap was put on bills, loads of retailers could not meet their costs. Many community energy schemes and cooperatives were wiped out.
The system is regulated so OFGEM becomes the ‘supplier of last resort’. That is, we, the taxpayer, foot the bill for transferring the contracts so people don’t get cut off. It’s the old story of privatise the profits, nationalise the losses.
## A new approach to nationalisation
This brings me to the Green Party’s [recent conference motion][10] on nationalising energy companies. First, a caveat – I wasn’t there and didn’t hear the arguments. I have spoken to someone who was. It was a bit [chaotic][11], apparently. The Green Party’s membership has quadrupled since last year’s conference, and the systems are creaking. Everyone I speak to in the leadership team knows this. But as a strategic choice, focusing on winning elections has been extremely successful. The Greens are [polling][12] above Labour.
The previous Green Party policy was to nationalise the five largest energy supply companies. That clearly needed revisiting. Transmission and generation is where the money is creamed off, not retail. The new motion now explicitly calls for ‘public ownership’ of transmission, but diverse ownership of retail and generation.
‘Nationalisation’ is usually used as shorthand. It is thought of as ending wealth extraction where very, very rich people bribe governments so they can rip us off. But you can’t govern by shorthand. Sooner or later, you need detailed policies and specific legislation. Unless you’re Donald Trump, but that’s not a good example to follow. Co-ops, community ownership, municipal, and public-commons partnerships can all be in the mix.
Co-operatives are private profit-making ventures. As a socialist, I’m all for co-ops in a diverse ownership model. They’re a cornerstone of community wealth-building. And technically, I’m a private electricity generator, as is anyone else who has solar panels on their roof that can feed back into the grid. I don’t want my roof nationalised.
Nationalisation is not a magic bullet, either. RBS, NatWest, Lloyds and others were nationalised in 2008. It didn’t change their operation. The National Coal Board was a nationalised industry throughout the 1984-5 miners strike. The Labour 2017 manifesto [did not talk of nationalisation][13], but the alteration of licenses and a transition to a decentralised energy system.
## We need whole-system reform
The whole system needs restructuring. Surplus-making community co-ops and local authority generation are a good thing. OFGEM should require private retailers to have commercial insurance to underwrite their liabilities so that, if they go bust, we don’t pay for it. That would stop the ‘privatise the profits, nationalise the losses’ business model. Still, it’s fair criticism to say the Green Party’s new motion leaves the words ‘effectively regulated’ to cover a lot of gaps.
What is really needed is massive public investment. We have to stop worrying about ‘levering in’ private finance. As a sovereign nation with a central bank, Britain can effectively borrow from itself. Using that to create abundant clean energy would repay the investment many times over. It does for private finance, so it would if we owned it. Manufacturing and hospitality would see costs fall. Householders would have lower bills and more money in our pockets. Poverty would fall, along with pressure on public services. The economy would benefit.
It’s not net-zero putting up your bills, it’s billionaires. And neither Farage nor Starmer is willing to do a thing about it.
By [Jamie Driscoll][14]
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLFI4OK0v1A&t=602s
[2]: https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/solar-investment/great-british-energy-s-first-major-project-sees-200-million-government-investment-into-rooftop-solar
[3]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn9zyx150xdo
[4]: https://windeurope.org/news/uk-awards-8-4-gw-in-europes-largest-offshore-wind-auction-ever/
[5]: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/contracts-for-difference
[6]: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2025/Jul/IRENA_TEC_RPGC_in_2024_2025.pdf
[7]: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electricity-generation-costs-2023
[8]: https://www.northernpowergrid.com/sites/default/files/assets/Northern%20Powergrid%20North%20East%20Plc%20year%20ended%2031%20December%202024.pdf
[9]: https://www.aquaswitch.co.uk/which-energy-suppliers-have-gone-bust/#:~:text=Happily%2C%20no%20energy%20suppliers%20have,not%20hedged%20their%20pricing%20risk.
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/28/green-party-conference-votes/
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/03/30/green-party-conference-chaos/
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/03/green-party-opposition/
[13]: https://ucrel.lancs.ac.uk/wmatrix/ukmanifestos2017/localpdf/Labour.pdf
[14]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/jamie-driscoll/
https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/04/02/its-not-renewables-putting-up-your-energy-bills-its-billionaires/

2026-04-02 17:47:22 CEST

Your Party and Greens set to capitulate to Zionists
[Polanski and Zionism debate]
Jeremy Corbyn’s Your Party (YP) and Zack Polanski’s Green Party appear to be making moves towards rehabilitating Zionism. Instead of opposing its colonialist ideology, they seem more inclined to support it.
A recent landmark motion which declared Zionism as a form of racism was[ railroaded by pro-Israel members at the Green Party’s spring conference.][1] The blatant filibustering on display has devastated the [huge proportion of the Green’s membership][2] who [rightfully demand an anti-Zionist stance.][3]
However, disappointment for progressives does not end there. Corbyn’s YP appear to have taken heed of the subsequent fallout. Furthermore, an elected member of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) for Wales has suggested the new party entirely abandon its anti-Zionist pledge.
Once again, leaders appear to be choosing to give in to pressure rather than stand firm in recognition of [Palestinians inherent and inalienable right to their own sovereign territory][4]. After all, no ideology should afford anyone the right to dispossess, disavow, or displace another. Whether peaceful or violent, [Zionism is an existential threat to Palestinians and frankly, anyone who stands in their way.][5]
Host of *Palestine Declassified* Chris Williamson confronted Polanski’s “catastrophic error” on X:
> I've been very complimentary about [@ZackPolanski][6]'s stance on the economy, and I still believe an electoral agreement necessary for the next election. But he's making a catastrophic error in trying to appease Zionists. Jeremy Corbyn made that mistake, yet they still destroyed him.… [https://t.co/D2oscA3aAS][7]
>
> — Chris Williamson (@DerbyChrisW) [April 2, 2026][8]
Destroying Polanski’s suggestion that this is a ‘nuanced debate’, Williamson [wrote][9]:
> There is nothing “nuanced” about Zionism, Zack and it’s not “complicated” either. Zionism is a Jewish supremacist ideology. This turbocharged racism normalises apartheid and genocide. It must be confronted and defeated. You cannot dodge this question, Zack. The Zionists are coming for you no matter what you do.
>
> So your only realistic option is to fight them. If you don’t, then you’ve already lost.
## We’ve been here before
The 2019[ antisemitism crisis in Corbyn’s Labour][10] left socialists across the country demoralised and politically homeless, as the party purged [Jewish anti-Zionist][11] members over the contentious claim that their [anti-Zionist beliefs were antisemitic][12].
Polanski himself has spoken about lessons he learned from his own poor behaviour at the time, in which he unquestioningly jumped on the antisemitism bandwagon pushed by the right-wing, pro-Israel, billionaire-owned media.
Yet when push comes to shove, both leaders seem unable to stand up against Zionism. Polanski, in particular, goes to great lengths to sanitise the ideology. He portrays it as though pro-Palestinian activists object only to its violent methods rather than its core principles.
As already mentioned, he isn’t alone in his apparent wilful ignorance. Corbyn, despite the destructive impact of Zionists within Labour, is now being asked by another elected official in Wales, Maria Donnellan, to abandon YP’s anti-Zionist pledge. Time will tell [if Corbyn will resist but ][13]history suggests that concessions are his default response.
In protest at what they see as a move toward capitulation, members are reminding their leaders that they must confront Zionism at its roots.
Matthew Walker shared Donnellan’s messages following a leak from the YP WhatsApp group:
> Shocking leaked Whatsapp messages show Your Party CEC member Maria Donnellan ([@Maria4CEC4Cymru][14]) arguing that YP shouldn't adopt an anti-zionist policy.
>
> She describes zionism as "Jewish peoples movement for self-determination in their historic homeland."
>
> This is liberal zionism [pic.twitter.com/C500Jji99g][15]
>
> — Matthew Walker (@matthewjswalker) [March 29, 2026][16]
It’s funny how Palestinians never seem to have an inalienable right to their own homeland, as is afforded to Zionists. This comes regardless of the fact that Palestinians have lived on that land—their land—for generations. Ignoring the mass murder, dispossession, terrorism and oppression they have lived under for nearly 80 years, it seems some seek to rehabilitate ‘softer’ versions of this settler-colonialist ideology.
Cambridge YP’s divisive Kika even deplorably sought to argue that CEC members should be[ ‘exempt from scrutiny’:][17]
> More disgusting zionism from the Your Party whatsapp group today in response to the member petition to recall [@Maria4CEC4Cymru][18] from the CEC.
>
> In defense of Maria, Kika claims that jewish people have a right to self-determination on stolen Palestinian land because of the holocaust [https://t.co/999UJHCr0b][19] [pic.twitter.com/eXhSpEM5Qn][20]
>
> — Matthew Walker (@matthewjswalker) [March 31, 2026][21]
## Doomed to repeat old failures
Of course, no one wants their racist views unearthed. Still, their hurt feelings do not equate to the sustained suffering and murder of Palestinians due to Zionist policy.
On the other hand, YP and Green members are standing firm and refusing to be deterred. They are demanding stronger leadership. In addition, they insist that Palestinians’ suffering under Zionism cannot be ignored — whether it comes from the political left or the right.
Connections co-founder Anwarul Khan did not mince his words as he expressed his disgust at YP’s direction of travel. He posted on [X][22]:
> Ffs. Did not take long for zionist poison to infiltrate the party. With what happened in Greens yesterday and this. Its really depressing that this racist ideology is allowed to fester anywhere, let alone YP.
Journalist Paul Holden published [“The Fraud”][23] last year. He unearthed the scandal that purged so many socialist members and destroyed Labour’s chances in the 2019 general election.
Writing in the *Canary*, Holden [wrote][24]:
> Broadly, the ‘antisemitism crisis’ wove a series of discrete allegations of anti-Jewish rhetoric or discrimination, levelled against individual Labour members as well as the party’s leadership and institutional practices, into a comprehensive indictment: that Corbyn’s Labour Party was deeply antisemitic, and that this antisemitism flowed from the left-wing ideology Corbyn espoused.
Polanski’s stewardship of the Greens appears set on a[ similarly troubling trajectory.][25] An open letter sent to the party just yesterday details how actors are levelling allegations of antisemitism against anti-Zionist members.
We [wrote about the open letter][26], in which Hamza Egal—chair of Global Majority Greens and elected SOC member—said:
> A serious dimension of this pattern has been the repeated use of accusations of antisemitism — deployed not only against me but against many members of this party who oppose Zionism and its racist ideology and practice. For a Black Muslim man raising concerns about racism, governance, and Palestine solidarity, these accusations have taken on a particularly targeted character.
## Another antisemitism crisis appears to be brewing
It is clear that Zionists are hard at work in the Greens and YP after recognising the huge support amongst members for the [liberation of our Palestinian brothers and sisters.][27] It has long been clear, amidst over 30 national demonstrations opposing Israel and its genocide, that the British public [believe in international law][28] and the importance of doing what is right; not what is easy.
After all, authorities have not made speaking up for Palestine easy, repeatedly using [lawfare to shut down advocacy for Palestinians][29]’ fundamental rights whilst working to restrict freedom of speech in the UK.
Anti-Zionism is not antisemitism. In fact, many argue that Zionism in itself is antisemitic.
Andrew Feinstein, son of a holocaust survivor who lost her family to Hitler’s true antisemitism, refuses to sit back and watch the continual dilution of antisemitism:
> People like Heidi Bachram do more to render antisemitism meaningless by regarding criticism of Israel as antisemitic. To suggest that all Jews are of one mind about Israel or anything else is deeply offensive. To many such as Stephen Kapos or my survivor mother, the lesson of… [https://t.co/WvkDntMNxj][30]
>
> — Andrew Feinstein (@andrewfeinstein) [March 31, 2026][31]
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Maddison Wheeldon][32]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/03/28/zionism-is-racism-green-party/
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/01/28/calls-for-the-green-party-to-declare-itself-an-anti-zionist-party/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/02/25/zionism-is-racism/
[4]: https://hulr.org/fall-2025/the-international-legitimacy-of-palestine-a-legal-case-for-statehood
[5]: https://jewschool.com/zionism-is-jewish-grievance-politics-and-it-imperils-us-all-174479
[6]: https://twitter.com/ZackPolanski?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[7]: https://t.co/D2oscA3aAS
[8]: https://twitter.com/DerbyChrisW/status/2039583980152893929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[9]: https://x.com/DerbyChrisW/status/2039583980152893929?s=20
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2025/11/10/corbyn-antisemitism-bbc/
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2021/11/07/graham-bash-tells-the-canary-the-labour-witch-hunt-will-not-stop-until-it-guts-the-party/
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2020/05/05/media-ignores-explosive-report-that-destroys-credibility-of-antisemitism-claims-against-corbyns-labour/
[13]: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2025/11/why-is-jeremy-corbyn-being-attacked-for-being-a-zionist
[14]: https://twitter.com/Maria4CEC4Cymru?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[15]: https://t.co/C500Jji99g
[16]: https://twitter.com/matthewjswalker/status/2038379481329537093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[17]: https://x.com/matthewjswalker/status/2038656557206946072?s=20
[18]: https://twitter.com/Maria4CEC4Cymru?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[19]: https://t.co/999UJHCr0b
[20]: https://t.co/eXhSpEM5Qn
[21]: https://twitter.com/matthewjswalker/status/2039116832938852408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[22]: https://x.com/TPleicester/status/2038549361471156482?s=20
[23]: https://www.thecanary.co/the-fraud/
[24]: https://www.thecanary.co/the-fraud/2025/10/17/the-fraud-part-five-antisemitism-crisis/
[25]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/03/28/green-party-conference-system/
[26]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/green-party-racism/
[27]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/11/30/lammy-gaza-adam/
[28]: https://www.palestine-studies.org/en/node/1654765
[29]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/02/20/uk-lawyers-for-israels-exposed/
[30]: https://t.co/WvkDntMNxj
[31]: https://twitter.com/andrewfeinstein/status/2038778530884976729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[32]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/maddison-wheeldon/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/04/02/zionism-is-racism-saga/

2026-04-02 17:45:06 CEST

Ex-sheep farmer speaks out ahead of Easter as campaigners urge public to ‘skip the lamb’
[Ex-sheep farmer Sivalingam “Kumar” Vasanthakumar urges public not to eat lamb]
An ex-sheep farmer who once raised animals for slaughter is speaking out ahead of Easter. He’s urging the public to reconsider eating lamb. This comes as new data highlights how demand continues to drive the [killing of young animals][1].
Animal Justice Project is releasing a new video interview with Devon-based farmer Sivalingam “Kumar” Vasanthakumar. He gave up sheep farming and took his entire flock to sanctuary, before transitioning to a plant-based livelihood.
[*BBC News* previously featured Vasanthakumar][2] when he made the decision to leave farming behind. He now grows vegetables on his land and runs a vegan street food business, Kumar’s Dosa Bar, using largely home-grown produce.
Animal Justice Project is releasing a new film, *A Change of Heart: From Sheep Farmer to Vegan*, over the Easter weekend. It tells Vasanthakumar’s story. He says in the film that he saw his sheep “as individuals”:
> Once you see that, you can’t continue as before.
## Data reveals demand-led lamb killing – including around Easter
New analysis of 2025 slaughter figures from the Food Standards Agency shows that 11.5 million lambs were killed last year and of those, 893,336 were killed in April, coinciding with Easter demand. This means almost 8% of annual lamb slaughter, or 1 in 13 lambs killed last year, happened in April for the bank holiday weekend.
While this is lower than peak periods later in the year, it remains higher than surrounding months and reflects the continued cultural association between lamb and Easter.
By comparison, June saw 1,106,894 lambs slaughtered, as early-season lambs reach market weight and demand increases. Even higher peaks occur later in the year, driven by large-scale retail demand.
Animal Justice Project says that while Easter does not produce the largest spike, it remains a key moment where consumer choice directly influences the number of animals killed.
Claire Palmer, founder of Animal Justice Project, said:
> Easter is often seen as a time of renewal and compassion, yet it’s still associated with eating lambs: animals who are only a few months old when they’re killed.
>
> The data shows that whenever demand rises, more animals are slaughtered. Easter may not be the biggest spike, but it’s one of the most symbolic, because it’s driven by tradition, even though people have a clear choice not to eat animals.
## Central London demonstration on Saturday 4 April
To coincide with the Easter weekend, Animal Justice Project will hold a public demonstration in Leicester Square, London. It’ll take place from 12pm to 3pm on Saturday 4 April.
The demonstration will feature a striking visual installation highlighting the reality behind lamb consumption.
A performer portraying a lamb will lie on a table, dressed in a white costume with lamb ears and realistic prosthetic wounds, including a slit throat and severe leg injury. A figure dressed as a butcher will appear to cut into the body. Meanwhile a pile of severed leg props at the end of the table will represent the scale of animals killed.
Alongside the installation, a volunteer will hold a life-size lamb prop, reinforcing the comparison between animals and humans. Other volunteers will hold signs and distribute leaflets encouraging passers-by to “Skip the Lamb”.
Palmer added:
> We want people to stop and think. Behind every Easter meal is an animal who wanted to live.
Animal Justice Project is urging the public to choose plant-based alternatives this Easter. And to reconsider the long-standing link between lamb and the holiday. Palmer concluded:
> Traditions can change. And when they involve the lives of young animals, they should.
*Featured image via Animal Justice Project*
By [The Canary][3]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/animal-rights/
[2]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47026123
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/02/ex-sheep-farmer-speaks-out-ahead-of-easter-as-campaigners-urge-public-to-skip-the-lamb/

2026-04-02 17:06:00 CEST

Labour government continues to play chicken with the NHS
[NHS streeting]
The British Medical Association (BMA) is scheduled to begin six days of industrial action on 7 April 2026. The NHS strike was [announced][1] after the government attempted to play resident doctors off against their union. This occurred during [a strike of their own][2].
Now, in response to the further strike action, the government has withdrawn part of its offer to resolve its previous dispute with resident doctors. Meanwhile, the NHS will be directly affected by these ongoing negotiations.
## Residents without residency
In 2024, the term ‘resident doctors’ [replaced][3] the previous designation of ‘junior doctors’. ‘Junior’ was felt to be demeaning and misleading by members of the BMA. For many, including the general public, the term suggested a lack of training or expertise. On the contrary, resident doctors are fully qualified and are either in postgraduate training toward a particular area of specialised expertise. Alternatively, they may be employed in a non-training post within the NHS.
The idea was to choose a new name that better reflected the skills and responsibilities of resident doctors, but as far as the government is concerned, they may as well have kept their old name. Many are left on low pay, without enrollment in training, or without work all together in the NHS system.
The training undertaken by resident doctors is essential as it enables them to further improve the care they are employed to provide. The *Canary*‘s Alex/Rose Cocker [explained][4]:
> To be clear, the BMA wants those training positions, but they’re not a bonus or luxury — it’s training for NHS doctors. Starmer is risking jeopardising the NHS for a fucking bargaining chip.
The government had [threatened][5] that it would cancel the 1,000 training posts offered to resident doctors unless the BMA cancelled its strike action. It gave the BMA 48 hours to respond. With the BMA unwilling to back down, the government has now made good on its threat.
## ‘Genuinely disheartening’
Speaking to the [*BBC*][6], Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the resident doctors committee, said:
> It is genuinely disheartening to be at this point after what had been constructive talks up until a few weeks ago when the government moved the goalposts.
>
> It is simply wrong that the development of the doctors of the future is being used as a pawn like this.
>
> We have consistently maintained that we are willing to postpone industrial action should a genuinely credible offer be provided.
The announcement from the government follows the resolution with separate disputes with pharmaceutical companies and corporations. These groups already have the NHS and its patients over a barrel. The *Canary*‘s Jack Wright recently [highlighted][7] how there is one rule for capital, and another for workers.
> pharmaceutical giants have been demanding that the NHS pay them more, or they will withhold investment. Labour agreed to a 25% increase in payments for essential drugs in December 2025.
>
> Meanwhile, resident doctors are asking for real-terms pay restoration to 2008 levels, at 21%. The government is offering a 7.1% increase … However, it isn’t sufficient for a doctor’s pay.
## Strike to go ahead as planned
The doctors’ strike is scheduled to go ahead as planned, beginning at 7:00am on 7 April. Patients have been warned that non-emergency appointments and procedures may be disrupted by the industrial action across the NHS.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Em Colquhoun][8]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/25/bma-staff-announce-further-walkout-for-same-day-as-resident-doctors-strike/
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2025/10/24/resident-doctors-announce-strike/
[3]: https://www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opinion/junior-doctors-are-changing-their-title-to-resident-doctors/
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/31/doctors-strike-march-2026/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/31/doctors-strike-march-2026/
[6]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyj7dwwlq9o
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/labour-jp-morgan/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/em-colquhoun/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/02/nhs-resident-doctors-strike/

2026-04-02 16:52:56 CEST

Iran’s president releases “open letter” to American people
[iran]
Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has [officially released][1] a four-page “open letter” to the American people.
> To the people of the United States of America [pic.twitter.com/3uAL4FZgY7][2]
>
> — Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) [April 1, 2026][3]
However, many social media users have pointed out that if the average American were as well educated as the average Iranian, perhaps the US would not have started so many illegal wars.
> If Americans could read 4 whole pages of text, we wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place. [https://t.co/20RHi4N4JZ][4]
>
> — Siddharth (@DearthOfSid) [April 1, 2026][5]
The letter lays out, in a calm and reasoned manner, why the world is currently in the state it’s in.
Unlike most of Trump’s unhinged rants on Truth Social, which may as well have been transcribed from a toddler’s ramble.
## Iran responding to aggression
The letter starts by explaining that Iran has never initiated a war in its modern history – it has only responded to “aggression, expansion, colonialism, or domination”. Even after occupation, invasion, and sustained pressure from global superpowers, and despite having a military that is far superior to many of its neighbours.
It then goes on to say that, unlike what the US wants us to believe, Iran harbours no hatred towards other countries, including the US and Europe. It reads:
> The Iranian people harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America, Europe, or neighboring countries. Even in the face of repeated foreign interventions and pressures throughout their proud history, Iranians have consistently drawn a clear distinction between governments and the peoples they govern. This is a deeply rooted principle in Iranian culture and collective consciousness—not a temporary political stance
Which is why portraying Iran as a threat is:
> neither consistent with historical reality nor with present-day observable facts.
## US manufacturing an enemy
It adds that the perception is purely a product of “political and economic whims” of the powerful. The US needs to “manufacture an enemy” to justify its illegal wars and colonialism, whilst sustaining its arms industry.
If a threat does not exist, it’s invented.
He adds:
> What Iran has done and continues to do-is a measured response grounded in legitimate self-defense, and by no means an initiation of war or aggression
The letter also guides readers back to 1953, when the US (and the UK) engineered an illegal coup against Mohammad Mosaddegh, Iran’s democratically elected prime minister.
Why? Because Mossadegh decided to nationalise the operations of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (later British Petroleum) in 1951.
Of course, nationalisation was a threat to both the US and UK’s strategic and economic interests, i.e., they would lose money.
> That coup disrupted Iran’s democratic process, reinstated dictatorship, and sowed deep distrust among Iranians toward U.S. policies. This distrust deepened further with America’s support for the Shah’s regime, its backing of Saddam Hussein during the imposed war of 1980s, the imposition of the longest and most comprehensive sanctions in modern history, and ultimately, unprovoked military aggression-twice, in the midst of negotiations— against Iran.
But these pressures have not weakened Iran. Literacy rates have tripled, higher education has rapidly expanded, and modern technology and healthcare have advanced.
Of course, the impact of the destructive and inhumane sanctions from war and aggression cannot be underestimated:
> This reflects a fundamental human truth: when war inflicts irreparable harm on lives, homes, cities, and futures, people will not remain indifferent toward those responsible
The letter asks:
> Exactly which of the American people’s interests are truly being served by this war? Was there any objective threat from Iran to justify such behavior? Does the massacre of innocent children, the destruction of cancer-treatment pharmaceutical facilities, or boasting about bombing a country “back to the stone ages” serve any purpose other than further damaging the United States’ global standing?
## ‘Strategic bewilderment’
Pezeshkian writes:
> Iran pursued negotiations, reached an agreement, and fulfilled all its commitments. The decision to withdraw from that agreement, escalate toward confrontation, and launch two acts of aggression in the midst of negotiations were destructive choices made by the U.S. government-choices that served the delusions of a foreign aggressor.
He then talks about the US targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure and industrial facilities. Obviously, this [directly targets the Iranian people][6]. He adds:
> Beyond constituting a war crime, such actions carry consequences that extend far beyond Iran’s borders. They generate instability, increase human and economic costs, and perpetuate cycles of tension, planting seeds of resentment that will endure for years. This is not a demonstration of strength; it is a sign of strategic bewilderment and an inability to achieve a sustainable solution
Finally, he points out that America has entered this illegal war as a proxy for Israel. The Israeli machine has influenced and manipulated it by manufacturing an Iranian ‘threat’.
Of course, this is purely an effort to divert attention away from Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians.
He ends the letter with:
> I invite you to look beyond the machinery of misinformation, an integral part of this aggression, and instead speak with those who have visited Iran. Observe the many accomplished Iranian immigrants educated in Iran-who now teach and conduct research at the world’s most prestigious universities, or contribute to the most advanced technology firms in the West. Do these realities align with the distortions you are being told about Iran and its people?
*Featured image via HG*
By [HG][7]
[1]: https://x.com/kobeissiletter/status/2039415490406199419?s=46
[2]: https://t.co/3uAL4FZgY7
[3]: https://twitter.com/drpezeshkian/status/2039418009052119190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://t.co/20RHi4N4JZ
[5]: https://twitter.com/DearthOfSid/status/2039425133421666425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/01/trump-iran-war-latest/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/hg/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/02/iran-letter/

2026-04-02 16:33:35 CEST

Police called on ex-MSP who accurately called US & Israel ‘evil’
[Benjamin Netanyahu and Tommy Sheridan, Israel]
[According to the *National*][1], someone has called the police on ex-MSP Tommy Sheridan and the reason is because Sheridan called the US and Israel “evil”.
Which they objectively are.
Because of all the evil shit they keep doing.
> NEW: Police have received a complaint against former MSP Tommy Sheridan over a speech he gave in which he called Israel and the USA 'evil' [https://t.co/5Xnluj4C0H][2]
>
> — The National (@ScotNational) [April 1, 2026][3]
## Israel ARE evil
Sheridan is running in this year’s Holyrood elections for the Alliance to Liberate Scotland. He’s previously been a member of Alba, and was the leader of the Scottish Socialist Party.
In the offending video, Sheridan addressed a hall full of people, saying:
> Brothers and sisters, we were on the side of the IRA because they were doing the resistance.
>
> We’re on the side of Hamas in Palestine because they’re doing the resistance.
>
> We’re on the side of Hezbollah in Lebanon because they’re doing the resistance.
>
> And we’re on the side today of the Iranians and Yemen because they’re standing up against the twin pillars of evil in our society today, the United States of America and Israel.
>
> They epitomise evil in our planet.
Increasingly, it isn’t an uncommon opinion to support whoever the Yanks are invading.
During the Invasion of Iraq, there was considerable support in the West despite the obvious criminality of the war. Now, most people recognise that America and its attack dog Israel are the aggressors.
People also recognise their lives keep getting worse because our governments have pissed money up the wall on immoral wars of aggression.
Sheridan also said:
> If somebody says to me, Tommy, whose side are you on?
>
> I say I am not on the side of those that murder children, that torture children, that steal their land that belongs to the Palestinians.
>
> I’m on the side of those who resist repression and if that means you don’t vote for me, then tough fucking titty.
And as reported by the *National*, Sheridan branded:
> the USA and Israel “evil” and [said] he is not on the side of “those who murder children”.
Sheridan has since provided the following quote from Trump to backup his argument:
> Yet I'm reported to the police for calling out these evil bastards [🤦][😡][🇮🇱][🤮][🇺🇸][🤮] [https://t.co/jLwy7duomP][4] [pic.twitter.com/pgQgMr5YPW][5]
>
> — Tommy Sheridan (@citizentommy) [April 2, 2026][6]
In terms of Israel, doctors provided evidence that Israeli snipers were “[systematically targeting Gaza’s children][7]” – the very definition of evil by anyone’s standards.
Responding to the police report, Sheridan said:
> This is obviously someone with a lot of time on their hands.
>
> There is zero criminality in the comments. I was merely expressing the side of the fence I am on in relation to these resistance fighters.
>
> Any suggestion of criminality is mythical. I think the police have more to do than deal with this.
## Differences
As you’d expect given his links to Alba, Sheridan has transphobic views:
> [👏][👏][👏][♀]
> Women are born not certificated. That statement of fact is not bigotry or discriminatory it is a biological fact. It is truth no matter how many transactivists shout loud or scream transphobia. Transgender people deserve kindness & consideration but not false recognition [https://t.co/B9DAGIFWhr][8]
>
> — Tommy Sheridan (@citizentommy) [April 24, 2025][9]
In case you don’t follow, Sheridan is saying that he’s willing to be polite to trans people but won’t recognise them by their identified gender.
[We certainly don’t agree with this][10], but we’re not calling the police on Sheridan because he said something we don’t like.
The fact that the US and Israel’s defenders can’t say the same shows what snowflakes they are.
*Featured image via [Raw Pixel][11]*
By [Willem Moore][12]
[1]: https://www.thenational.scot/news/25989557.msp-candidate-reported-police-usa-israel-evil-video/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1775068275-2
[2]: https://t.co/5Xnluj4C0H
[3]: https://twitter.com/ScotNational/status/2039410285593674173?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://t.co/jLwy7duomP
[5]: https://t.co/pgQgMr5YPW
[6]: https://twitter.com/citizentommy/status/2039656383503540566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[7]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/14/foreign-doctors-say-israel-systematically-targeting-gazas-children-report
[8]: https://t.co/B9DAGIFWhr
[9]: https://twitter.com/citizentommy/status/1915514419422822908?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/12/08/trans-rcp/
[11]: https://www.rawpixel.com/image/4045986
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/israel-evil/

2026-04-02 16:28:03 CEST

Microsoft can frolic with Israel, but staff are saying buh-bye
[Microsoft worker resigns over company's support for Israel]
A Microsoft employee has quit over the company’s involvement in Israel’s war crimes and [published a video][1] calling on other Microsoft workers to join the movement.
Jenni is part of [No Azure for Apartheid][2], a growing tech movement that is demanding that Microsoft live up to its own purported ethical values – by ending its direct and indirect complicity in Israeli apartheid and genocide.
Their website states:
> We will not be cogs in the Israeli genocidal machine: a call for a Worker Intifada
The group has [four demands:][3]
1. **IOF off Azure** – End Microsoft’s complicity in Israeli genocide and apartheid by terminating all Azure contracts and partnerships with the Israeli military and government.
2. **Disclose all ties** – Make all ties to the Israeli state, military, and tech industry publicly known, including weapons manufacturers and contractors. Conduct a transparent and independent audit of Microsoft’s technology contracts, services, and investments.
3. **Call for a ceasefire** – Honor the demands of over 1,000 employees who signed a petition calling on Microsoft’s leadership to publicly endorse an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
4. **Protect employees** – Ensure the safety of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and allied employees by protecting pro-Palestinian speech, actions, and fundraising initiatives on internal company platforms.
Jenni has been an AI transcription writer at Microsoft for the past three and a half years. She was working on a product for doctors and nurses to take notes.
In an exclusive statement, Jenni told the *Canary*:
> Dual-use technology means that the same Al systems we use to summarize meetings and write emails can be used to surveil the phone calls of Palestinian citizens or flag a children’s school as a military target. This is why as tech workers we have a critical responsibility to reclaim our labor when we see it being repackaged and re-sold as an accessory to crimes against humanity.
>
> I resigned today to make this message clear to Microsoft – that Microsoft workers refuse to be complicit in the company’s war crimes, and that we are not afraid to withhold our labor in order to refuse being exploited to power this Al-assisted genocide.
In the video shared online, Jenni said:
> If you work for one of these companies your work could be sold to a hospital one day and then to ICE or detention services the following day or maybe even a foreign government who’s carrying out a genocide. This has already happened.
A year ago, former Microsoft employees Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal [protested][4] Microsoft’s fiftieth anniversary celebration. Ibtihal worked on an AI transcription service for accessibility, which, of course, was very useful and did not involve war crimes. Microsoft fired both of them.
However, it then sold that product to the Israeli military, which used it to spy on and murder innocent Palestinians.
## Participating in war crimes
Microsoft has been [working with Israel][5] for decades. It insists on continuing their relationship despite international bodies recognising that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza. Israel has committed a very long list of war crimes, which Microsoft is choosing to ignore.
As the *Canary* previously [reported][6], leaked documents show that after October 7, Microsoft significantly increased its operations with Israel’s military.
The files showed that Microsoft was [supplying][7] the IOF with greater computing and storage services, and:
> striking at least $10m in deals to provide thousands of hours of technical support.
Now, the Israeli military continues to bomb, blockade, and starve Gaza whilst claiming to be adhering to the “ceasefire”. Similarly, in Lebanon, Israel is destroying historic buildings and communities, while murdering thousands of civilians.
*The Guardian* [found][8] that the leaked documents:
> illustrate how the US tech behemoth supported a range of sensitive activities.
This includes managing the movement of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Additionally, Microsoft engineers have been providing support to Israel through their analysis of “visual intelligence”. This is likely to be the innumerable drones used by the Israeli military. Essentially, Microsoft’s support is providing the technological[ infrastructure][9] for genocide.
## Forcing their hand
Last summer, Microsoft staff protesters [set up][10] the Liberated Zone on the Martyred Palestinian Children’s Plaza and the Mai Ubeid Building. This was to draw attention to the company’s involvement in Israel’s genocide.
It was only then, coupled with journalists proving how much Israel was relying on Microsoft’s technology to commit war crimes, that Microsoft took action.
However, it only cut a few services to Israel’s [Unit 8200][11] — just one of the IOF’s elite military intelligence units. Obviously, this is nowhere near enough.
Since then, Israel’s war crimes have only intensified, alongside its reliance on big tech, AI, and companies such as Microsoft.
Only last month, the US military double-tapped a girls’ primary school in Minab, Iran. [Reports suggest][12] that AI identified the school as a target. Big Tech is aiding and abetting war crimes all over the world.
Jenni ended the video by saying:
> This and more is why I am leaving Microsoft. I am very lucky that I am able to do so. I’m very lucky that I get to speak out in this way. If you work at Microsoft, please join No Azure for Apartheid. [Sign their pledge][13]
>
> We’ve got thousands of people who are now saying that we don’t want our work to be used for war crimes.
> You can stay anonymous. You can stay risk-free. Everyone is welcome. For everyone else – Do what you can. Keep all eyes on Gaza. Free Palestine
*Feature image via No Azure for Apartheid*
By [HG][14]
[1]: https://noaa.cc/jenni-resignation
[2]: https://noazureforapartheid.com/
[3]: https://noazureforapartheid.com/
[4]: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/07/microsoft-fires-engineers-who-protested-during-anniversary-celebration.html
[5]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/06/microsoft-israeli-military-palestinian-phone-calls-cloud
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/01/23/leaked-documents-reveal-microsoft-is-instrumental-in-israels-genocide/
[7]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/23/israeli-military-gaza-war-microsoft
[8]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/23/israeli-military-gaza-war-microsoft
[9]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/23/israeli-military-gaza-war-microsoft
[10]: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/aug/19/microsoft-workers-protest-washington-israel#:~:text=The%20protest%20included:%20*%20Occupying%20a%20space,harm%20people%20in%20the%20conflict%20in%20Gaza.
[11]: https://www.mintpressnews.com/ice-israel-surveillance-canary-mission/290172/
[12]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/11/us-strike-iran-elementary-school-ai-target-list/
[13]: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/microsoft-end-complicity-in-apartheid-and-genocide/?utm_source=noazureforapartheid.com
[14]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/hg/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/04/02/microsoft-worker-quits-over-israeli-crimes/

2026-04-02 16:19:21 CEST

India boasts about defence exports while ignoring ballooning debt from Trump’s illegal war
[Modi india]
The Defence Minister of India – Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) Rajnath Singh – celebrated that Indian defence exports had touched a new all-time high with a record [38,424 crore rupees ($4.4 billion)][1], an 63% annual increase.
The BJP’s defence boast is meant to ease concerns about India’s ballooning current account [deficit][2], particularly as Modi’s western pivot to [Trump][3] and Netanyahu faces growing opposition from the public.
> Under the inspiring leadership of PM Shri [@narendramodi][4], India is scripting an impressive defence exports success story!
>
> India defence exports have touched a new all time high with a record ₹38,424 crore in FY 2025-26. It marks a robust 62.66% growth over the previous fiscal.… [pic.twitter.com/eAAh1PYX7e][5]
>
> — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) [April 2, 2026][6]
According to the BJP, Indian defence exports are now reaching the United States, Israel, the UAE, Australia, and Japan. Indian-made defence electronics are being exported to the US, UK, and France. Bulletproof jackets from India are being supplied to Australia, Japan, Israel, and Brazil. Ammunition is reaching the UAE, Egypt, Indonesia, and Thailand.
A
recent report by[ KPMG India][7] pushed India to adopt Israel’s approach to defence exports if it wants to sustain the momentum and break into the global top tier. It suggested India should have a similar centralised export agency like Israel’s SIBAT.
> Israel, with a much lower annual defence spend compared to India, has emerged as one of the key defence export hubs of the world and as per the SIPRI report of 2019, it ranks 8 in terms of defence exports. A major reason for its emergence as a defence manufacturing and export hub has been the establishment of SIBAT, a dedicated directorate under the Israeli Ministry of Defence (IMoD), that looks after promotion of defence exports and participates in the formulation of Israel’s defence export policy.
## India is still mostly importing
India is still the world’s second-largest arms importer, but its imports have dropped slightly by 4 per cent. Russia used to supply 70 per cent of India’s weapons a decade ago. That has now fallen to 40 per cent, according to [SIPRI][8].
Ukraine is the world’s largest arms importer.
India is now buying more from Western countries instead, given Modi’s capitulation to [Netanyahu][9] and [Trump][10].
Israel’s *Jerusalem Post* recently featured a segment on India’s ties with Israel[. Dr Lauren Dagan Amos][11] said that “they want to learn lessons from that because what Israel did in Gaza, they want to do in Pakistan. That is the rationale.”
She explained that the relationship started with urgent operational needs and mutual interests. Over time, it moved beyond simple sales into co-development, co-production, and long-term maintenance within India.
She added that the Indian industry is now treated as a full partner, not just a customer.
## BJP’s defence boast is to assuage underlying tensions
With oil prices rising due to the Iran war, India’s current account deficit is widening. It could reach 2.5 per cent of GDP in the coming fiscal year, according to *[Bloomberg][12]*.
Despite Modi’s western lurch, there are people in India who are on Iran’s side against “Yankee imperialism and zionist criminality.”
[Mani Shankar Aiyar][13], a former Indian diplomat, said:
> I am sure Iran can give a befitting answer to the needless aggression to which they have been subjected by a combination of Yankee imperialism and zionist criminality.
> India voices support for Iran amid US-Israeli aggression
>
> Press TV’s [@aadilmir21][14] reports from New Delhi
>
> Follow Press TV on Telegram: [https://t.co/LWoNSpkc2J][15] [pic.twitter.com/DLwzjcUVJx][16]
>
> — Press TV [🔻] (@PressTV) [April 1, 2026][17]
Modi’s Trump connection is being questioned in South Asia, similar to the blowback being experienced by other right-wing leaders like Starmer and Italy’s [Meloni][18].
> VIDEO | Assam: Addressing a public gathering in Jorhat, Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, “N.”
>
> (Full video available on PTI Videos – [https://t.co/n147TvrpG7][19]) [pic.twitter.com/nPAgXTmDpU][20]
>
> — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) [April 2, 2026][21]
As [Rahul Gandhi recently noted][22], Narendra Modi’s future is in Trump’s hands.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [The Canary][23]
[1]: https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-defence-exports-surged-62-41-billion-fiscal-year-march-2026-04-02/
[2]: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-02/asian-nations-jockey-for-leverage-to-re-open-strait-of-hormuz
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/02/17/india-historic-strike-challenges-modi/
[4]: https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[5]: https://t.co/eAAh1PYX7e
[6]: https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/2039552441482695102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[7]: https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/in/pdf/2021/03/defence-exports-untapped-potential.pdf
[8]: https://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2026/global-arms-flows-jump-nearly-10-cent-european-demand-soars
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/12/11/modi-doubles-down/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/02/17/india-historic-strike-challenges-modi/
[11]: https://www.orfonline.org/contributors/lauren-dagan-amoss
[12]: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-02/asian-nations-jockey-for-leverage-to-re-open-strait-of-hormuz
[13]: https://frontline.thehindu.com/profile/contributor/mani-shankar-aiyar-19688/
[14]: https://twitter.com/aadilmir21?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[15]: https://t.co/LWoNSpkc2J
[16]: https://t.co/DLwzjcUVJx
[17]: https://twitter.com/PressTV/status/2039352082860327113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[18]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/27/italy-meloni-referendum-defeat-trump/
[19]: https://t.co/n147TvrpG7
[20]: https://t.co/nPAgXTmDpU
[21]: https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/2039643469980033254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[22]: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1342379707711212
[23]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/02/india-defence/

2026-04-02 15:59:54 CEST

Israel’s Knesset look to “collectively criminalise” Palestinians with death penalty
[Israel — Palestinian prisoners]
Israel’s Knesset is about to have a second reading of an appalling, and underreported, death penalty bill. This murderous bill will be exclusive to Palestinians, yep, only Palestinians. Due to its criminal dilution of legal norms, it could give authorities a carte blanche to execute thousands of imprisoned Palestinians detained by Israel since October 7.
The bill’s wide-reaching title is: “The Prosecution of Participants in the October 7 Massacre Events.”
If that wasn’t bad enough in times when the rest of the world is moving to abolish the death penalty, Israeli policy makers are defending what they describe as the need to:
> deviate from the rules of procedure and the rules of evidence.
According to the bill, this slam-dunk deviation:
> is necessary for the purpose of clarifying the truth and doing justice, and does not significantly impair the fairness of the proceeding.
However, cases without evidence trash this argument, which never had legs to begin with. Palestinian defendants will also be tried in Israel’s military courts which have seen an [impossible 99.7% conviction rate. ][1]This highlights, in the most sadistic way, that when there is a will, there will be a way.
Israeli leaders are drooling at the prospect of more murder—executions by hanging—genocide by alternative means. This bill is likely to be yet another way for Israel to exercise that will, under the sinister veneer of legality, to further its Zionist colonial ambitions.
*Novara Media’s* Rivkah Brown broke this deadly news on *X*:
> But what's interesting about this bill is that it proposes lowering the evidential threshold for prosecution. Read this chilling paragraph (from [https://t.co/2S1o0UKwE0][2]) [pic.twitter.com/hYgbYee1t8][3]
>
> — Rivkah Brown (@rivkahbrown) [April 1, 2026][4]
## The Dinah Report and UK complicity
Unsurprisingly, this bill becomes even more sickening and nefarious as you dig further into the detail. As Rivkah Brown highlighted on her post, this bill has been a long time in the making and preparatory work completed to make this cruel, collective punishment bill possible.
We [wrote][5] about how the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) gave £90k of taxpayers’ money to put together the Israeli report, representing a whopping 75% of the FCDO’s budget.
> This blatant bias and conflict of interest should come as little to no surprise. Ever since October 7th, we have seen a concerted push by Israel and its lobby groups to manipulate data, grief and material facts in their own interest. All whilst conveniently and simultaneously demonising Palestinian resistance. If we have learned anything through this horrific 2.5 years, it is the reminder that every life matters and civilians should not pay the price for the sins of the powerful.
Similarly, Rivkah Brown argues that, since October 7, actors have made a concerted effort to manufacture a “body of literature” portraying this as a conflict unlike any other. They use that framing to claim that the destruction of evidence makes the need for evidence irrelevant.
They have also poured significant funding into producing and amplifying material that supports this narrative for a specific political purpose.
We must see this bill for what it is— a fraudulent crime by those in power who pull the levers at their disposal — including the law— to justify their genocide against Palestinians.
They have the [legal right to resist their occupier][6], with force— a right that is protected by international law.
Nevertheless, that right for Palestinians to resist is being criminalised—no doubt an omen for the rest of the world.
## UK officials follow in Israel’s footsteps
[Brown][7] further stated:
> As I revealed last month, the FCDO gave £90k/120k (so 75% of its funding) to The Dinah Project’s report. The report concluded – against all existing reportage, by Amnesty, the UN and others – that sexual violence on 7 October didn’t just happen, but was “systematic”.
She also revealed the parallels in rhetoric between the [Dinah Project report][8] and this legislation working its way through the Knesset:
It is therefore difficult to view it as a coincidence that this heavily UK-funded report uses strikingly similar language and reasoning to the Knesset bill.
This alignment raises serious concerns that some UK officials may have coordinated with Israeli-linked groups in ways that risk criminalising Palestinians on a broader scale.
Such actions, if carried out, would deepen the UK’s complicity in the genocide and betrayal of Palestinian people.
As Rivkah’s subsequent post underscored, huge inferences are being used to prop up collective punishment:
> A tailor-made evidence model should, the report added, collectively criminalise those who participated in the attack, not only for their own actions, but for the actions of others in the “collective mob attack”.
## Collective criminalisation IS collective punishment
Collective punishment is illegal under multiple bodies of international law. Whether that be [article 33][9] of the Fourth Geneva Convention, or[ rule 103][10] of international humanitarian law, collective punishment is a war crime. These international legal rules play a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability, protecting civilians from punishment for acts they did not commit.
It is clear that Israel does not have sufficient evidence to attribute October 7 crimes to individual Palestinians. We have also watched Israel Occupation Forces (IOF) round up Palestinian men, including doctors and rescue workers, and imprison them. Israel has held hostage thousands of men and boys using unproven allegations of involvement in the killing of Israeli citizens and foreign nationals.
For example, Dr Abu Safiya, a Palestinian paediatrician, has been detained since December 2024, and subjected to physical and mental torture, despite having done no wrong. As [*Clarion India*][11] explains, his crime was:
> Standing amid the ruins outside Kamal Adwan Hospital, surrounded by destruction, he walked alone in his white coat toward advancing Israeli armoured vehicles — a lone doctor facing a war machine. The image circulated widely because it captured, in a single frame, the reality of Gaza: those who heal standing unarmed before those who destroy.
We must challenge this attempt by the UK and Israel to legally justify the mass killing of innocent, oppressed and traumatised people. If we fail to act, we risk standing by as more atrocities unfold with the backing of our government.
This action constitutes a colossal crime against humanity — one that we must not forgive.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Maddison Wheeldon][12]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/discovery/feature/2021/10/25/with-a-99-7-conviction-rate-its-time-the-israeli-military-courts-went-on-trial/
[2]: https://t.co/2S1o0UKwE0
[3]: https://t.co/hYgbYee1t8
[4]: https://twitter.com/rivkahbrown/status/2039360073227473006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/04/dinah-project-uk-funded/
[6]: https://www.cjpme.org/fs_236/
[7]: https://x.com/rivkahbrown/status/2039360092399661118?s=20
[8]: https://novaramedia.com/2026/03/02/uk-gave-90k-to-sexual-violence-report-central-to-israels-genocide-propaganda/
[9]: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/gciv-1949/article-33
[10]: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/customary-ihl/v1/rule103
[11]: https://clarionindia.net/dr-abu-safiya-faces-death-in-israels-captivity-but-action-is-still-possible/
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/maddison-wheeldon/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/04/02/israel-death-penalty-2/

2026-04-02 15:39:16 CEST

Corbyn ‘takes aim at Labour heartlands’ as Your Party unveils local elections strategy
[Jeremy Corbyn at podium saying This Is Your Party]
Jeremy Corbyn has unveiled Your Party plans to target Labour’s heartlands in the upcoming English local elections in May. The start-up party is supporting allied community independent groups at the local elections. And it’s hopeful of several groups winning East London councils, with Labour’s core vote set to collapse in major cities.
It’s worth noting that this follows a period of stasis during which [local groups have tried to keep things moving][1].
Your Party’s local elections campaign will focus on the destructive effects of local government austerity. Councils across the country are squeezed to breaking point, social care is in crisis and services are failing residents.
In contrast to the ‘snake-oil’ alternative of Reform, Your Party will stress the need for public investment and the in-sourcing of services. Local council divestment from Israeli apartheid will also be a key focus.
At Your Party’s founding conference in November 2025, members voted to adopt a targeted strategy. This aims to maximise the party’s seats, rather than standing everywhere. As party structures continue to develop, Your Party will support around 250 candidates across England. The vast majority of these will be standing as Independents or for allied local community parties.
## Your Party targets
Key targets for allied groups include:
* Tower Hamlets, run by Lutfur Rahman’s Aspire since 2022.
* Redbridge (see below).
* Newham, where the [Newham Independents Party has recently won multiple by-elections][2].
* Bradford, where Labour’s support has been in massive decline.
Allied candidates are also likely to make inroads in Birmingham and the West Midlands. Historic Labour bastions are turning away from the party over its complicity in the Gaza genocide and failure to tackle the cost of living.
The Your Party leadership sees Tower Hamlets as a ‘beacon council’. [In recent years, under Rahman’s leadership][3], the council has rolled out free school meals for all primary and secondary school students. It has re-established the Education Maintenance Allowance which the Tory-Lib Dem coalition cut. And it has reinstated the Winter Fuel Payment which Starmer and Reeves cut.
Hopes are also high for the Redbridge Independents, who have won a series of stunning by-elections from Labour, with Your Party spokesperson [Noor Jahan Begum elected to replace slum landlord Jas Athwal MP][4].
Health secretary Wes Streeting bemoaned the loss in later-published messages with Peter Mandelson, [declaring that he was “toast” at the next election][5]. Streeting hung onto his seat by just 500 votes at the last election after a strong challenge from young British-Palestinian Leanne Mohamad.
Corbyn was elected as Your Party parliamentary leader earlier this month after his allies were victorious in the party’s leadership elections. He is expected to tour the country in support of the Your Party-backed independents and groups in the coming weeks, following a first event in Redbridge.
Corbyn said:
> These elections are the beginning of the fightback against austerity, privatisation and fear.
>
> All across the country, there will be community independent groups offering an alternative to the despair of Labour and the division of Reform. We are proud to support those candidates and groups standing up for redistribution, inclusion and peace.
>
> People in power underestimate the power of people at their peril – and arrogance in office always comes back to bite you in the end.
Rahman, executive mayor of Tower Hamlets, said:
> Labour imposed some of the most severe austerity in the country when they ran Tower Hamlets council, further impoverishing one of Britain’s most deprived areas.
>
> We’ve reversed these cruel cuts and made history as the first council to introduce universal free school meals for all primary and secondary pupils, re-establish the Education Maintenance Allowance scrapped by the Tories, and bring back the Winter Fuel Payments, cut by Starmer.
>
> These are just some of our pioneering policies to provide more cost of living support to our residents than any other local authority, alongside unprecedented investment in frontline services and in affordable and social housing.
>
> The alliance being brought together by Jeremy Corbyn, with Your Party, Aspire, and progressive independent and Green candidates, presents a real opportunity to replace more Labour-led councils with administrations rooted in and accountable to their communities.
>
> In Tower Hamlets, we’ve shown how socialist, redistributive policies can transform lives and provide the hopeful, ambitious alternative needed to take on the far right — something Labour has utterly failed to do.
Noor Jahan Begum, Your Party spokesperson and Redbridge Independent councillor, said:
> We are taking the fight to Labour in their heartlands. In Redbridge and across the country, people are telling us that they feel let down and abandoned by Labour, outraged by their complicity in genocide and fed up of the status quo.
>
> We are offering something different: a politics rooted in and accountable to our communities, a politics that campaigns for the social transformation people are crying out for.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [The Canary][6]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/27/your-party-endorsements/
[2]: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/labour-newham-byelection-gaza-independent-b1248667.html
[3]: https://aspireparty.uk/top-20-achievements/
[4]: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/labour-loses-election-redbridge-jas-athwal-wes-streeting-b1219440.html
[5]: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/09/streeting-wrote-off-his-re-election-chances-in-whatsapp-exchanges-with-mandelson
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/02/corbyn-takes-aim-at-labour-heartlands-as-your-party-unveils-local-elections-strategy/

2026-04-02 14:58:21 CEST

‘God’s chosen people’ are dropping like flies in Lebanon
[Lebanon]
Hezbollah have injured at least 48 Israeli officers and soldiers whilst defending Lebanon from Israel’s illegal invasion.
> BREAKING: The Israeli army says 48 Israeli officers and soldiers have been wounded in fighting in southern Lebanon over the past 24 hours.
>
> [🔴] LIVE updates: [https://t.co/1Br1Hzf0B8][1] [pic.twitter.com/iE5VjxDLZA][2]
>
> — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) [April 1, 2026][3]
Hezbollah also eliminated four Israeli soldiers in Southern Lebanon:
> JUST IN:
>
> Israeli army announced the deaths of 4 soldiers killed by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. [pic.twitter.com/8mN4cZJm5D][4]
>
> — Current Report (@Currentreport1) [March 31, 2026][5]
## Lebanon fights back
This takes the total number of dead soldiers that Israel has reported to 10, with 309 injured since it launched its illegal attacks.
On March 30, the IOF reported that 5 soldiers had been killed in Lebanon. However, they used 10 helicopters to evacuate those bodies. Seems a little suss?
> The IDF just used 10 helicopters moments ago to evacuate dead Israeli soldiers from southern Lebanon.
>
> Remember they only claim 5 are dead.
>
> Hezbollah is kicking their ass.
>
> — Ethan Levins [🇺🇸] (@EthanLevins2) [March 30, 2026][6]
Of course, we know that the true number of injured and dead terrorists must be far higher – because we cannot expect a genocidal supremacist army to ever tell the truth.
> If that’s what Israel says, then the true figure must be significantly higher.
>
> — Laura Blum (@laura8blum) [April 1, 2026][7]
Additionally, Israel is under military censorship. This means that every reporter in Israel, along with every member of the public, is [prohibited][8] from:
> reporting or broadcasting any material that could reveal sensitive information or pose a threat to the country’s security interests.
This includes things like images and videos of missile strikes, along with the locations of interceptor missiles.
Some [estimates suggest][9] that Israel may have lost 1,281 soldiers during the first few weeks of its illegal attacks on Iran and Lebanon.
## Not so tough now
Israeli soldiers are not so tough when they’re faced with grown adults with guns, instead of toddlers.
> Like most over-confident bullies, whenever the apartheid Epstein army faces actual fighters instead of children and refugees, they get their asses kicked. [https://t.co/Snl6MmpUO3][10]
>
> — Thamina Eff [🇵🇸] (@Thamina_F) [April 1, 2026][11]
Maybe they should have stayed at home? In Europe and the US.
> Should have stayed at home. [https://t.co/HG4rLQqdgI][12]
>
> — Dr Iain Darcy [🍉] [🇮🇪] [💚] (@doctoriaindarcy) [April 1, 2026][13]
Importantly, though, Hezbollah are going after Israeli soldiers, who are valid military targets under international law, especially when they are invading a sovereign country.
The IOF fuck about, the IOF find out.
Meanwhile, that same IOF are targeting civilians, medical workers, hospitals, schools, [journalists][14], and [UN workers][15].
> Every day, the headline out of Lebanon is the same:
>
> Hezbollah forces kill or injure scores of Israeli soldiers.
>
> Israeli forces kill or injure scores of Lebanese civilians, journalists & medics.
>
> And yet they want us to think Hezbollah are the “terrorists.” ok [https://t.co/EHZvFJTnfW][16]
>
> — Zachary Foster (@_ZachFoster) [April 1, 2026][17]
Yet they want us to believe that Hezbollah are the bad guys?
## ‘God’s chosen people’
Why don’t ‘God’s chosen people’ on ‘God’s chosen land’ have some sort of magnetic force-field around them at all times? Where are the superpowers protecting them from these pretend terrorists?
The only thing choosing Israeli soldiers is the bullets in their chests.
> I would have thought the bullets and rockets would bounce off of their bodies, similar to Superman, with God acting like a force field. This is what you would expect to happen if they are specially chosen by God, placed above the moral and physical laws governing the universe.
>
> — Piotr Kopylowicz (@PKopylowicz) [April 1, 2026][18]
Unless every illegal settler is secretly Iron Man…
> The US and Israel will NOT be honest about the number of Jewish settlers and IDF soldiers killed.
>
> The US and Israel consistently lie and only claim “injuries.”
>
> Have all Jewish settlers suddenly turned into ” Iron man ” who only suffer “injuries” when hit by missiles ?
>
> — Ayu Blossom[🌸] (@AyuBlossom1) [April 2, 2026][19]
Israel deserves to suffer in the same way that it has made Gaza suffer for the last two and a half years.
> Not enough, we need more. We want the IDF to suffer in exactly the way they make Palestinians suffer. [https://t.co/S1LWvzBu4y][20]
>
> — Bushra Shaikh (@Bushra1Shaikh) [April 1, 2026][21]
Israeli soldiers are clearly dropping like flies – and the sooner the better, because Israel should not exist
We may never know how many Israeli soldiers are actually dead because of Israel’s strict censorship rules. But as long as Israel is still starving, maiming, and killing innocent people, then clearly too many of them are still alive.
*Featured image via Al Jazeera English/ YouTube
*
By [HG][22]
[1]: https://t.co/1Br1Hzf0B8
[2]: https://t.co/iE5VjxDLZA
[3]: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish/status/2039389409196360009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://t.co/8mN4cZJm5D
[5]: https://twitter.com/Currentreport1/status/2038820870630891616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://twitter.com/EthanLevins2/status/2038716364760760771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[7]: https://twitter.com/laura8blum/status/2039407767975244151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[8]: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/06/media/israel-iran-war-media-censor-journalism
[9]: https://english.palinfo.com/reports/2026/03/25/360108/
[10]: https://t.co/Snl6MmpUO3
[11]: https://twitter.com/Thamina_F/status/2039455706525348023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[12]: https://t.co/HG4rLQqdgI
[13]: https://twitter.com/doctoriaindarcy/status/2039411959204811234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[14]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/11/21/israel-kills-journalists-they-knew-we-were/
[15]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/31/lebanon-un-peacekeepers-killed/
[16]: https://t.co/EHZvFJTnfW
[17]: https://twitter.com/_ZachFoster/status/2039425451035119974?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[18]: https://twitter.com/PKopylowicz/status/2039426214159437916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[19]: https://twitter.com/AyuBlossom1/status/2039663946093977769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[20]: https://t.co/S1LWvzBu4y
[21]: https://twitter.com/Bushra1Shaikh/status/2039399364620132670?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[22]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/hg/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/lebanon-iof/

2026-04-02 14:52:54 CEST

Right-wing media fuel ADHD hate, Labour promote “overdiagnosis” propaganda
[The *Telegraph*][1] is inciting hatred of disabled kids, again. The right-wing shit rag published a piece suggesting parents are forcing ADHD diagnoses for benefits. Coincidentally, this comes just as the Department of Health and Social Care has published an interim report into their review on [whether the condition is overdiagnosed][2].
## Shit rags spreading ADHD hate
The *Telegraph* ran with the headline:
> I’m a GP, and I’m tired of putting children on the ADHD bandwagon
Arguing that:
> There are perverse incentives that may be driving some parents towards getting their child a diagnosis
The ‘perverse incentives’ Dr. Katie Musgrave talks about are, of course, SEND support and welfare benefits.
This being the *Telegraph*, Musgrave thought it was relevant to detail that 276,000 children get Disability Living Allowance for ‘behavioural disorders.’ She then links it to the rising number of people claiming PIP for conditions such as ADHD. This both belittles the condition and vilifies concerned parents.
Instead of highlighting, as a doctor, how dire a state the NHS is in and that this has led to never-ending waiting lists, Musgrave blames this on the number of ADHD referrals. She then accuses parents of going through ‘Right to Choose’ as it’s seen as an easier route to getting a diagnosis.
The good doctor says that, actually, kids just need to get off their iPads and go outside:
> Many children in the UK are faced with significant social and developmental challenges, but that does not excuse the current system which classifies an increasing proportion of children as having a disability. Sadly, many of these young people go on to become dependent on state benefits, and face a future of unemployment. The government would be better off investing in sports and social activities for children and young people. All children – but perhaps especially those with additional needs – benefit from getting off screens, becoming more physically active and interacting with others.
She concludes:
> Perverse incentives are currently labelling a generation of children as neuro-diverse, while locking many into a dependence on state benefits: which is neither good for the individual, nor the economy. The whole system needs to be made more accessible, pragmatic, and equitable. This is public money we are talking about, after all; and children’s lives.
## Just a coincidence, right?
It must be a massive coincidence that *the Telegraph *has put out this blatant propaganda designed to turn people against disabled people this week. Especially since the Department of Health and Social Care have also released their [interim report into the Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism. ][3]
The review will look into the increase in diagnoses and the ‘strain’ that is putting on the NHS. It’s being carried out at the same time as [the DWP is changing PIP][4] eligibility. With a spate of hate around the increase in claimants with neurodivergent and mental health conditions, it’s easy to see that this review would give Labour the ammunition to cut benefits.
But as much as the interim report tries to blame things such as TikTok for the increase in the conditions, it has to admit that this is bullshit. Whilst it does try to claim that TikTok is a catalyst, the report then has to contradict itself.
> These developments are not solely associated with increased diagnostic demand. Many observers emphasise that online communities, peer networks and advocacy groups have also played an important role in increasing awareness of mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions, reducing stigma and enabling individuals to find explanation and community where their experiences were previously misunderstood or dismissed. For some individuals, such spaces provide validation, a sense of identity, practical advice and a sense of belonging that may not have been available through formal services.
Honestly, the report is just a big example of the review trying to come to its own foregone conclusion, but being headed off at every pass with the facts that ADHD and other conditions aren’t overdiagnosed.
That’s why it’s especially interesting that the press is running with this narrative. Whilst The Telegraph article doesn’t specifically mention the report, [the *Times* reported ][5]
> Children and young adults are “incentivised” to get diagnosed with ADHD and autism and there has been a “medicalisation of distress”, a government inquiry has concluded.
Firstly, this is untrue because the review hasn’t ‘concluded,’ it’s an interim report. Secondly the report isn’t being run by experts in this particular area. In fact [32 ADHD experts have already disproved][6] that it’s overdiagnosed.
## Labour turning the public against disabled people, again
It’s incredible that the press is still running with stories of overdiagnosis for benefits when the report itself struggles to pin the blame on benefits.
Not to suggest that this is a pre-agreed or planted narrative, but the government [does have a previous][7] history when it comes to disabled benefits claimants.
While the report might be an 85-page cluster fuck that ties itself in knots trying to blame benefits fakers despite the evidence says otherwise, one thing is clear.
The government will try as much as possible to convince the public that ADHD and other conditions are overdiagnosed, so there won’t be an uproar when they strip vulnerable people of vital benefits.
By [Rachel Charlton-Dailey][8]
[1]: https://archive.ph/ly70Z#selection-3351.0-3351.355
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/10/06/streeting-mental-health-neurodivergency-review/
[3]: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69cbdb2369dd81b3f213c660/independent-review-into-mental-health-conditions-ADHD-and-autism-interim-report.pdf
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/19/dwp-review/
[5]: https://archive.ph/jzC3F#selection-1425.0-1428.0
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/09/adhd-experts-bust-overdiagnosis-myth/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/01/26/dwp-benefit-fraud-propaganda/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/rachel-charlton-dailey/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/04/02/adhd-hate-labour-government/

2026-04-02 14:46:22 CEST

Reform sacks ‘fires do happen’ Grenfell spokesperson
[Nigel Farage, Simon Dudley, and tower blocks in London, Reform]
Following his obscene comments about the Grenfell Tower disaster, Reform have sacked spokesperson Simon Dudley. It comes as Reform have been [struggling to hold on to candidates for the local election][1].
## Firings do happen
As reported by the *BBC*, [Simon Dudley used to be an executive at Homes England and Ebbsfleet.][2] He joined reform in February.
Sickeningly, [Dudley said the following to *Inside Housing*][3]:
> The practical impact of over-regulation is to stop things. Now, people may feel that we’ve done the right thing through introducing this regulation, but on the other side of that, think about all the human suffering of not having a home, not being able to have children and being stuck in your parents’ home in your childhood bedroom. So there is a balance. You know, we can’t, you know, sadly, you know, everyone dies in the end. It’s just how you go, right?
Following an intense backlash, the party gave him the boot. *Politics UK* reported on the sacking as follows:
> Farage said "he is no longer a spokesman for the party. That's been dealt with"
>
> "The comments were deeply inappropriate. Richard Tice has dealt with him"
>
> Context: [https://t.co/uaUqmOQTAG][4]
>
> — Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) [April 2, 2026][5]
People responded to his sacking online:
> Nigel Farage has sacked Simon Dudley as Reform’s housing spokesperson over his vile comments about Grenfell, but he refused to rule out whether Simon Dudley will stand as an MP at the next general election.
>
> — Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) [April 2, 2026][6]
That’s right; he’s sacked as a spokesperson – not as a member.
Also, it seems like they sacked him because the backlash grew too great; not because they disagreed with his statement:
> Simon Dudley was sacked by Nigel Farage just an hour after Reform deputy leader Richard Tice shared Simon Dudley's 'apology' on X. [pic.twitter.com/oiaZPWCdcZ][7]
>
> — Kevin Schofield (@KevinASchofield) [April 2, 2026][8]
The Tories are criticising Reform too, which is a bit rich considering they were the party in government when Grenfell happened ([and also that they dithered on taking action for years][9]):
> Simon Dudley’s comments were shocking and ill-informed. It was right he was sacked but shows exactly why Reform isn’t fit to govern.
>
> Nigel Farage runs a one-man band where policy and people decisions are made on the hoof. That’s chaotic. A govt led by him would be no different.…
>
> — Kevin Hollinrake MP (@kevinhollinrake) [April 2, 2026][10]
## Danger
[As Rachel Charlton-Dailey reported for the *Canary*][11], Dudley said ‘fires do happen’ in relation to the tragedy.
> Calls for Reform housing spokesperson to be sacked after he dismisses Grenfell tragedy and says 'fires do happen'
>
> By [@RachelCDailey_][12] [https://t.co/0Y5NMTE2Tt][13]
>
> — Canary (@TheCanaryUK) [April 2, 2026][14]
[ Dudley also told *Inside Housing*][15]:
> Extracting Grenfell from the statistics, actually people dying in house fires is rare… many, many more people die on the roads driving cars, but we’re not making cars illegal, so why are we stopping houses being built?
The problem with this is that we famously *have* made vehicles illegal – most recently the Tesla CyberTruck (or, to be more specific, [it failed to meet our standards][16]).
If you’re wondering why CyberTrucks don’t meet standards, look no further:
> [$TSLA][17] cybertruck lawsuit: Tesla cybertruck tried to kill me by driving off bridge [🤡]
>
> [🤡] Cybertruck Autopilot "suddenly and without warning" tried to drive off overpass
>
> [🤡] Drove straight into concrete barrier
>
> [🤡] Other companies use LiDAR, Elon uses cheap low res cameras [pic.twitter.com/Z1BJVJ7X5h][18]
>
> — Stonk King (((([🌕])))) (@StonkKing4) [March 10, 2026][19]
> Tesla recalls all 3,878 Cybertrucks over faulty accelerator pedal that could cause an accident. [😳][‼] [pic.twitter.com/ghwN6Rouqo][20]
>
> — DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) [April 19, 2024][21]
> [$TSLA][22] cybertruck on FSD
>
> [💀] runs straight into guard rail
>
> [💀] veers off road
>
> Thankfully driver was paying attention [🙏] [pic.twitter.com/AKNzDUhq3v][23]
>
> — Stonk King (((([🌕])))) (@StonkKing4) [August 12, 2025][24]
This is a tangent, obviously, but the point is this: when things are dangerous, they should be illegal.
And do you know what’s really, really dangerous?
High rise buildings clad in flammable materials.
## We need reform not Reform
Housing is too important to leave in the hands of greedy companies who prioritise profits over people. Grenfell was the most shocking example of why that is, and Reform have now shown they will side with the profiteers.
*Featured image via [Miles Glendinning (Wikimedia)][25]*
By [Willem Moore][26]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/reform-putin/
[2]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0mj8v4lk2ko
[3]: https://inews.co.uk/news/grenfell-was-tragic-but-everyone-dies-in-the-end-says-reforms-new-housing-chief-4330442?srsltid=AfmBOoomsRHJuGSu697okFYRETgl-4wfk4mYcqmbFGMn6UcP0qMASGfl
[4]: https://t.co/uaUqmOQTAG
[5]: https://twitter.com/PolitlcsUK/status/2039649504127820049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://twitter.com/I_amMukhtar/status/2039669285392420936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[7]: https://t.co/oiaZPWCdcZ
[8]: https://twitter.com/KevinASchofield/status/2039651760940191792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2021/02/26/these-are-the-mps-who-stuck-two-fingers-up-at-grenfell-victims/
[10]: https://twitter.com/kevinhollinrake/status/2039659621757940217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/02/reform-grenfell/
[12]: https://twitter.com/RachelCDailey_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[13]: https://t.co/0Y5NMTE2Tt
[14]: https://twitter.com/TheCanaryUK/status/2039643203989631254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[15]: https://inews.co.uk/news/grenfell-was-tragic-but-everyone-dies-in-the-end-says-reforms-new-housing-chief-4330442?srsltid=AfmBOoomsRHJuGSu697okFYRETgl-4wfk4mYcqmbFGMn6UcP0qMASGfl
[16]: https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterlyon/2025/02/20/tesla-cybertruck-banned-in-the-uk-due-to-safety-issues/
[17]: https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[18]: https://t.co/Z1BJVJ7X5h
[19]: https://twitter.com/StonkKing4/status/2031508851791638704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[20]: https://t.co/ghwN6Rouqo
[21]: https://twitter.com/DramaAlert/status/1781358963138699542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[22]: https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&src=ctag&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[23]: https://t.co/AKNzDUhq3v
[24]: https://twitter.com/StonkKing4/status/1955136841386254386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[25]: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tower_Block_UK_photo_l9-03.jpg
[26]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/reform-fires/

2026-04-02 14:37:41 CEST

CAAT condemns conviction of peaceful protest organisers as part of ongoing assault on civil liberties
[Chris Nineham and Ben Jamal CAAT speaks in support of convicted protest organisers]
Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) has spoken out following the conviction of [Palestine Solidarity Campaign][1] director Ben Jamal and [Stop the War Coalition][2] vice-chair Chris Nineham. They [were convicted on 1 April][3] of public order offences at Westminster magistrates court. The charges related to [a peaceful protest in January][4].
Additionally, district judge Daniel Sternberg convicted Jamal of ‘incitement’, claiming that his speech at the peaceful protest breached “lawfully imposed conditions”.
The Metropolitan police had originally allowed the 18 January protest to take place but then reversed its decision. It cited spurious claims of “cumulative impact” on Jewish Londoners. The reversal came after lobbying by pro-Israel individuals and groups, including the Jewish Leadership Council.
On the day of the illegal US-Israeli aggression on Iran, [the Jewish Leadership Council expressed its support][5] for the unprecedented bombing campaign, claiming it “will make the world a safer place.”
## CAAT speaks out on political policing
CAAT notes that the conditions the Met imposed were far from lawful. They prohibited peaceful protesters from gathering outside the *BBC*’s office to protest its systematic editorialising in favour of Israel.
As [Netpol pointed out in a recent report][6] titled [*How Repression Became Routine*][7], police – specifically, the Met – are exercising powers beyond or ahead of lawful authority. Cumulative disruption powers, for example, have yet to pass through parliament.
Moreover, in reflection of the government’s zeal for suppressing anti-genocide protest, police use of powers to restrict assemblies in 2024–25 rose by 230% across Britain.
As part of the trial against Jamal and Nineham, district judge Sternberg threw out a “no case to answer” defence. However, Sternberg curiously declined to give reasons for doing so.
The 18 January protest was designed to start or end at *BBC* headquarters in Portland Place to protest against the broadcaster’s coverage of the Israeli genocide in Gaza. The *BBC*’s systematic bias, which downplays Israeli crimes against humanity, while dehumanising its Palestinian victims, has provoked documented turmoil at the organisation.
CAAT notes that the zeal with which the police and Crown have pursued peaceful protesters demonstrating against the UK-backed Israeli genocide stands in contrast to its gross inaction against UK nationals serving in the Israeli Occupation Forces, as well as executives of companies providing weapons to Israel.
In February the Public Interest Law Centre, supported by CAAT, submitted a detailed complaint to Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command (SO15). This asked it to open a criminal investigation into four current and former British directors of Elbit Systems UK Ltd for possible complicity in war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Gaza. No response, or acknowledgement, has come from the Met.
A spokesperson for CAAT said:
> As members of an anti-genocide movement proud to share its platform with Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham, we are dismayed at Westminster magistrate court’s decision to convict them in a trial that should never have taken place.
>
> Jamal and Nineham should be feted for their service to humanity, and opposition to crimes against it. Yet, in this dire state of affairs, our government gets away with supporting Israel’s systematic slaughter of Palestinians, the ongoing theft of their land, and providing a steady stream of murder weapons, while prosecuting those protesting against it. The Met police’s failure to even acknowledge the Public Interest Law Centre complaint against Elbit directors, over possible complicity in war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in Gaza, shows just how politicised the police has become.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [The Canary][8]
[1]: https://palestinecampaign.org/
[2]: https://www.stopwar.org.uk/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/pro-palestine-protest/
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/01/17/march-for-palestine-route/
[5]: https://www.thejlc.org/news/jewish-leadership-councils-statement-following-developments-in-the-middle-east-today
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/03/26/netpol-report-policing/
[7]: https://netpol.org/2026/03/25/how-repression-became-routine/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/02/caat-condemns-conviction-of-peaceful-protest-organisers-as-part-of-ongoing-assault-on-civil-liberties/

2026-04-02 14:08:21 CEST

Police scrap another inconsequential plan to ‘end’ racism
[Police scrap Race Action Plan]
Five years after the implementation of the [Police Race Action Plan (PRAP)][1], progress has been patchy, slow, and all-too-easily reversed. Worse still, it’s been overly dependant on “individual goodwill”, rather than a true commitment to change across the force.
That’s according to the final report from the Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board (ISOB), whose job was to oversee the PRAP. It also marks the end of both the PRAP as a standalone programme, and the ISOB itself.
As ever when we write on police racism at the *Canary, *the report observed that forces[ used inquiries and action plans][2] as a [substitute for real change.][3]
The report drew on 36 interviews with civil organisations, community leaders and policing professionals. It found that, in spite of everything, the [very institutional racism][4] of the police is still a point of contention. In fact, just 6 of the 44 individual forces covered by the PRAP had [even deigned to acknowledge][5] their institutional racism.
## ‘That commitment has not yet been met’
Abimbola Johnson,[ ISOB chair,][6] said:
> Five years ago, policing committed to improving outcomes for Black communities. That commitment has not been met. Progress has been slow, uneven and too dependent on individual effort rather than institutional change.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the College of Policing established the PRAP back in 2020. It followed the police murder of George Floyd in the US, and the consequential wave of international Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
Ostensibly, the PRAP aimed to improve policing for Black people — both the public and within the police. However, that promise has not materialised. Johnson went on to state that:
> Without properly enforced legal obligations, a robust inspection framework and clear consequences for failure, progress on race equity within policing will remain partial and reversible. This mirrors the pattern of previous reforms, dating back to Scarman and Macpherson. Black communities now deserve structural accountability. Government and policing must decide whether to deliver it or allow reform to stall again.
## Final findings
As these reports and inquiries[ have found repeatedly][7], the [single most significant barrier][8] to progress is the racist culture of the police. There’s no external framework or imposed solution that can fix a system that doesn’t want to change.
And make no mistake — this is a systemic problem. Whilst individual police[ show shocking and flagrant racism,][9] that bigotry is also embedded within the structures of policing. As such, any framework that treats racism as an individual problem in the forces will inevitably fail to make meaningful impact.
Likewise, race and racism cannot be understood within a vacuum. Police understanding of intersectionality remains a “significant and under-addressed gap.” Failure to address this means that the greatest harms will inevitably fall on multiple marginalised individuals.
The report also found that the single biggest driver of real change was the commitment of police leadership. When senior leaders were visibly committed to anti-racism, the forces under them showed greater progress. Conversely, where leaders’ commitment was lacking or clearly performative, nothing improved.
Alongside this, the police have been far better at making plans to tackle racism than actually delivering change. However, and far too often, these plans are spoken about as if they are “the change.” Repeatedly and consistently, actual impact has fallen short of the stated aims.
As such, it’s both unsurprising and appalling that Black communities still can’t trust the police. The report stated plainly that forces can’t built this trust through words and gestures of goodwill. Rather, they must show a real and sustained change in their behaviour before community attitudes can improve.
## Progress ‘is now being reversed’
Regarding the ISOB’s final findings, Andy George – leader of the National Black Police Association – [stated that:][10]
> After more than £10m of investment, it has failed to deliver on its core aim: improving the experience of policing for Black people.
>
> The reality is the environment is becoming more toxic and the progress made since the Macpherson report is now being reversed.
The report itself indicated that any [lasting progress is undermined][11] by the utter lack of statutory accountability in making change. It made clear that:
> Without legal duties, enforceable standards and independent inspection, progress depends entirely on goodwill and voluntary programs, leading to the PRAP inevitably being de-prioritised and treated as an ‘add-on’.
Both illustrating and compounding this issue, the end of the PRAP and ISOB, leaves absolutely no independent oversight in place. As such, the report urged the Home Office to:
> establish and fund independent scrutiny, mandate national data standards, and embed race equity within inspection and performance frameworks.
We at the *Canary *have lost count of the number of times that new reports, new reviews, independent external and internal enquiries, and public bodies have highlighted and exposed institutional police racism, and the utter lack of willingness to change.
Time and again, we’ve watch police trot out their plans to fix racism, then sit back and pretend that the plan was the work itself.
So, we sign off as just as we have before. [How many times do we have to write this same article?][12]
UK police are racist because racism is embedded in the very core of their mission. It’s not one bad apple. It’s not one bad barrel. Its root and branch, tree and orchard.
*Featured image via NPCC*
By [Alex/Rose Cocker][13]
[1]: https://www.policeisob.co.uk/_files/ugd/9e3577_3ecb165ff42c458cac59268ce9f9c2b7.pdf
[2]: http://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/11/11/met-police-anti-blackness/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2017/02/16/theresa-may-claims-shes-ridding-police-racism-figures-show-shocking-reality/
[4]: http://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/11/10/met-police-racist/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2021/07/30/in-spite-of-new-evidence-greater-manchester-police-deny-institutional-racism/
[6]: https://www.policeisob.co.uk/news
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/11/10/met-police-racist/
[8]: https://www.policeisob.co.uk/_files/ugd/9e3577_3ecb165ff42c458cac59268ce9f9c2b7.pdf
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2025/10/02/bbc-met-police-investigation/
[10]: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/01/police-chiefs-failed-to-tackle-racism-due-to-lack-of-leadership-watchdog-finds
[11]: https://www.policeisob.co.uk/_files/ugd/9e3577_3ecb165ff42c458cac59268ce9f9c2b7.pdf
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2025/10/02/bbc-met-police-investigation/
[13]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alexrosecocker/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/04/02/police-institutionalised-racism/

2026-04-02 13:21:00 CEST

Trump admits US prioritises pointless wars over healthcare
[Donald Trump in front of explosions]
On Wednesday 1 April, Donald Trump delivered one of the worst speeches of his career — and this was no April Fool’s.
> The White House has removed this video from their social media channels.
>
> But not before we could post it. [https://t.co/arlnXPVhc2][1]
>
> — Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) [April 2, 2026][2]
The above is really just the tip of the iceberg too.
## Bombs not babies
In the clip above, Trump starts talking about daycare but progresses to the national health insurance systems of Medicare and Medicaid (emphasis added):
> the United States can’t take care of daycare. That has to be up to a state.
>
> We can’t take care of daycare. We’re a big country. We have 50 states. We have all these other people. **We’re fighting wars**.
>
> We can’t take care of daycare.
>
> You got to let a state take care of daycare, and they should pay for it too. They should pay. They have to raise their taxes, but they should pay for it. And we could lower our taxes a little bit to them to make up for it.
>
> But it’s not possible for us to take care of daycare. Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things. They can do it on a state basis. You can’t do it on a federal.
>
> **We have to take care of one thing, military protection**.
>
> We have to guard the country.
As most people now realise, the US isn’t ‘guarding the homeland’—it’s instead doing the opposite to other countries.
If America stopped waging forever wars, it could easily afford daycare and universal health coverage. It could probably afford to give everyone in the world healthcare with how much they spend on war ([set to be $1.5tn by 2027][3]).
Even the administration is starting to realise that its military endeavours aren’t money well spent:
> SECRETARY RUBIO: Why are we in NATO? You have to ask that question. Why do we send trillions of dollars and have all of these American forces stationed in the region, if in our time of need, we won't be allowed to use those bases? [pic.twitter.com/DdYahXhli0][4]
>
> — Department of State (@StateDept) [April 1, 2026][5]
Trump had more to say too.
## Bad to worse
As the *Majority Report’s* Emma Vigeland sarcastically highlighted, Trump admitted that he basically likes anyone who sucks up to him—no matter how repellant they are ([presumably he’s thinking about Benjamin Netanyahu][6]):
> This is so moving [https://t.co/NG3QuaQOcF][7]
>
> — Emma Vigeland (@EmmaVigeland) [April 1, 2026][8]
Having failed to achieve any of his objectives in the Iran war, Trump is now asking his allies to clean up his mess:
> Trump on re-opening the Strait of Hormuz: "Let France do it, they get a lot of oil from the strait. Let the Europeans do it. Let South Korea, who is not helpful to us, by the way…Let South Korea do it. Let Japan do it… This was not part of what I wanted to do." [pic.twitter.com/yOcweaBOcW][9]
>
> — The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) [April 1, 2026][10]
Trump gave an idea of why the war has gone so badly:
> Absolute bombshell confession! Trump casually admits on camera that he assassinated 88 Iranian leaders "by accident" while they were voting for a new regime. He is openly bragging about mass murder and illegal regime change. This is a blatant war crime! [pic.twitter.com/uBR8sKpogu][11]
>
> — Furkan Gözükara (@FurkanGozukara) [April 1, 2026][12]
Trump also did some race science:
> This would have been an impeachably scandalous thing for a president to say even a decade ago. [https://t.co/rM56hI8cjL][13]
>
> — Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) [April 1, 2026][14]
This is the same guy who [has repeatedly bragged about passing cognition tests because he thinks they’re testing his intelligence][15] — not whether he has dementia.
## Shocking but not unsurprising
While the things Trump says are constantly unprecedented, we’re at a point now where nothing really shocks.
Of course he’d launch a stupid war and then bail when it got too much.
Of course he’d be the politician to finally admit the US prioritises death over health.
Of course he’d go off on some racist tangent that has nothing to do with the speech at hand.
As grim as this all is, hopefully it makes Americans realise their country is not a force for good, and that this is a situation it can’t keep repeating.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Willem Moore][16]
[1]: https://t.co/arlnXPVhc2
[2]: https://twitter.com/HQNewsNow/status/2039508111069786421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy59kxl2xwzo
[4]: https://t.co/DdYahXhli0
[5]: https://twitter.com/StateDept/status/2039167081871258026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/12/23/netanyahu-trump-meeting/
[7]: https://t.co/NG3QuaQOcF
[8]: https://twitter.com/EmmaVigeland/status/2039482956171874388?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[9]: https://t.co/yOcweaBOcW
[10]: https://twitter.com/BulwarkOnline/status/2039482871748943961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[11]: https://t.co/uBR8sKpogu
[12]: https://twitter.com/FurkanGozukara/status/2039483329737633863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[13]: https://t.co/rM56hI8cjL
[14]: https://twitter.com/ReichlinMelnick/status/2039480996127490331?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[15]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/01/07/trump-cognitive-test/
[16]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/trump-admits-us-prioritises-pointless-wars-over-healthcare/

2026-04-02 12:26:04 CEST

Media barred from doorstepping Polanski’s family following Mail feud
[Zack Polanski and a Mail headline about his family]
As we reported, [freelance journalist Nicole Lampert has been bothering Zack Polanski’s family][1].
According to her, she’s been doing so as part of her efforts to conduct what she calls ‘journalism’. Defending herself, Lampert claimed that Polanski’s family went to her. Now, it’s claimed that the Green leader’s family have complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO):
> Zack Polanski’s mum, dad, brother, and sister have formally complained to IPSO after journalists turned up at their family homes. But I’m confused. I thought the Daily Mail "journalist" said his family approached her.
>
> — Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) [April 1, 2026][2]
## Standards
We first learned that the gutter press were looking into Polanski’s family via this tweet:
> This is why Daily Mail journalists are going after my family now.
>
> The right wing propaganda machine will not work on the Green Party.
>
> We're ready to end Rip Off Britain, end the cost of living crisis and make hope normal again. [https://t.co/w9uyGh8mfP][3]
>
> — Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) [March 28, 2026][4]
We later learned this was being conducted by independent journalist Nicole Lampert on behalf of the *Daily Mail*. [Lampert posted the following online][5]:
> I’m a freelance journalist who spoke to your family members who are frightened by the Jew hate in your party. They are frightened by what you have given the green light to.
This is the British media we’re talking about, so the “Jew hate” in question was actually legitimate criticism of the genocidal state of Israel.
The ‘family’ she spoke to ended up being distant relatives. As such, her piece proved nothing besides the fact that everyone has a third cousin or step auntie who’s thick enough to get taken in by the *Daily Mail*.
Lampert would later say:
> I didn’t hound anyone. They came to me.
Since then, [the *Guido Fawkes* blog has reported the following notice which was sent to regulated media organisations][6]:
> IPSO has today been contacted by a representative acting on behalf of the immediate family of Zack Polanski.
>
> Mr Polanski’s mother, father, brother, and sister ask that the press do not attend their homes and do not approach them by phone or email, as they do not wish to give comment to the media. For any media enquiries, please contact the Green Party press office at [REDACTED] or on [REDACTED].
>
> We are happy to make editors aware of his request. We note the terms of Clause 2 (Privacy) and 3 (Harassment) of the Editors’ Code.
Notably, this notice doesn’t explicitly confirm that journalists approached members of the Polanski family, nor how.
Polanski has previously claimed they were indeed contacted, though:
> Spoke to my family today – all refused to talk to you.
>
> You then started hunting down random "anon" relatives.
>
> People are holding your shit rag accountable.
>
> You've not just "touched a nerve."
>
> You've absolutely spurred on a movement ready to take on the Daily Mail. Congrats. [https://t.co/95Oq3SUxAf][7]
>
> — Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) [March 29, 2026][8]
## Form
As people have highlighted, this is far from the only accusation of shoddy journalism that Lampert is currently defending against. [The following is *Independent *reporting from March this year][9]:
> Former Daily Mail showbiz editor accused of using private investigators ‘who engaged in unlawful acts’
>
> Nicole Lampert was giving evidence in the trial of claims of unlawful information gathering brought by a group of household names against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL)
[As the *BBC* reported on 3 March][10]:
> A former Daily Mail showbusiness editor has denied listening to voicemails between actors Jude Law and Sadie Frost Law and said stories she wrote about their relationship came from an “amazing source”.
>
> Nicole Lampert said the source was close to Frost and that information had been passed to the newspaper through a “trusted freelance journalist”.
Frost spoke about how the stories led to her mistrusting close friends. Now, however, she is convinced her voicemails were hacked.
Speaking about a specific article, the *BBC* wrote:
> One article in October 2004 referred to discussions about a £10m divorce settlement. Law’s solicitors later complained that it was wrong to suggest he had accepted the settlement, and the Daily Mail published an apology.
>
> Sherborne suggested the newspaper had been unable to challenge the complaint because the information had been obtained through phone hacking and the true source could not be revealed. Lampert rejected the claim.
Responding to an article in which the *Mail* reported on Frost’s sleeping pill prescription, Lampert said:
> We wouldn’t ever report that sort of information now, but that was par for the course then.
It makes you wonder what villainous acts are simply “par for the course” today.
*Featured image [Barold][11]*
By [Willem Moore][12]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/29/zack-polanski-feud-with/
[2]: https://twitter.com/I_amMukhtar/status/2039370842908373100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[3]: https://t.co/w9uyGh8mfP
[4]: https://twitter.com/ZackPolanski/status/2037812348736426373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/29/zack-polanski-feud-with/
[6]: https://order-order.com/2026/04/01/regulated-media-organisations-instructed-not-to-approach-zack-polanskis-family/
[7]: https://t.co/95Oq3SUxAf
[8]: https://twitter.com/ZackPolanski/status/2038307174355525677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[9]: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/daily-mail-court-case-elton-john-liz-hurley-b2931243.html
[10]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yvx5xpze5o
[11]: https://x.com/JustBarold
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/polanski-daily-mail-feud/

2026-04-02 11:48:19 CEST

Reform housing spokesperson doubles down on Grenfell ‘everyone dies’ comment
[reform grenfell]
Reform UK’s new housing chief has sparked outrage after claiming housing regulations have gone too far in the wake of[ Grenfell][1]. He said that while the disaster was a tragedy, ‘fires happen’ and that ‘everyone dies in the end’, so building new houses shouldn’t be slowed by pesky health and safety.
## Reforms Housing spokesperson says ‘fires happen’
Simon Dudley, Reform UK’s new Housing and Infrastructure spokesperson, told *Inside Housing* that regulations put in place following the Grenfell inquiry are ‘stifling’ the housebuilding sector with ‘over-regulation.
Dudley was asked how to balance housebuilding with the regulations. [His reponse ][2]was typically vile for Reform:
> The practical impact of over-regulation is to stop things. Now, people may feel that we’ve done the right thing through introducing this regulation, but on the other side of that, think about all the human suffering of not having a home, not being able to have children and being stuck in your parents’ home in your childhood bedroom. So there is a balance. You know, we can’t, you know, sadly, you know, everyone dies in the end. It’s just how you go, right?
He continued
> Extracting Grenfell from the statistics, actually people dying in house fires is rare… many, many more people die on the roads driving cars, but we’re not making cars illegal, so why are we stopping houses being built?
>
> You can’t stop tragic things from happening. You can try to minimise excesses, but bad things do happen. Fires do happen.
Dudley said that the impact of Grenfell on regulation has meant ‘the pendulum has just swung too far the wrong way.’
He continued:
> Frankly, for people who are the architects of things, it’s very difficult for them to put them right. And Reform is not the architect of so many of these failures which our country has now. We will put it right, because we’re not emotionally connected with them. They’re not things that we created. We will fix them.
Dudley was appointed Reform UK’s housing spokesperson last month . The party said he would urgently spearhead a review into “Britain’s building crisis”. He’s previously had many board and non-executive roles in development such as with the government’s Homes England. So in a way, he has been an ‘architect in these failures’.
## Grenfell wasn’t because ‘fires happen’
72 people died, many of whom were brown or Black and disabled, because of housing companies that [wanted to pull up building as quickly as possible][3] to extract rent from vulnerable people. They didn’t care about the safety of the block, despite many warnings and complaints from residents.
What the aftermath of the Grenfell fire showed was how little deaths mattered if they weren’t rich white people.
[A *Canary* editorial][4] responding to the bullshit Grenfell Inquiry report summed it up best:
> Ultimately the Grenfell fire was the culmination of years of institutionalised neglect, racism, classism, and discrimination against the predominantly low-income, Black, brown, and disabled residents of the tower.
>
> Racism and classism were the ultimate cause of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Calls for Dudley to be fired came in quick. Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:
> If Nigel Farage has an ounce of decency, he will sack his housing chief immediately.
>
> These disgraceful comments about those who died in the Grenfell Tower fire are beyond the pale and it is completely untenable for Simon Dudley to continue in his position.
But come on, Steve, we all know Farage [doesn’t have a single bit of decency][5] in him.
Green MP Sian Berry said:
> Reform has sunk to a new low and shown a real disrespect to the victims of Grenfell. Anyone who has any awareness of what Grenfell residents went through, in fact anyone with any empathy or humanity, will find these comments truly abhorrent.
>
> Nigel Farage must sack Simon Dudley for this disgusting outburst.
## Reform doesn’t care if poor people die
Of course, instead of apologising, Dudley has doubled down. [On LinkedIn, he wrote:][6]
> Grenfell was an utter tragedy and quite rightly prompted a wholesale review and tightening of fire regulations. I said it was a tragedy in my interview with Inside Housing and in no shape or form am I belittling that disaster or the huge loss of life. It must never happen again. I reiterate that, and am sorry if it was not sufficiently clear.
>
> Within the last 24 hours, the Berkeley Group, one of Britain’s biggest housebuilders, has paused new land purchases and announced a hiring freeze. They blame ‘an unprecedented surge in costs and regulation.’
> These concerns are felt across the industry. The result? The UK’s long running housing crisis is getting worse.
>
> To address the national housing crisis, we must ensure that regulation remains safe, sensible and proportionate. My concern is the introduction of numerous measures that do nothing to protect life and are throttling housebuilding.
The classic double down is expected from Reform now. It’s the same tactic we saw from [Sarah Pochin when she said][7] ‘It drives me mad seeing adverts full of black and Asian people.’ Pochin wasn’t disciplined, but Black MP Dawn Butler was almost kicked out of the House of Commons [for calling her a racist][8].
Dudley’s comments show once again just how little Reform actually cares about poor people. They wouldn’t be saying ‘fires happen’ if it had happened in a more affluent area.
Reform are relying heavily on working class voters who are sick of being ignored by Labour and the other parties. But this should show that Reform will only make life worse for anyone who isn’t rich. And they don’t care how many poor people die.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Rachel Charlton-Dailey][9]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/grenfell-tower/
[2]: https://inews.co.uk/news/grenfell-was-tragic-but-everyone-dies-in-the-end-says-reforms-new-housing-chief-4330442?srsltid=AfmBOoomsRHJuGSu697okFYRETgl-4wfk4mYcqmbFGMn6UcP0qMASGfl
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2021/12/06/grenfell-fire-consequence-of-unbridled-passion-for-deregulation-inquiry-told/
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/editorial/2024/09/04/grenfell-inquiry-report/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2025/12/30/nigel-farage-41-mentions-in-the-epstein-files/
[6]: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/simon-dudley_grenfell-was-an-utter-tragedy-and-quite-rightly-activity-7445379894466789376-PQVE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAdYj1oBbfYCvzralCbtn13Ym5_feBTqEIM
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2025/10/26/reform-mp-doubles-down-on-racist-comment/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/10/28/reform-dawn-butler/
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/rachel-charlton-dailey/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/02/reform-grenfell/

2026-04-02 11:43:56 CEST

Italy left out of another World Cup, as the nation seeks answers
[Italy sits out of another World Cup]
Italy’s exclusion from a third straight [World Cup][1] has shifted from a sporting failure to a national plight. Players born after 1990, many now in their prime, have never performed at football’s grandest stage. This absence is undoubtedly reshaping selection, development, and the public’s connection to the Azzurri.
## What went wrong on the field
Italy has not participated in the World Cup since 2014. This decade long gap denies emerging skilled performers global exposure and the pressures that define international careers. After the latest elimination, head coach Gennaro Gattuso [captured the mood bluntly][2]:
> It hurts, it really hurts… More than hurting me, it hurts to see this group which has really given everything in these months.
In another interview, [Gattuso added][3]:
> Today the boys didn’t deserve a beating like this… It hurts, because we needed it for us, for all of Italy and for our movement.
Those comments aren’t merely the result of post-match emotion. Gattuso’s words reflect the realty of a federation, so far, unable to translate domestic strengths into consistent success on the international stage.
## The wider consequences
Missing consecutive World Cups changes more than rosters. The tournament has been Italy’s showcase, the even which transformed Paolo Rossi, Roberto Baggio and Fabio Cannavaro into global football icons. Without that stage, Italian players are less visible to the world, and young fans without the World Cup memories over which past generations bonded.
Former Italy coach Fabio Capello warned of the scale of the problem, [calling recent results][4]:
> a sporting tragedy, a shame. It’s one of the worst things that has happened to Italian football in its recent history.
## Leadership, development, and identity
FIGC president Gabriele Gravina oﬀered measured support while [acknowledging the depth of the crisis][5]:
> Let me congratulate the lads… they’ve shown incredible growth. I also want to congratulate Rino Gattuso. He’s a great coach.
That tone—encouraging yet defensive—sums up the federation’s position: protect current personnel while promising review.
Veteran Gianluigi Buﬀon, part of the national delegation, [urged patience and careful assessment][6]:
> This is a delicate moment, and we need to take the necessary time to make the right evaluations.
Experts point to systemic issues behind the headlines: gaps in youth coaching and scouting, tactical stagnation at senior levels, and Serie A’s declining pull compared with other European leagues. [Capello argued for accountability and grassroots rebuild][7]:
> No one resigns here, and that’s the most worrying thing […] We have to sit down as experts, analyse what is happening and start a reconstruction from the base.
## What comes next
This is not a short-term slump—it’s a multi-year shift that requires structural fixes. If Italy qualifies for the 2030 World Cup, it will be more than a sporting rebound. It will be a reconnection with fans and a chance to rebuild an international identity for a generation starved of World Cup experience.
Until then the Azzurri remain a major footballing nation without its primary stage. The challenge for coaches, clubs and the FIGC is to convert criticism into a clear, long-term plan that rebuilds pathways from youth academies to the national team.
*Featured image via the Italian Football Federation*
By [Faz Ali][8]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/world-cup-2026/
[2]: https://www.goal.com/en/lists/really-hurt-gennaro-gattuso-vents-italy-miss-out-third-straight-world-cup-statement-issued-manager-future/bltdf1735537197ea61
[3]: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/italy-world-cup-gennaro-gattuso-b2949799.html
[4]: https://www.101greatgoals.com/football/internationals/italy-real-madrid-boss-fabio-capello-says-azzurris-failure-reach-world-cup-sporting-tragedy/
[5]: https://www.juvefc.com/gravina-gattuso-buffon-bring-italy-failure/amp/
[6]: https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/italy-world-cup-2026-qualifying-failure-gianluigi-buffon-b2949826.html
[7]: https://www.101greatgoals.com/football/internationals/italy-real-madrid-boss-fabio-capello-says-azzurris-failure-reach-world-cup-sporting-tragedy/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/faz-ali/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/02/italy-world-cup/

2026-04-02 11:03:00 CEST

Reform welcome candidate who thanked Putin
[Vladimir Putin, Nigel Farage, and John Clark - Reform]
As we’ve covered, Reform [have been having a nightmare trying to sign up suitable candidates for the local elections.][1] The problem is that anyone who’s suited to Reform is probably not well matched to broader public opinion, which is why we keep getting candidates like this:
> Quite the quote. [https://t.co/nDZelXynf1][2] [pic.twitter.com/PHWHcGo9aE][3]
>
> — Reform Party UK Exposed [🇬🇧] (@reformexposed) [April 1, 2026][4]
## Reform’s Welsh-Russian axis
John Clark is one of Reform’s candidates for the Welsh Senedd. To be absolutely fair to him, he wasn’t thanking Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine; [he was thanking him for engaging in “dialogue”:][5]
There are still a couple of problems, of course. The first is that Putin wasn’t engaging in peace talks; he was chatting with right-wing US political commentator Tucker Carlson. When Putin has engaged in actual peace talks, he hasn’t engaged very meaningfully – hence the war raging on.
The other problem for Clark is that you can’t be thanking politicians for engaging in discussions in the UK. Remember when the media crucified Jeremy Corbyn for five years because he held talks with Hamas and [referred to them as “our friends” in an effort to encourage dialogue][6]? The right certainly played that up, so this is the bed they’ve made for themselves.
It doesn’t help that Reform have previous issues with their Welsh politicians being overly favourable to Russia. This was most notable with Nathan Gill (former leader of Reform Wales), [who was sentenced to ten and a half years for taking bribes to talk positively about Russia in the European parliament][7].
Reform Exposed unearthed some more tweets too, [including this one][8]:
Look, we didn’t like Rishi Sunak either, but the above phrasing suggests that Clark just wanted to praise Putin. [The same can be said of this][9]:
You can’t form your opinions by taking what your opponents say and just thinking the opposite.
## Sides
To be completely fair to Clark, he has talked about the war in terms like the below, which is certainly less head-banging than some of the people on either side of the war:
> If Ukraine escalates, then Russia will escalate too, and the cycle of violence will continue. Far too many people have died already. It's time to look for a diplomatic solution.
>
> — John Clark [🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿] [🇬🇧] (@TJohnClark) [March 23, 2024][10]
Digging deeper, he tweeted the following about Trump in 2024, but doesn’t seem to have said anything about Trump’s catastrophic war against Iran:
> Trump is the only President in recent history that did not start any wars. Give peace a chance, Trump 2024.
>
> — John Clark [🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿] [🇬🇧] (@TJohnClark) [January 16, 2024][11]
> Have the neo-cons been reduced to random name-calling? Are you upset that Trump didn't start any wars?
>
> — John Clark [🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿] [🇬🇧] (@TJohnClark) [January 16, 2024][12]
Personally, if we’d been taking in by Trump’s ‘peace candidate’ shtick, we would have corrected the record when he started invading other countries, but that’s just us.
Clark also tweeted the following, suggesting his anti-war feelings are really pretty selective, [because Trump conducted all sorts of belligerent acts in his first term][13]:
> You're not fit to polish Trump's boots [@campbellclaret][14]. How is that Iraq war going? Remember David Kelly, warmonger?
>
> — John Clark [🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿] [🇬🇧] (@TJohnClark) [August 25, 2023][15]
## Differences
It’s obviously the case that Western nations’ relationship with Russia became unduly strained as a result of the US maintaining reflexive Cold War politics. At the same time, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was an absolute travesty. [As Joe Glenton wrote for the *Canary *in 2022][16]:
> Less than 48 hours into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and so much remains unclear. Will Russia occupy? Will NATO respond militarily? What are the risks of nuclear escalation? But one thing should be very apparent. Looking to either NATO or Russia in search of a good guy in all of this is deeply naïve.
>
> On the one side we have the Russian regime. Viciously illiberal and oligarchic, it’s a model of authoritarian capitalism. Determined to reclaim its lost imperial status, it’s as willing to bomb Ukrainian cities as it is to batter its own courageous anti-war protestors off the streets of Moscow.
>
> In NATO, we have an organisation which today functions as a beard for US imperial ambitions. It comes with a bleak history of supporting fascists in Europe and of the kind of brinkmanship which has brought us to where we are today. It’s also played a direct part in the disastrous wars in – to name just two recent examples – Libya and Afghanistan.
Reform politicians keep giving the impression that they like Russia for the same reason they like Donald Trump; because the imperial powers are the bigger kid, pushing the smaller kid around.
And let’s be real; [picking on the little guy is Reform’s policy platform in a nutshell][17].
*Featured image via [World Economic Forum (Flickr)][18]*
By [Willem Moore][19]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/31/reform-resignations/
[2]: https://t.co/nDZelXynf1
[3]: https://t.co/PHWHcGo9aE
[4]: https://twitter.com/reformexposed/status/2039351344801239475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[5]: https://archive.is/R6KI0
[6]: https://www.politico.eu/article/labour-party-leader-jeremy-corbyn-regrets-calling-hamas-friends-hezbollah-anti-semitism/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2025/11/21/reform-russia/
[8]: https://x.com/TJohnClark/status/1754910985314255320?s=20
[9]: https://x.com/TJohnClark/status/1759140175798571274?s=20
[10]: https://twitter.com/TJohnClark/status/1771605618949767281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[11]: https://twitter.com/TJohnClark/status/1747215606317789607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[12]: https://twitter.com/TJohnClark/status/1747214061094179159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[13]: https://chills.substack.com/p/trump-is-not-your-candidate-for-world
[14]: https://twitter.com/campbellclaret?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[15]: https://twitter.com/TJohnClark/status/1695034825344700744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[16]: https://www.thecanary.co/editorial/2022/02/25/picking-nato-over-russia-or-vice-versa-is-a-fools-game-choose-people-not-power/
[17]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/02/23/reform-ice-goons/
[18]: https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldeconomicforum/3488058401
[19]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/02/reform-putin/

2026-04-02 10:48:55 CEST

Anti-genocide campaigners call for Ireland’s National Concert Hall to drop Zionist charity event
[genocide]
Pro-Palestine campaign group Mothers Against Genocide are among those calling on Dublin’s National Concert Hall (NCH) to [cancel a charity event which will raise money for Magen David Adom][1] (MDA). MDA are an ambulance charity based in so-called ‘Israel’. [Multiple][2] human [rights groups][3] have accused the group of failing to provide medical care to wounded Palestinians, resulting in their deaths.
Mothers Against Genocide say:
> The National Concert Hall has reinstated a booking for a fundraising event linked to an Israeli ambulance service with a documented record of denying medical care to Palestinians.
>
> This is a clear violation of medical neutrality and basic human rights. It comes in the context of ongoing violence where healthcare workers and emergency responders have been systematically targeted.
>
> A publicly funded Irish institution must not provide a platform for organisations complicit in apartheid and genocide.
They are encouraging people to email the venue and voice their opposition to the event. [Here is the link][4] to do that (it will redirect to your email provider). The fundraiser is currently set to go ahead at an undisclosed date.
## Genocide supporting politicians intervene to reinstate Zionist fundraiser
The event is being organised by the [insufferable Alan Shatter][5], a staunchly Zionist ex-TD. He is the current chair of [Magen David Adom Ireland][6]. The *Irish Times* [reported that the NCH initially booked the event, then][7]:
> …revoked the booking on the basis that the national cultural institution was politically neutral.
However, the fundraiser is now back on, seemingly in part due to intervention from senior politicians. At [virtually every turn][8], the current Irish government has [sided with the Zionist pseudo-state][9]. The *Times* report says:
> The disputed event is now set to proceed on an unconfirmed date, but only after NCH board talks and discussions with Irish diplomats and the Department of Culture.
> Minister for Culture Patrick O’Donovan is understood to be annoyed at the way the matter was handled by the concert hall, which said it “misunderstood” the nature of the charity but has since changed its stance.
## Serial abuses of ambulance charity
The ‘nature of the charity’ seems pretty clear from reporting by human rights groups. A [2015 article by Euro-Med Monitor said][10]:
> The Red Cross-affiliated Israeli agency charged under the Geneva Convention with providing emergency medical aid is discriminating against Palestinians…
>
> The Israeli organisation Magen David Adom (MDA)…is giving top priority to the treatment of injured Israelis, while neglecting wounded Palestinians…
It cited cases such as one in which:
> Mohammed Ismail Al-Shobaki, 20, attempted to stab an Israeli soldier near the entrance to Al-Fawwar camp in southern Hebron, then was shot and left bleeding on the ground. Euro-Med Monitor has access to a videotape showing the availability of Israeli ambulances in the area, but while Israeli medical staff provided immediate help to the injured Israeli soldier, the calls of help of from Al-Shobaky went unanswered until he died.
Attacking an Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) soldier is [legal under international law][11], as they are an [army illegally occupying Palestine][12]. Medics are bound by law to [treat all patients equally][13].
[In a 2016 report][14], *Al Jazeera *cited the Zionist entity’s own Physicians for Human Rights in Israel (PHR-I) group, who:
> …found that wounded Palestinians had been left untreated for as long as two hours.
PHR-I also:
> …accused Israel’s leading medical bodies – the Israeli Medical Association, which lays down ethical codes, and Magen David Adom, which supervises ambulance services – of ignoring the evidence it has collected of such abuses.
In a more recent case, [Haaretz reported how MDA ambulance staff][15]:
> …refused to transport a Palestinian man from an East Jerusalem clinic on Wednesday despite concerns that he was suffering a cardiac emergency, because paramedics suspected he was in Israel without a permit.
A doctor at the scene said that, with the ambulance at the scene, a paramedic requested an ID card from Musa:
> While the patient was in pain. I had never seen anything like it – it was very strange.
Very strange and very illegal. As [Euro-Med point out, it is][16]:
> …prohibited…under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Article 5 of the convention obligates all signatories to work to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law—including regarding access to medical care.
## Media again ignores accusations against Zionists
In another example of the extraordinary deference to Zionism which legacy media continues to exhibit, *The Irish Times* [has no mention of the accusations against MDA][17]. The media outlet instead is happy to parrot the charity’s own propaganda, describing it as:
> …a voluntary ambulance service, medical care and treatment for persons irrespective of their nationality, race, religion, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or political affiliation.
Even if MDA were doing their job properly, sending them money is still pumping funds into the settler-colony’s economy. The salaries of their 3,500 staff will be taxed by the ‘Israeli’ government, who will then use that money to buy the weaponry used in the mass murder of Palestinians.
The [BDS movement][18] calls for non-association with any ‘Israeli’ organisation that is not avowedly anti-Zionist. Strict adherence to this criterion is one of the few ways of holding the rogue entity to account while our ruling classes and media fail to do so.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Robert Freeman][19]
[1]: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWjAbrdDQub/
[2]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/4/20/israel-rabbi-to-paramedics-leave-palestinians-to-die
[3]: https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/1017
[4]: https://linkly.link/2enNf
[5]: https://x.com/Alan__Shatter
[6]: https://mdaireland.org/
[7]: https://archive.ph/xjn5Q
[8]: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/press-releases/statement-by-taoiseach-miche%C3%A1l-martin-on-the-proposal-to-rename-herzog-park/
[9]: https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/frances-black-extremely-concerned-services-will-be-excluded-from-otb-1819289.html
[10]: https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/1017
[11]: https://law4palestine.org/do-palestinians-have-the-right-to-resist-and-what-are-the-limits-short-article/
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2024/10/31/dana-abu-qamar-palestinian-resistance/
[13]: https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/1017#:~:text=Such,without%20discrimination
[14]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/4/20/israel-rabbi-to-paramedics-leave-palestinians-to-die
[15]: https://archive.ph/ZNFQ9
[16]: https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/1017#:~:text=Such,without%20discrimination
[17]: https://archive.ph/xjn5Q
[18]: https://bdsmovement.net
[19]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/robert-freeman/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/02/genocide-dublin/

2026-04-01 23:08:48 CEST

DWP admits its 200,000 ‘new jobs and apprenticeships’ plan for young people is nonsense
[dwp]
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) [announced][1] its flagship new “Youth Jobs Grant” scheme in March. It [did so alongside][2] a package of new policies to tackle the so-called rise in young people “not in education, employment, or training” (NEET). But now, it has admitted that all is not what it seems.
## DWP Youth Jobs Grant
The grant scheme offers employers £3,000 for every young person aged 18-24 they hire who has been claiming universal credit for over six months.
The DWP will issue the grant irrespective of the claimant’s conditionality regime. It means that this could also apply to young disabled people claiming limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA), who the DWP has assessed as not fit for work.
Alongside its new Youth Jobs Grant, the DWP is also introducing a £2,000 “Apprenticeship Incentive” to encourage small and medium-sized businesses to employ 16-24 year-olds into new apprenticeship roles.
It also announced an expansion to its so-called “Jobs Guarantee“. This will now make the fully funded six-month wage subsidy available to employers hiring young people aged 18 to 24.
However, the *Canary’s* Rachel Charlton-Dailey [has highlighted][3] how the government’s raft of youth employment policies risks coercing young chronically ill and disabled claimants into low-waged and unsuitable work.
## Cat out of the bag
Now, in response to a series of parliamentary written questions, the DWP has admitted that the Youth Jobs Grant will “not require employers to demonstrate” that they have hired young people into any roles that wouldn’t have already existed without the new incentive funding.
Independent MP James McMurdock [asked][4] “what steps” the DWP “plans to take to help ensure that jobs created through the Youth Jobs Grant are additional to existing positions”.
The answer came amid a lengthy response addressing [14 separate written questions][5] McMurdock had tabled probing the government’s youth employment plans.
On 27 March, DWP minister Andrew Western [wrote][6]:
> The scheme will not require employers to demonstrate that roles are additional.
Meanwhile, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) [has separately said][7]:
> Offering £3,000 to all employers without checking for additionality would result in substantial dead weight.
In particular, it has highlighted how “DWP statistics from 2022–25 show that only 19% of 16- to 24-year-olds on UC who have been unemployed for 6 months are still on the benefit 18 months later”.
It said this “implies that the majority are likely to find work even in the absence of wage subsidies”.
## Barriers to employment
Disabled young people face significantly greater barriers to employment, so the grant’s lack of an additionality requirement could fail to ensure employers offer accessible roles for 18-24 year-olds well enough to work and/or not in the LCWRA group.
Western told McMurdock that the DWP would pay the grant in “staged instalments”. The department has yet to specify what these will be. It also hasn’t confirmed the length of time these instalments will span in total.
But Western [admitted that][8] the government isn’t planning to place any minimum retention requirements on employers for the grant.
He said that the staged instalments would “encourage sustained employment during the early months without requiring a formal retention period”.
Elsewhere in the response, he stated that the scheme’s “purpose is to reduce the barriers young people face when entering the labour market”.
According to Western, the grant aims to do that “by helping employers with the early costs of recruitment and training, rather than placing conditions on wider staffing decisions and how long an employer must retain someone”.
The revelations call into question the government’s claims that its new package of employment policies will create 200,000 new jobs for young people.
## More DWP nonsense?
The DWP [anticipates that][9] the Jobs Guarantee and the Youth Jobs Grant will create 30,000 and 20,000 new job roles for young people respectively. However, the IFS has said that in tandem, even if these are additional, the policies will “directly benefit a small percentage of the almost 1 million 16- to 24-year-olds who are NEET”.
Now, Western’s response has confirmed that the DWP can’t guarantee these will be genuinely additional.
The government has been citing its programme of employment support, including these employer incentives, to justify widespread cuts to welfare.
From 6 April, DWP [will slash][10] the universal credit health element in half for new claimants.
The cut exempts existing claimants, those who meet the department’s “severe conditions criteria”, and those who are terminally ill.
In its [Pathways to Work][11] green paper, the government also floated plans to restrict the health element of universal credit to over 22s. It has yet to make a decision on the proposal.
However, in November work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden [referred to][12] former Labour health secretary Alan Milburn’s “independent” investigation into Young People and Work.
He said that he did not “want to make a decision” on the minimum age requirement proposal until Milburn had looked at “the whole issue of young people, sickness, unemployment and work”.
The inquiry’s terms of reference [show that it will][13] solely target chronically ill and disabled claimants.
By [Hannah Sharland][14]
[1]: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/major-employment-drive-to-help-unlock-200000-new-jobs-and-apprenticeships-for-next-generation
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/16/dwp-underpaid-jobs/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/16/dwp-underpaid-jobs/
[4]: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-03-18/121978
[5]: https://members.parliament.uk/member/5361/writtenquestions
[6]: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-03-18/121978
[7]: https://ifs.org.uk/articles/assessing-governments-youth-employment-package
[8]: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-03-18/122029
[9]: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/major-employment-drive-to-help-unlock-200000-new-jobs-and-apprenticeships-for-next-generation
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/02/10/dwp-screwing-uc/
[11]: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper
[12]: https://cpag.org.uk/welfare-rights/whats-new/welfare-reform-health-and-disability-benefits
[13]: https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/new-investigation-on-neets-will-only-target-young-disabled-people-dwp-document-shows/
[14]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/hannah-sharland/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/dwp-youth-jobs-grant/

2026-04-01 22:35:24 CEST

Frontline reports suggests Israel could be humiliated in Lebanon
[Israel]
Israel’s invasion and attempted annexation of southern Lebanon has been portrayed as a sideshow to the war in Iran. And legacy media coverage has tended to miss out details of stubborn resistance to the Israeli military campaign.
## Israel is struggling
In reality, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have not had an easy time at all. Met with determined local resistance, they’ve failed to achieve key goals.
Photojournalist Guy Smallman, recently on the ground in the south, [reported][1] on an Israeli mission to take the town of Nabi Chit:
> This story of a failed Israeli ground mission explains why occupying Lebanon will never be an option for them. There is a multi-layered culture of resistance that is many decades old and constantly evolving.
Detailing a raid on 6 March, mayor Sayyed Hani el Moussawi said:
> the Israeli raid failed in its mission. Despite their massive firepower, they were forced into a hasty retreat.
He explained that until the Israelis invaded the town:
> local resistance fighters had been taking shelter from the airstrikes. But once we discovered that the Israelis were in the village, the fighters appeared and fought an epic gun battle.
Eventually, the Israelis fled:
> under the cover of airstrikes. Some 40 to 50 airstrikes hit the village and surrounding roads. They fired artillery, dropped bombs, used helicopter gunships and quad-drones.
## Israeli encirclement plans
Other sources in the south sketched a picture of Israel’s plans:
> From the very first day in southern Lebanon, the enemy has relied on a tactic of encirclement and isolation rather than storming and seizing villages, in order to avoid attrition and heavy casualties, and to hasten its advance to points that would give it the appearance of a swift victory.
Adding:
> The enemy is seeking to implement a geographical separation operation stretching across the southern Litani, fragmenting the resistance lines into separate pockets. It has been noted that the enemy deliberately began the invasion through crossings within non-Shiite villages, where there are no resistance elements.
Communications seen by the *Canary* suggest that Israel been trying to cut supply lines and encircle troublesome population centres in the western, central and eastern sectors of southern Lebanon.
Sources also indicated:
> that the morale of the resistance fighters is very high, and that the management of the battle is cohesive, flexible and determined to sustainably wear down the enemy, and that the enemy lacks a great deal of intelligence, as evidenced by its operations and raids.
## Multi-stage war of attrition
They said this implies:
> that the resistance has carried out a significant portion of its work since the last war in complete secrecy, which complicates the enemy’s mission. All of this points to the extent of the lessons and insights the resistance has drawn, and is applying creatively in the current battle.
The aim of local resistance forces seems to be determined to bog down in:
> a multi-stage war of attrition, beginning by raising the cost of its advance, then preventing it from establishing a foothold, and finally attacking its forces and rear lines.
They have also deployed new technologies to do so:
> The resistance is making use of the Sariq anti-armour system and the drone and unmanned aerial vehicle systems, in addition to small units engaging in mobile ambushes with fire support.
They claim that:
> To date, the enemy has suffered the damage and destruction of more than 100 Merkava tanks.
In theory, Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia paramilitary group and political party, breached a US-brokered ‘ceasefire’ with Israel in early March which had held up since their last war in 2024. In practice, the US gave Israel [carte blanche][2] to strike Lebanon, which it has done constantly since the deal was struck. During the intervening period, Israel attacked southern Lebanon about 15,400 times.
Israel remains determined to enforce it colonial ambitions on Lebanon. But while the nuclear-armed, US backed state remains the most powerful country in region on paper, it will not have an easy ride if it wishes to annex its neighbour.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Joe Glenton][3]
[1]: https://www.facebook.com/share/18bDz96DVn/
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/12/11/lebanon-faces-betrayal-in-trump/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/joeglenton/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/01/israel-lebanon-latest/

2026-04-01 22:16:59 CEST

Lamine Yamal responds firmly to racist abuse in Spain
[Lamine Yamal]
In one of the most critical moments that raises questions about crowd culture in European [football][1] stadiums, the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona witnessed a series of [racist, anti-Muslim chants][2] during Tuesday 31 March night’s friendly match between Spain and Egypt. The chants sparked outrage from players, officials, and fans alike. Specifically, racists targeted Lamine Yamal.
## Lamine Yamal targeted by racists
The match, which ended in a 0-0 draw, turned sour in the first half when racist chants against Muslims, including the slogan “If you don’t jump, you’re a Muslim,” were heard from the stands. This provoked strong reactions both inside and outside the stadium, prompting the Catalan police to open an official investigation into the chants, which they described as “Islamophobic and xenophobic,” according to Spanish security services.
At the heart of this controversy was the young Spanish player of Moroccan origin and rising star at Barcelona, Lamine Yamal, who responded with a clear, mature statement on his official Instagram account, rejecting these chants in the strongest terms.
Addressing those criticising the chants, he said:
> I am a Muslim, thank God. Yesterday at the stadium, I heard chants like these. I know I was heading towards the opposing team and the chants weren’t directed at me, but as a Muslim, this behaviour remains disrespectful and intolerable.
Yamal added in his statement:
> I understand that not all fans are like this, but to those who chant such things: using religion to mock people in a football stadium makes you ignorant and racist. Football should be enjoyed and cheered on, not used to insult people for who they are or what they believe.
Lamine Yamal thanked the fans who attended the match, expressing his anticipation for upcoming games, saying: “Thank you to everyone who came to support us… See you at the World Cup.”
In response to the incident, criticism wasn’t limited to the player. In its first official reaction, the Spanish Football Federation condemned the incident, emphasizing in a statement published on its official social media accounts its categorical rejection of such behavior.
The statement read:
> The Spanish Football Federation stands against racism in football and condemns any act of violence within stadiums.
> View this post on Instagram
>
>
> [A post shared by @lamineyamal][3]
By [Alaa Shamali][4]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/football/
[2]: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/apr/01/spain-fans-islamophobic-and-xenophobic-chants-egypt-police-investigate
[3]: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWlrsnWiEq0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alaa-shamali/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/04/01/lamine-yamal-racism/

2026-04-01 22:07:04 CEST

Trump and the US have lost the Iran war and we need keep pointing it out
[Trump]
US president Donald Trump doesn’t appear to have any idea what he is doing over the Iran war. Trump has claimed victory several times, while also pledging to keep bombing. He’s told reporters that the war will end with or without a deal now.
Trump cannot tell the truth that this war is lost. The US has been humiliated. Pointing this out must be at the centre of any anti-war politics going forward.
## Trump is finished
The *Financial Times* [reported][1] on 31 March that Trump told journalists:
> We’ll leave whether we have a deal or not. It’s irrelevant.
The US and Israel attacked Iran first on 28 February without provocation. Iran was offering [unprecedented concessions][2] in negotiations at the time. The Pentagon has since [stated][3] there was no imminent threat from Iran. And the UN’s atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has said there is [no evidence][4] Iran was developing a nuclear weapon.
The Iranian government remains intact after over a month of intensive US and Israeli attacks. The US-Israeli attack’s [main achievement][5] seems to be a global energy crisis after Iran predictably closed the straits of Hormuz, a vital oil channel.
The FT also [reported][6] on 31 March that Trump indicated he wanted to:
> knock out every single thing there.
Adding:
> They don’t have to make a deal with me when we feel that they are . . . put into the Stone Ages” without being able to “come up with a nuclear weapon”.
>
> Despite this erratic and belligerent rhetoric, there’s a strong sense that the war is lost in everything but name.
## It’s over
Author and journalist Spencer Ackerman [wrote][7] on 31 March:
> IT’S WEEK FIVE of the Iran War—past the point Donald Trump initially forecasted it would be over—and the Trump administration has a new line: The Strait of Hormuz doesn’t matter.
He [referred][8] to an interview on 30 March in which secretary of state Marco Rubio tried vaguely to save face for the US. Rubio did this by, among other things, trying to:
> convince an audience that the aims of the war were limited, achievable and consistent.
Ackerman went on:
> Here we have the foreign minister of a belligerent power—the regnant superpower, no less—insisting that if the U.S. ceases fighting with the Strait of Hormuz closed, it’s still victory by the original terms the U.S. set out, no matter how thoroughly Iran has obviated those terms.
Adding:
> That’s not just a lost war. That’s a humiliation.
The warmongers can’t be allowed to get away with their ridiculous assertion that the US, which has achieved none of its goals, has in any way won:
> A narrative that the 2026 War was a success will hasten both that return and to the deeper catastrophes it will unlock.
He warned that we must tell the truth of the US defeat or:
> We will be right back here if the architects, the profiteers, the propagandists and the forerunners of this war get away with their evasions once again.
One of the reasons we still got an Iran war after the disasters of Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and others is that no proverbial heads rolled. On Iran, they have to. Failure in this area guarantees the next war – and the one after that.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Joe Glenton][9]
[1]: https://www.ft.com/content/77e5184d-9854-4a30-b53c-498223b436a5?syn-25a6b1a6=1
[2]: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/full-transcript-omani-foreign-minister-badr-albusaidi/
[3]: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pentagon-tells-congress-no-sign-that-iran-was-going-attack-us-first-sources-say-2026-03-02/
[4]: https://aje.news/xgc2gx?update=4359748
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/24/iran-consolidates-its-oil-superpower-status/
[6]: https://www.ft.com/content/77e5184d-9854-4a30-b53c-498223b436a5?syn-25a6b1a6=1
[7]: https://www.forever-wars.com/so-you-lost-a-war-to-iran/?ref=forever-wars-newsletter
[8]: https://www.forever-wars.com/so-you-lost-a-war-to-iran/?ref=forever-wars-newsletter
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/joeglenton/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/01/trump-iran-war-latest/

2026-04-01 21:59:22 CEST

Crumbling mental health support leaves practitioners passing kids off to Prevent
[Prevent]
A government report has raised concerns [about people being referred][1] to the ‘Prevent’ counter-terrorism program, not because of genuine concerns about radicalisation, but to speed up access to the UK’s crumbling mental health services.
However, given the biases and bigotries rife in both the program and mental health services themselves, this tactic is likely to be extremely risky for any Muslim, Black, and Brown people it affects.
## ‘Badly twisted approach’ ends up with Prevent
Whilst the government’s report was internal and[ never intended for public scrutiny][2], the *Financial Times *stated that it has seen the document. It was submitted in evidence for an inquiry into teenager Axel Rudakubana’s murder of three children in Southport in 2024.
However, the *Financial Times *doesn’t go far enough in its article.
We’ve known for a long time now about the use of [health professionals to surveil patients][3] for Prevent. We know Prevent[ has a massive bias against][4] Muslim, Black, and Brown people. And, of course, we know mental health services themselves[ have a bias against][5] Black and Brown individuals and Muslims.
As such, this referral tactic is likely to have severe consequences for many of the people it was ostensibly intended to help. As highlighted by Sarah St Vincent of campaign group [Rights and Security International,][6] health professionals are:
> so desperate to get help for their patients that they’re referring them to a secretive policing programme that could impact them for the rest of their lives.
>
> If that’s not a sign of a badly twisted approach in Westminster to people’s welfare, I don’t know what is.
## Crumbling system
This desperation, if not the approach, is fully understandable. The waiting list for mental health services in England includes more than half a million young people. According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, over half of them have been waiting over a year. For over a third, the wait has lasted two years or more.
For childhood autism diagnoses alone, NHS data places the median waiting time as 19 months. However, guidance states that people who are referred to mental health services through Prevent should be seen within a week.
Psychologists working within counter-terrorism programs like Prevent have previously suggested that autistic people[ make up around 13% of their caseloads.][7] For comparison, autistic people make up around 1% of the population.
The leaked Home Office [report states that:][8]
> sometimes practitioners made referrals to Prevent to try to expedite mental health and neurodiversity support and diagnosis.
Similarly, it also claimed that evidence suggests:
> that the limited capacity of mental health resources has a notable impact on Prevent thresholds. Separately, waiting lists for neurodivergence assessments reportedly impact the support available to them.
## Racism within mental health support
However, once referred to Prevent – [with its accompanying stigma][9] – outcomes are likely to be far from positive for Muslim or Black and Brown people.
Prevent itself [is well-known][10] for [disregarding the mental health needs][11] of the individuals referred to it. Research from health work campaign group Medact highlighted the intertwined biases of Prevent and mental health ‘support’:
> Racism is highly significant to both mental health and policing, especially ‘pre-crime’ areas such as Prevent, and the hubs stand at the intersection of these two fields.
>
> A racialised Muslim is at least 23 times more likely to be referred to a mental health hub for ‘Islamism’ than a white British individual is for ‘Far Right extremism’
Likewise, with regard to combined policing/mental health ‘support hubs’, Medact highlighted the reciprocity between the two sectors:
> A high proportion of patients referred to each hub were already in contact with NHS mental health services and many were actually referred into Prevent from the health sector, underlining the circularity and duplication the
> hubs create
Even regardless of the Prevent element, racist treatment is rife within mental health and neurodiversity services themselves. For example, Black children face [3-year delays for autism diagnoses][12].
Black people are also [ four times more likely][13] to be restrained or sectioned by mental health services than their white counterparts, and are more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia.
## The disconnect
A [Home Office spokesperson][14] told the *Financial Times *that there was no link between radicalisation and neurodivergence or mental health needs. They stated that:
> We understand that people referred to Prevent may have a range of vulnerabilities, and we take our safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously. That is why we continue to strengthen Prevent’s approach to mental health and neurodiversity.
However, this somebody apparently forget to tell Prevent itself. 2025 Prevent [Duty guidance from Ofsted][15] states that:
> Children and young people with Autism are at increased risk of being susceptible to extremism. This is because they are more likely to develop special interests. […C]hildren with autism are more likely to experience social isolation and so use the internet to find friends. They trust the information they read and the “friends” that they find online and so can be drawn into extremism.
## Lasting consequences of Prevent referrals
The massive underfunding of mental health support by the UK government is making some health workers reliant on Prevent as a workaround for referral and diagnosis.
However, contact with Prevent can have a lasting impact and stigma attached to it – particularly for Muslims and Black and Brown individuals. Research, like Medact’s landmark study, has shown the level of reciprocity within mental health ‘care’ and Prevent – with both serving to create a web of surveillance.
Meanwhile, neurodivergence is being targeted by Prevent as a cause and indicator of radicalisation. Making Prevent referals in order to expedite diagnosis can only serve to entrench this view.
Whatever the intentions of the clinicians passing kids off to Prevent, their actions could have severe and lasting consequences for the vulnerable children they purport to protect.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Alex/Rose Cocker][16]
[1]: https://www.ft.com/content/72fc1e1b-8f0f-41b0-adaf-cb9ed197164b?syn-25a6b1a6=1
[2]: https://www.ft.com/content/72fc1e1b-8f0f-41b0-adaf-cb9ed197164b?syn-25a6b1a6=1
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2021/05/29/explosive-evidence-shows-counter-terror-police-use-health-workers-to-surveil-patients/
[4]: https://www.rightsandsecurity.org/impact-post/new-data-on-prevent-raises-racism-concerns/
[5]: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/racism-and-mental-health/#RacismInTheMentalHealthSystem
[6]: https://www.ft.com/content/72fc1e1b-8f0f-41b0-adaf-cb9ed197164b?syn-25a6b1a6=1
[7]: https://www.ft.com/content/536c0f10-5011-4329-a100-c2035e32e602
[8]: https://www.ft.com/content/72fc1e1b-8f0f-41b0-adaf-cb9ed197164b?syn-25a6b1a6=1
[9]: https://www.amnesty.org.uk/latest/uk-governments-prevent-duty-fundamentally-incompatible-human-rights-major-new-report/
[10]: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19434472.2019.1703782
[11]: https://stat.medact.org/uploads/2021/05/Racism_mental_health_pre-crime_policing_Medact_Report_May_2021_ONLINE.pdf
[12]: https://afrikindness.org/barriers-to-accessing-autism-diagnosis-by-black-african-families-of-autistics-in-the-united-kingdom/
[13]: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/racism-and-mental-health/#RacismInTheMentalHealthSystem
[14]: https://www.ft.com/content/72fc1e1b-8f0f-41b0-adaf-cb9ed197164b?syn-25a6b1a6=1
[15]: https://www.rightsandsecurity.org/impact-post/ofsted-prevent-training-materials-draw-a-target-on-autistic-children/
[16]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alexrosecocker/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/mental-health-prevent/

2026-04-01 21:43:46 CEST

Pro-Palestine coalition expresses shock at “huge setback for civil liberties”
[Palestine]
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and Stop the War (StW) formed a coalition in shared opposition to the genocide in Gaza. Since then, more than 20 national protests across the UK have demonstrated that the [British public does not support the mass killing of Palestinians][1].
However, authorities convicted PSC director Ben Jamal and StW vice-chair Chris Nineham on two counts under the [authoritarian Public Order Act ][2]introduced by Suella Braverman.
This ruling has sent shockwaves through the pro-Palestinian community, as repressive police powers actively undermine and [curtail the ability to protest][3].
Refusing to be deterred, the PSC has published a [statement][4] on behalf of the coalition, condemning the verdicts as:
> extraordinary and shocking and a huge setback for civil liberties.
We spoke to Chris Nineham following his conviction under this draconian law:
> Stop the War and Palestine Solidarity Campaign activists Chris Nineham and Ben Jamal have been found guilty of "breaching protest conditions" – we spoke to Chris Nineham[@STWuk][5] [pic.twitter.com/zDr6JxRDeJ][6]
>
> — Canary (@TheCanaryUK) [April 1, 2026][7]
## “A seismic threat to democratic freedoms” say pro-Palestine coalition
In this statement, it is made clear that Nineham and Jamal intend to appeal their verdicts. Helping them with that appeal, they will have full support of the pro-Palestine coalition behind them. Undoubtedly, they will have support of the wider British public in which a [majority oppose Israel’s bloodthirsty actions][8].
They then go further by highlighting “significant concerns” about how the six-day trial was conducted. These concerns will be subsequently raised in their imminent appeal.
Arguably pointing to a stitch up, the statement [reads][9]:
> The substantive issues at the heart of the case were clear. From the stage that day, Ben Jamal explained that a delegation of leaders of the coalition, plus MPs, trade union leaders and members of the Jewish bloc, would walk peacefully in a symbolic protest towards the BBC to lay flowers to mark the Corporation’s failures to report the truth of genocide in Gaza.
>
> Ben made clear that, if stopped by the police, the flowers would be laid at the police line. In the event, as copious video evidence shows, police officers invited the delegation to pass though.
They also argue that the [claims of public disorder][10] made by the police were categorically untrue.
In fact, they underscore the violence that they did [see that day][11]:
> The only moment of violence was when Chis Nineham was brutally pulled to the ground and hauled away by police officers.
Contradicting Police Commander Adam Slonecki’s adamant insistence that the imposed late restrictions did not follow political pressure from pro-Israel groups, they [added][12]:
> The logs of the Police Gold Commander Adam Slonecki reveal that enormous political pressure was placed on the police by pro-Israel groups to prevent a protest at the BBC.
Islington MP Jeremy Corbyn has condemned the judge’s verdict, saying he is “appalled”:
> I am appalled by today’s verdict against Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham.
>
> In January 2025, we held an entirely peaceful demonstration in support of Palestinian people. At all times, they — and we — followed all police instructions. We ended the demonstration by laying down flowers… [https://t.co/A8bCsKOJ9X][13]
>
> — Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) [April 1, 2026][14]
Defending the actions of Jamal and Nineham at the protest, which Corbyn was also taking part in, he wrote:
> In January 2025, we held an entirely peaceful demonstration in support of Palestinian people. At all times, they — and we — followed all police instructions. We ended the demonstration by laying down flowers at their feet to mourn the deaths of Palestinian children.
>
> Today’s verdict is a dark day for civil liberties in this country — and is a disgraceful assault on the right to protest.
We [wrote][15] earlier today after the court’s judgement:
> It is clear that the government are refusing to back down in its attempts to intimidate and bully British citizens into no longer standing by our Palestinian comrades. Heavily funded by the Israel Lobby, Starmer’s government have long ignored and diminished rising islamophobia, whilst unduly declaring anti-Zionist positions as antisemitic.
## Crime and Policing Bill
The [statement][16] goes on to draw attention to the [Crime and Policing Bill][17] which is making its way through Parliament:
> It confirms the view, widely held across civil society, that these proposed increased powers represent a seismic threat to democratic freedoms.
They [raise alarm][18] at the chilling impact this is clearly intended to have on people supporting Palestinians:
> The unprecedented charging and now conviction of leaders of a movement that has brought millions to the streets in support of the people of Palestine is designed to chill ongoing opposition to genocide, apartheid and illegal occupation.
It [finishes][19] with a typical show of dogged resistance to state oppression and repression:
> It will not succeed.
That it most certainly won’t, as a call to action is heard for the upcoming protest on the 16 May in London:
> So, Ben Jamal and I have been convicted for organising a peaceful protest against genocide in a bizarre decision by one judge.
>
> This is a big attack on civil liberties.
>
> We will appeal. We call for a massive mobilisation in support of the Palestinian people for Nakba on 16 May. [https://t.co/ftX7S069Bl][20]
>
> — Chris Nineham (@ChrisNineham) [April 1, 2026][21]
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Maddison Wheeldon][22]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2025/06/05/arms-embargo-israel-uk-poll/
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/07/protest-gave-us-the-right-to-vote-womens-day-suffragette-stunt-against-anti-protest-laws/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/01/14/mps-approve-expansion-of-anti-protest-powers-covering-animal-testing-sites/
[4]: https://palestinecampaign.org/palestine-coalition-statement-on-ben-jamal-and-chris-ninehams-trial-verdict/#:~:text=Today%E2%80%99s%20guilty%20verdicts%20in%20the%20case%20of%20PSC,full%20support%20of%20the%20Palestine%20Coalition%20in%20that
[5]: https://twitter.com/STWuk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[6]: https://t.co/zDr6JxRDeJ
[7]: https://twitter.com/TheCanaryUK/status/2039358978774233410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2025/06/05/arms-embargo-israel-uk-poll/
[9]: https://palestinecampaign.org/palestine-coalition-statement-on-ben-jamal-and-chris-ninehams-trial-verdict/#:~:text=Today%E2%80%99s%20guilty%20verdicts%20in%20the%20case%20of%20PSC,full%20support%20of%20the%20Palestine%20Coalition%20in%20that
[10]: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/met-police-commander-denies-jewish-groups-legal-threats-led-ban-palestine-march-bbc
[11]: https://palestinecampaign.org/palestine-coalition-statement-on-ben-jamal-and-chris-ninehams-trial-verdict/#:~:text=Today%E2%80%99s%20guilty%20verdicts%20in%20the%20case%20of%20PSC,full%20support%20of%20the%20Palestine%20Coalition%20in%20that
[12]: https://palestinecampaign.org/palestine-coalition-statement-on-ben-jamal-and-chris-ninehams-trial-verdict/#:~:text=Today%E2%80%99s%20guilty%20verdicts%20in%20the%20case%20of%20PSC,full%20support%20of%20the%20Palestine%20Coalition%20in%20that
[13]: https://t.co/A8bCsKOJ9X
[14]: https://twitter.com/jeremycorbyn/status/2039288949378629951?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[15]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/pro-palestine-protest/
[16]: https://palestinecampaign.org/palestine-coalition-statement-on-ben-jamal-and-chris-ninehams-trial-verdict/#:~:text=Today%E2%80%99s%20guilty%20verdicts%20in%20the%20case%20of%20PSC,full%20support%20of%20the%20Palestine%20Coalition%20in%20that
[17]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/03/26/netpol-report-policing/
[18]: https://palestinecampaign.org/palestine-coalition-statement-on-ben-jamal-and-chris-ninehams-trial-verdict/#:~:text=Today%E2%80%99s%20guilty%20verdicts%20in%20the%20case%20of%20PSC,full%20support%20of%20the%20Palestine%20Coalition%20in%20that
[19]: https://palestinecampaign.org/palestine-coalition-statement-on-ben-jamal-and-chris-ninehams-trial-verdict/#:~:text=Today%E2%80%99s%20guilty%20verdicts%20in%20the%20case%20of%20PSC,full%20support%20of%20the%20Palestine%20Coalition%20in%20that
[20]: https://t.co/ftX7S069Bl
[21]: https://twitter.com/ChrisNineham/status/2039311875989479755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[22]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/maddison-wheeldon/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/01/psc-jamal-nineham-palestine/

2026-04-01 21:35:04 CEST

‘Labour’ bows down to JP Morgan’s money strike, while telling the doctors’ worker strike to get f*cked
[JP Morgan]
Banking giant JP Morgan has gone on a capital strike (withholding investment). Following this, Labour has been quick to [offer][1] an 100% discount on the bank’s business rates, spread out over “a period of years”.
At the same time, doctors have been on a workers’ strike for pay restoration and job security. It appears that, when it comes to workers, Labour suddenly find the will to say no.
## The Capital party?
If ‘Labour’ rebranded as ‘Capital’, we probably wouldn’t consider it an April Fool’s Day joke. As well as JP Morgan, pharmaceutical giants have been demanding that the NHS pay them more, or they will withhold investment. Labour [agreed][2] to a 25% increase in payments for essential drugs in December 2025.
Meanwhile, resident doctors are asking for real-terms pay restoration to 2008 levels, at 21%. The government is [offering][3] a 7.1% increase partly because it disputes the doctors’ use of the Retail Price Index (RPI) to calculate inflation. Apparently, RPI is good enough for calculating increases in student debt, rent and corporate pricing. However, it isn’t sufficient for a doctor’s pay.
Another part of the dispute is specialist doctor posts in the NHS. The government is [proposing][4] to increase them from 1,000 to around 4,000. The thing is, the number of specialist applications is projected to exceed 40,000 this year.
Overall, the UK is low on doctors per 1,000 people at 3.2. Some of the highest per capita doctor levels are in Austria (5.48) and Germany (4.53).
## 48-hour deadline (not for JP Morgan, of course)
Labour has [given][5] resident doctors 48 hours to accept the deal. The British Medical Association (BMA) rejected the offer without putting it to a member vote.
The chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, Dr Jack Fletcher, has said:
> We’ve been willing and have been talking constructively for the last two months and at the very last minute the government has shifted the goalposts of the pay offer. I am very happy and willing to sit down and talk constructively once again.
He further responded to withholding a members vote on the pay and jobs offer:
> We discussed this with our committee who are elected to represent our members. Their representatives have considered this offer. We don’t think it goes far enough on pay so we decided not to put this to our members.
While members should decide if they accept the offer, the government goes far too easy on capital like JP Morgan compared to workers. That’s an affront to how the Labour party was founded.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [James Wright][6]
[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/business/nils-pratley-on-finance/2026/mar/30/how-many-sweeteners-does-jp-morgan-need-to-build-an-office-in-canary-wharf
[2]: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/01/uk-us-agree-zero-tariff-pharmaceuticals-deal
[3]: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/31/keir-starmer-resident-doctors-48-hours-to-call-off-strike
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/12/15/streeting-hypocrite/
[5]: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/31/keir-starmer-resident-doctors-48-hours-to-call-off-strike
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/james/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/labour-jp-morgan/

2026-04-01 21:24:05 CEST

UK entangles itself deeper into Trump’s lost war via Saudi troop increase
[Trump John HEaley]
Defence secretary John Healey has [announced][1] a major increase in troops and anti-aircraft weaponry to Saudi Arabia. The deployment entangles the UK even more deeply into the Donald Trump/US and Israel-led war. And it presents new targets for Iran.
## Trump’s war
The US under Trump and Israel attacked Iran first on 28 February without provocation. Iran was offering unprecedented concessions in negotiations at the time. The Pentagon has since stated there was no imminent threat from Iran. And the UN’s atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has said there is no evidence Iran was developing a nuclear weapon.
The main achievement of the war so far has been to cause a global energy crisis after Iran predictably closed the straits of Hormuz, a vital oil channel.
Healey was visiting Saudi Arabia on 31 March when the [announcement][2] was made:
> The deployment follows a successful recce by a UK team, and the equipment and teams will deploy this week including radars, control node, and missile launchers and a Royal Artillery battery and battle space managers to operate the system. The system will be integrated into wider Saudi and regional air defences.
The new uplift includes the [Sky Sabre air defence system][3]. The press release also confirmed that:
> Rapid Sentry – a ground-based air defence missile system – has arrived in Kuwait and the RAF’s ORCUS system is operating in the country, allowing personnel to detect drones early and take action.
Adding:
> The system will be integrated into wider Saudi and regional air defences.
The UK’s multirole missile launcher is already in Bahrain.
## UK pushes same dubious denials
Healey said:
> Iran’s aggressive attacks continue to threaten our allies and interests in the Middle East. That’s why the UK has been flying defensive missions since day one of this conflict to protect British interests and allies – and today we’re delivering further support by extending our UK jets in Qatar and deploying extra air defence teams and systems to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait.
>
> I am proud of the courage and professionalism our Armed Forces have shown since the start of the war and my message to Gulf partners is: Britain’s best will help you defend your skies. I pay tribute to the heroic efforts of our partners across the Gulf in protecting their nations. We will stand by our long-term partners in the Middle East and continue to push for a swift resolution to this conflict.
The press release repeated the same inaccurate government talking point about the degree of UK involvement which has been pushed since the war began:
> The Prime Minister has been clear that the UK will not be drawn into the wider war.
Contrary to Keir Starmer’s claims that the UK role is only defensive, the government has allowed US bombers to use its airbases [at home][4] and on the [colonised Indian Ocean territory of Diego Garcia][5]. The UK, whatever the government claims, is becoming more deeply entangled in this runaway war.
And regardless of what Keir Starmer and John Healey say, Iran will view new British military assets in the Gulf the same way that it views current ones: as legitimate targets in an existential war for survival.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Joe Glenton][6]
[1]: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/gulf-air-defences-boosted-further-as-defence-secretary-visits-middle-east
[2]: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/gulf-air-defences-boosted-further-as-defence-secretary-visits-middle-east
[3]: https://www.army.mod.uk/learn-and-explore/equipment/artillery-and-air-defence/sky-sabre/
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/27/war-crimes-fairford/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/13/starmer-lied-the-uk/
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/joeglenton/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/trump-uk-iran-troops-saudi/

2026-04-01 21:19:44 CEST

Activists participate in coordinated efforts across UK to shut down arms factories
[BAE Systems building in Samlesbury, Lancashire Pickets of arms factories]
Earlier today, activists across Britain participated in a coordinated day of action to apply mass pressure across the arms industry. Activists targeted arms factories in Sheffield, Brighton, Newcastle and Lancashire. They aimed to disrupt the supply chain of arms headed for the US and Israel.
Factories activists targeted during the action included:
* BAE Systems (Lancashire).
* Radius Aerospace (Sheffield).
* Pearson Engineering (Newcastle).
* L3Harris (Brighton).
Activists gathered in the early hours of the morning to stop workers from entering the sites and continuing the production of various components and equipment used by Israel and the US.
The actions saw hundreds of activists across the country completely halt production in these sites for hours before disproportionate policing moved them away after resistance.
## Arms factories increasingly targets
The day of action comes after months of similar protests occurring more increasingly. The most recent [took place at an Elbit systems site in Bristol][1]. More and more activists are focusing on the arms factories in their locality.
This has come in part from the exposure of these companies through organisations such as Campaign Against Arms Trade providing maps and intel on their ties to Israel and the genocide unfolding.
The target arms factories and their activities are:
* BAE systems in Samlesbury, Lancashire, produces the rear fuselage for the F-35 fighter jet which is known to be produced in the US and provided to Israel as part of their military contractual obligations.
* Pearson engineering is an Israeli state-owned defence company supplying parts for armoured vehicles and specialising in combat robotics.
* L3Harris provides power systems for strategic missiles, missile defence and aircraft.
* Radius Aerospace while primarily a manufacturer of aerospace components, has been identified as part of the UK supply chain linked to military aircraft, including the F-35 program
A spokesperson from the [BAE Out Campaign][2] explained:
> We organise these pickets because we know they are effective. Workers have told us that each time we block the site, they are offered overtime to make up for the time lost. This proves that our protests are costing them money and time.
>
> This form of disruption is essential as these corporations only speak in monetary language. As long as BAE remain in the F-35 fighter jet programme, they can expect delays, disruption and discomfort in the face of supporting and aiding a genocide.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [The Canary][3]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/26/elbit-systems-factory-shut-down-by-protesters/
[2]: https://www.instagram.com/baeoutcampaign/?e=37a951fd-13b3-406b-a110-087e4ce6e158&g=5
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/01/activists-participate-in-coordinated-efforts-across-uk-to-shut-down-arms-factories/

2026-04-01 19:57:27 CEST

Low pay and ‘political climate’ contributing to safety fears for London nightlife performers
[Nightclub London nightlife]
London nightlife performers earn an average of £12,411 a year from their performing work after expenses. And almost a third say an increase in transphobia, misogyny, homophobia, racism or far-right sentiment has led to them feeling less safe due to audience aggression and when travelling to and from gigs.
An overwhelming 98% say that their pay has not kept up with the cost of living.
These findings come from a survey which [Equity, the performing arts and entertainment trade union][1], conducted. The survey covered gigging nightlife performers who work in London. Respondents work in professions including:
* Cabaret
* Burlesque
* Fire performance
* Circus
* Aerial
* Drag
* Club and pub singing
* Comedy
* DJing
* Pole
* Tribute acts
They work at private events, clubs, pubs, bars, festivals, and venue residencies, alongside other places.
## The London Nightlife Network
Equity published the survey results ahead of the launch of its new London Nightlife Network. The Network will bring together Equity members who work in this sector so they can organise to improve their pay and conditions.
This includes lobbying the independent Nightlife Commission recently announced by London’s Mayor and campaigning on wider issues. Equity is engaging with the Greater London Authority regarding the lack of workforce representation on its recent Nightlife Taskforce. Almost all the participants were industry bosses. [The union said this lack of worker voice showed][2] in gaps in the report findings, which came out on 21 January, particularly around workforce safety, pay, and precarity.
Commenting on the results of Equity’s survey of London nightlife performers, the union’s variety organiser Nick Keegan said:
> London’s nightlife culture is world-famous, but it’s being built on the backs of performers who are earning a fraction of a living wage. It is a disgrace that 98% of performers responding to our workforce survey say their pay is stagnating, while they worry about their safety.
>
> Which is why Equity members are launching the London Nightlife Network, because performers care deeply about London’s nightlife and know that by coming together they can raise the standards of the industry for all.
## Safety
Of the survey respondents, 33% said they feel less safe than previous years when travelling to and from a gig.
A similar number, 29%, feel less safe working with audiences than in previous years.
And 28% of respondents attributed safety fears to an increase in transphobia, misogyny, homophobia, racism and far-right sentiment. Incidents included experiencing regular instances of violence, aggression and inappropriate touching.
Comments on safety include:
* > There has been more racism and sexist heckling.
* > Some venues will make a point prior to the show regarding not touching performers / consent but some don’t.
* > The world we live in is more homophobic, transphobic and misogynistic, travelling on public transport in full drag makeup is terrifying.
* > The rise of the far right and my own personal experiences with events being protested.
* > Post-Covid drinking culture at gigs has changed an incredible amount… People are often drinking before the gig as they can’t afford the prices at the venue, venue security has decreased on the whole, and venues are dependent on bar sales to run the show – so drinking is more encouraged.
## Pay
Only 2% of respondents said that the rates they’ve been receiving have risen in line with [the cost of living][3], with an overwhelming 98% saying their rates have not.
The most common response to the question “On average how much do you earn for a gig in London?” was the range “£100-£199”.
The average number of gigs worked a week was 2.11.
The average amount spent on travel per month was £200. Meanwhile, the average amount spent on hair, make up and costume for an act per month was £162.
If we calculate the average pay for London nightlife performers by using £150 (which is the halfway point of the modal pay range £100-£199), and subtract average expenses for travel and hair, make up and costume, this suggests performers earn an average of £1,371.50 a month or £12,411 a year after expenses from their work in the industry.
This is well below the [national median salary][4] of £39,039, and even less than the London median salary of £49,692.
90% of respondents agree it would be helpful to them if Equity published a rate card of suggested minimum rates for nightlife performers in different working contexts.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [The Canary][5]
[1]: https://www.equity.org.uk/
[2]: https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/staggered-shows-and-later-tubes-nightlife-report-sparks-west-end-safety-debate
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/cost-of-living-crisis/
[4]: https://www.statista.com/statistics/416139/full-time-annual-salary-in-the-uk-by-region/?srsltid=AfmBOoptD4IjpjYjkk1dWzAwRvFh0zcB4OOykbHMQ167QAtvbwY4wgU_
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/01/low-pay-and-political-climate-contributing-to-safety-fears-for-london-nightlife-performers/

2026-04-01 19:16:25 CEST

RAF Lakenheath and Mildenhall accused of aiding and abetting war crimes
[USAF F-15 takes off from RAF Lakenheath]
Lakenheath Alliance for Peace (LAP) has handed in a letter at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. The letter, to the UK and US base commanders, highlights war crimes supported by RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall. It details their disregard of International Law and concerns about UK control of the bases. Although the US Air Force uses the bases, they’re British sovereign territory and the UK is legally liable.
This will be the sixth letter LAP has handed in to base commanders. It signals the start of [a six day International Peace Camp at RAF Lakenheath’s main gates][1]. LAP has received no reply to any of its previous letters.
Well over 100 fighter jets and bombers have [deployed from RAF Lakenheath][2] for the attack on Iran. RAF Mildenhall has also had active involvement in the illegal war of aggression by providing refuelling for bombers deploying to the Middle East. [Israeli fighter jets have been recorded flying in and out of Mildenhall][3].
Attacks on civilian infrastructure such as [desalination plants in Iran][4] and hospitals in Gaza are war crimes. As is the bombing of an [Iranian elementary girls school][5], killing at least 175 children and teachers.
## Nukes at RAF Lakenheath
LAP believes US nuclear B61-12 bombs have already arrived at RAF Lakenheath. The UK government has kept this secret. Norwich based Lesley Grahame said:
> Mass destruction is plain wrong, wherever and whoever the perpetrator. When it comes from your neighbourhood, it is for us to stand up and say no, or become a complicit target. Our refusal of consent is active, non-violent and necessary.
The deployment of newly developed nuclear weapons with advanced capabilities is not compatible with the UK’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations and is a breach of Article 1 which states:
> Each nuclear-weapon State Party to the Treaty undertakes not to transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or control over such weapons or explosive devices directly, or indirectly.
USAF fighter / bombers including F-35As, F-15Es and F-22s have been deployed from ‘RAF’ Lakenheath for the attack on Iran along with numerous C-17s. Although they are USAF planes, the fact that they are using UK territory makes it an act of aggression by the UK against Iran.
The [Military Aviation YouTube channel][6] filmed and published three Israeli F-35I arriving at RAF Mildenhall on 16 February and then departing for Israel on 18 February. The Israeli media had reported the delivery of the new aircraft on 20 January. Israel has used the F-35I in attacks against Gaza, Yemen and Iran.
LAP is calling on the base commanders to take immediate steps to bring all illegal activities at these bases to an end and to return any nuclear bombs that may already be at RAF Lakenheath to the US. Members of the public are welcome to join in with activities at the Lakenheath International Peace Camp from 1-6 April.
[Read the full text of the letter here][7].
*Featured image via [YouTube / Military Aviation Channel][8]*
By [The Canary][9]
[1]: https://lakenheathallianceforpeace.org.uk/international-peace-camp-2026/
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/02/11/more-planes-fly-from-raf-bases-to-join-trumps-armada/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/01/20/israeli-f35i-stealth-fighters-touch-down-on-uk-soil/
[4]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/8/how-targeting-of-desalination-plants-could-disrupt-water-supply-in-the-gulf
[5]: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/world/middleeast/girls-school-strike-iran-video.html
[6]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRQrQFivPec
[7]: https://lakenheathallianceforpeace.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Letter-To-Commanders-30-March-2026.pdf
[8]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK9yUz2RRiE
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/01/raf-lakenheath-and-mildenhall-accused-of-aiding-and-abetting-war-crimes/

2026-04-01 17:54:25 CEST

Protests confront tourism and aviation for Housing Action Days
[Worldwide protests against touristification]
Protests across at least 10 cities have highlighted the harms of ‘touristification’.
Particularly through its reliance on aviation, the [tourism industry][1] is driving [displacement][2], deepening housing crises and fueling climate breakdown worldwide.
Demonstrations were seen in Barcelona, Palma and San Sebastián (Spain), Belfast (Northern Ireland), Lisbon (Portugal), Malolos (Philippines), Marseille and Paris (France), Mexico City (Mexico) and Vienna (Austria).
## Worldwide action
From marches and performances to blockades and direct actions, communities resisted the transformation of neighbourhoods into ‘playgrounds for the rich’.
Across the world, long-term residents are being priced out. Urban and coastal areas are also reshaped for tourists and multinational companies.
International tourism relies heavily on air travel, one of the fastest-growing sources of carbon emissions. Backed by cheap flights and expanding air routes, this model privatises public land, drives up rents and undermines local economies, pushing communities into increasingly precarious conditions.
Protesters stressed that touristification and aviation are intertwined crises, driven by a system that prioritises profit over people and the planet.
## World Cup of dispossession
In Mexico, protesters denounced the impacts of large-scale events like the FIFA World Cup. They called it the “World Cup of dispossession”, promoting local displacement, private interests and megaprojects instead of human rights, such as housing, water and [dignified work][3].
In Barcelona, Palma, San Sebastián, Belfast and Vienna, demonstrators called for an end to the expansion of short-term tourist accommodation. This includes listings on platforms like AirBnB, which they argue drive up housing costs and accelerate gentrification.
In Marseille, protests highlighted the social and environmental impacts of overtourism.
In Malolos, fisherfolk and community members opposed the construction of the new [Manila International Airport][4], which is driving displacement and the loss of livelihoods.
‘Fewer planes, more homes’ was a slogan seen in Paris and in Lisbon, where protesters formed a red line to [oppose][5] the conversion of a city-centre building into a hotel.
## Drawing a red line
Inês Teles, spokesperson for the global network [Stay Grounded][6], said:
> We need to draw a red line. We must stop airport expansion, reduce air traffic, limit short-term tourist accommodation and make housing a right, not a commodity. We are united in the fight for affordable, accessible housing for all and against the forces that profit from our homes, displace people and destroy our planet. Our communities and the planet are not for sale.
These actions took place during the Housing Action Days (23–29 March), a global week of mobilisation with over 150 actions in 96 cities, demanding housing justice on a liveable planet.
*Featured image via Stay Grounded*
By [The Canary][7]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/discovery/travel/2024/09/23/protests-on-anti-tourism-in-spain-as-visitor-numbers-increase/
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/02/27/israel-tourism-partners-no-room-for-genocide/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2018/07/03/cleaners-call-on-booking-websites-to-help-fight-exploitation-in-the-tourism-industry/
[4]: https://www.theb1m.com/video/the-philippines-15bn-gamble-on-a-sinking-airport
[5]: https://www.portugalresident.com/city-council-rejects-call-to-ban-new-hotels-in-lisbon/
[6]: https://stay-grounded.org/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/04/01/protests-confront-tourism/

2026-04-01 17:48:56 CEST

If you want the Green Party to succeed, you need to show up
[polanski green party]
The Green Party conference [passed][1] a motion opposing energy nationalisation with just 0.2% of members voting for that. If progressives want the Greens to succeed they need to show up and do their part. Obviously some people are working hard but they could get a better long-term deal on that if they engaged with democratic process.
## Idolisation is not enough
It’s not enough to leave it to Zack Polanski to solve issues. The idolisation of figureheads, however much what they say resonates, is a lacklustre approach to politics.
There’s a lesson from history here. Former UK prime minister Clement Attlee initially opposed some of the nationalisations of his 1945 government. It was a 1944 Labour conference and “conscious mass participation” from members of the public that solidified and advanced the changes.
[At its conference][2], the Greens watered down previous commitments to energy nationalisation. Now the party has voted to bring only the energy infrastructure (grid and distribution) into public ownership.
The motion essentially stated that competition is a better mechanism for energy providers.
## Politics and identity
You can have a political dimension without that becoming you’re entire identity. In fact, it’s quite critical that you do given politics is what determines the cost of essentials, the legislation you live under, and the freedoms you have.
The Green Party have over 215,000 members yet only a handful of them are choosing what could become government policy one day.
The fourth industrial revolution, if approached with public equity, will bring similar questions of identity. No longer will people identify with the job they had.
## Worth it
With such potential on the cards, it’s crucial that people do their part. Movements that rely only on figureheads rarely make actual change, even if it’s bringing back and improving policies older generations already enjoyed (free tuition fees, public ownership of essentials, affordable housing, etc).
If you’re a progressive, make your voice heard.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [James Wright][3]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/28/green-party-conference-votes/
[2]: https://greenparty.org.uk/get-involved/conference/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/james/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/green-party-success/

2026-04-01 17:40:19 CEST

Pro-Palestine protest organisers found guilty of breaching police restrictions
[pro-palestine protest]
Chris Nineham and Ben Jamal, two well-known protest organisers, were convicted in the UK for defying police restrictions. Their convictions stem from a planned protest in London last January against the UK’s complicity in the genocide in Gaza.
The conviction follows charges brought under the [Public Order Act][1], finding the organisers guilty on two counts.
Chris Nineham, 62, is the vice-chair of the Stop the War Coalition and Ben Jamal, 61, is chair of the[ Palestinian Solidarity Campaign.][2] The protest route to the *BBC* had been approved in advance at the end of November. Nevertheless, late restrictions were imposed by the police due to potential disruption to a local synagogue.
Yet again, this ruling is likely a sharp blow to pro-Palestinian advocacy groups as it exposes the systemic threats to the rights of protest in the UK.
> [🚨]NEW: [pic.twitter.com/FsMNrlDvBN][3]
>
> — Canary (@TheCanaryUK) [April 1, 2026][4]
## Pro-Palestine censorship
This case has drawn [major criticism from the public][5], with heightened concerns amongst pro-Palestinian activists that the [pro-Israeli interests][6] are superseding our [right to protest in the UK.][7]
Since October 7, 2023, the UK has seen more than [20 national protests][8] against the genocide on Gaza whilst calling for the UK government to end its long-standing and unqualified support for Israel. Typically, protests tend to proceed as marches through central London, yet the police enforced restrictions often require a static rally instead.
These restrictions have undoubtedly chilled protesters,[ undermining their right to demonstrate][9] and blocking their efforts to challenge the *BBC’s* biased coverage of Israel’s latest barbaric war on Palestinians. A ‘war’ which the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have ruled amounts to a [plausible genocide][10].
When the prosecution called him to testify, Metropolitan Police Commander [Adam Slonecki][11], who managed the operation, acknowledged that a protest outside the *BBC* would be [“legitimate” because it is a “public institution”.][12] Yet he also explained that concerns about potential disruption to a local synagogue led the Met to impose restrictions on the protest, even after it had already been approved.
*Middle East Eye* [reported][13]:
> the Metropolitan Police altered the route following objections from pro-Israel groups, the chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, and several MPs.
The charges relate to a speech made by Jamal towards a crowd of protestors. Subsequently, a march towards the *BBC* followed which seemingly overwhelmed police officers. The judge presiding over the case declared his speech, which referred to protest leaders planning to try to walk towards the *BBC* in resistance to the clear censorship at play, as “incitement”.
## Summers KC: Anti-protest laws are “Unlawful”
Once again, the police and government officials manipulate and weaponise righteous anger while presenting [punitive, authoritarian policies as “fair”.][14] This repressive dichotomy only serves the interests of the status quo and the most powerful in society, while weakening the collective power of ordinary people.
District Judge Daniel Sternberg delivered the judgement following a 3-day trial, saying:
> The court emphasised that protest rights while fundamental, are not absolute and do not permit breaching lawfully imposed restrictions.
Needless to say, this judgment only heightens threats to our right to protest, as it clearly empowers the police to impose restrictions that directly neuter the impact of demonstrations.
[*Middle East Eye*][15] reported:
> Kevin Dent KC, representing the British government, showed the court a video of a speech made in January 2025 in which Jamal told a crowd that he and other protest leaders planned to attempt to walk towards the BBC’s headquarters to protest the corporation’s reporting of the genocide in Gaza as an example of “incitement”.
Defence Barrister Mark Summers lambasted the case as “unlawful”, referring to a prior Court of Appeal ruling this legislation unlawful as it grants the police “unlimited powers” in restricting protests.
The ruling referred to came in 2025 which found in favour of [Human Rights organisation Liberty,][16] with the government losing its appeal. Liberty [inform][17]:
> then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman did not have the power to create a new law that lowered the threshold of when the police can impose conditions on protests from anything that caused ‘serious disruption’ to anything that was deemed as causing ‘more than minor’ disruption.
Summers also suggested that, as opposed to protesters breaking the police line, the “clusterfuck” was due to chaotic and reactive policing. Pointing to operational confusion, poor communication and the clear inability to manage large numbers, Summers laid the blame at the feet of the Met Police.
Nonetheless, despite referring to this highly relevant appeal and correlating factors at play in this case, Sternberg found against the protest organisers.
Funny that.
> Outside court, [@johnmcdonnellMP][18] reacts to the news that [@STWuk][19] Chris Nineham and [@PSCupdates][20] Ben Jamal have been found guilty of trumped up charges around a pro-Palestine protest last year. The law is an ass. [pic.twitter.com/lsmnAKjZZ6][21]
>
> — Canary (@TheCanaryUK) [April 1, 2026][22]
## The government are working to make protest powerless
It is clear that the government are refusing to back down in its attempts to intimidate and bully British citizens into no longer standing by our Palestinian comrades. Heavily funded by the Israel Lobby, Starmer’s government have long ignored and diminished rising islamophobia, whilst unduly declaring anti-Zionist positions as antisemitic.
[Jamal and Nineham plan to appeal this judgement][23], and rightfully so, as this precedent can only be an omen for advocates across the country.
After all, whether you are pro-Palestinian or not, the ability to protest is a fundamental pillar stone of a functioning democracy. It is the way in which ordinary people speak truth to those in power.
When police powers restrict the ability to protest, they don’t just enforce the law – they silence dissent, weaken collective voices, and threaten the very heart of democratic freedom.
Therefore, defending the right to protest is defending our power to demand justice, at home and in Palestine.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Maddison Wheeldon][24]
[1]: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/15/contents
[2]: https://palestinecampaign.org/palestine-coalition-statement-on-ben-jamal-and-chris-ninehams-trial-verdict/#:~:text=Today%E2%80%99s%20guilty%20verdicts%20in%20the%20case%20of%20PSC,full%20support%20of%20the%20Palestine%20Coalition%20in%20that
[3]: https://t.co/FsMNrlDvBN
[4]: https://twitter.com/TheCanaryUK/status/2039312640481095854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/30/protest-trial-palestine/
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/02/12/kcl-walkout-against-repression-as-israel-escalates-genocide-and-annexation/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/01/27/protest-rights-under-labour/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/01/17/march-for-palestine-route/
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/03/26/netpol-report-policing/
[10]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/israels-genocide-gaza-whatever-happened-south-africas-case-icj
[11]: https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/met-police-commander-denies-jewish-groups-legal-threats-led-ban-palestine-march-bbc
[12]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/palestinian-solidarity-leaders-found-guilty-breaching-protest-restrictions
[13]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/palestinian-solidarity-leaders-found-guilty-breaching-protest-restrictions
[14]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/03/26/protest-police-repression-netpol/
[15]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/palestinian-solidarity-leaders-found-guilty-breaching-protest-restrictions
[16]: https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/issue/liberty-defeats-government-appeal-as-court-rules-anti-protest-laws-are-unlawful/#:~:text=The%20Court%20of%20Appeal%20has%20today%20ruled%20that,finding%20in%20favour%20of%20human%20rights%20organisation%20Liberty.
[17]: https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/issue/liberty-defeats-government-appeal-as-court-rules-anti-protest-laws-are-unlawful/#:~:text=The%20Court%20of%20Appeal%20has%20today%20ruled%20that,finding%20in%20favour%20of%20human%20rights%20organisation%20Liberty.
[18]: https://twitter.com/johnmcdonnellMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[19]: https://twitter.com/STWuk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[20]: https://twitter.com/PSCupdates?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[21]: https://t.co/lsmnAKjZZ6
[22]: https://twitter.com/TheCanaryUK/status/2039296597062758828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[23]: https://palestinecampaign.org/palestine-coalition-statement-on-ben-jamal-and-chris-ninehams-trial-verdict/#:~:text=Today%E2%80%99s%20guilty%20verdicts%20in%20the%20case%20of%20PSC,full%20support%20of%20the%20Palestine%20Coalition%20in%20that.
[24]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/maddison-wheeldon/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/pro-palestine-protest/

2026-04-01 17:32:37 CEST

Ice speedway: the last gladiators of the frozen steppe
[ice speedway]
On a remote Siberian lake, riders race motorbikes armed with steel spikes at 120 km/h in the Ice Speedway championships. But as [winters become warmer and ice thinner][1], a sport built on frozen ground is fighting for survival. At dawn, the average temperature is –32°C and the lake surface is solid ice.
## Ice speedway: a sport carved from ice and danger
Ice speedway is a high risk motorsport conducted on oval tracks cut into frozen lakes. Competitors ride purpose built motorbikes fitted with tyres studded by spikes up to 3 cm long, which provide traction by spikes up to 3 cm long, which provide traction by biting into the ice. Riders adopt extreme lean angles through corners, often allowing handlebars to skim the surface while the bikes drift and eject fragments of ice.
Pit operations combine rapid mechanical work with cold- weather improvisations: riders warm their hands over portable stoves while mechanics in insulated gear remove frozen bolts and adjust setups. The air is dominated by the smell of burnt petrol, pine smoke and cold metal. Irina Volkova, a tyre engineer known locally as “The Spike Whisperer” customises spike patterns and interprets wear to inform setup and rider strategy.
## A race that feels like a storm
Engines ignite and the frozen lake becomes the track, surrounded by villagers in furs who from an informal ring with no barriers or grandstands- only ice, snow and loud machinery. At the drop of the flag, the first [corner devolves into controlled mayhem:][2] ice shards fly, spiked tyres bite the surface and drift at extreme angles. The racing requires a balanced level of brute force and precise bike control. As the athletes complete the race, the results show Misha take first place while Sergei finishes third. Spectators respond with the intensity of a communal celebration, underscoring the event’s local significance.
Beneath this generational spectacle lies a growing dread.
The ice is thinner than it used to be. Winters are shorter. [Some lakes that froze solid for centuries now form unreliable crusts that crack under the weight of bikes and spectators][3].
## A culture at risk of melting away
Ice speedway is more than a sport here. It is a ritual, a gathering point, a shared identity forged in cold and danger. Families pass down bikes like heirlooms. Mechanics teach their children how to sharpen spikes before they teach them how to read.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Faz Ali][4]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/03/24/climate-emergency-threatens-to-deepen-energy-and-humanitarian-crisis/
[2]: https://idp.nature.com/transit?redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2F%E2%80%A8S41558-020-00986-7&code=ac14d498-09a7-4714-ba70-e4e8456fa2ed
[3]: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/environment
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/faz-ali/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/01/ice-speedway/

2026-04-01 17:29:14 CEST

After a 40-year absence, Iraq makes history and qualifies for the 2026 World Cup
[Iraq qualifies for 2026 World Cup]
Iraq have achieved a long-awaited and historic milestone, securing their place in the [2026 World Cup][1] finals after a thrilling 2-1 victory over Bolivia. The intercontinental play-off match was held at the BBVA Stadium in Monterrey.
The “Lions of Mesopotamia” return to the World Cup after a four-decade absence. Their last appearance was in the [1986 tournament][2].
The team’s achievement is already being considered one of the most significant milestones in Iraqi football history.
## Iraq v Bolivia: a fiery start and an early goal
The Iraqi team entered the match with great enthusiasm and nearly opened the scoring early through Ibrahim Bayesh in the second minute.
They continued their attacking pressure and quickly translated their dominance into goals in the 10th minute. Ali Al-Hammadi rose to meet a corner kick taken by Amir Al-Ammari and headed it into the net.
There were massive celebrations from Iraqi fans, who had traveled from both inside and outside Mexico, particularly from the United States.
Despite Iraq’s dominance, Bolivia gradually worked their way back into the game and managed to equalize in the 38th minute through Moisés Paniagua, who capitalized on a rebound inside the penalty area. The first half ended 1-1.
## Arnold seals the victory… and Ayman Hussein makes history
In the second half, coach Graham Arnold made early substitutions that gave the team an attacking boost.
Marco Faraj played a crucial role by setting up the second goal, scored by Ayman Hussein, securing Iraq’s qualification and igniting the stadium.
The Iraqi team maintained their defensive composure until the final whistle, clinching the victory and confirming their return to the world stage in a big way.
## Joy sweeps across the Iraqi streets
As soon as the final whistle blew, celebrations erupted in the streets of Baghdad and various other Iraqi cities.
Thousands of fans poured into the streets to celebrate this historic achievement, which revived hope for an entire generation of Iraqi football enthusiasts and wrote a new chapter of footballing glory after a 40-year wait.
Thus, Iraq returned, not just as a qualified team, but as a story of resilience and victory, writing a new chapter in the history of Arab football.
Iraq will compete in the World Cup in a challenging group that includes France, Norway, and Senegal.
They will begin their campaign against Norway on 16 June 2026 at Boston Stadium in the United States.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Alaa Shamali][3]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=world+cup+2026
[2]: https://www.national-football-teams.com/country/89/1986/Iraq.html
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alaa-shamali/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/01/iraq-world-cup/

2026-04-01 17:23:47 CEST

US Government suddenly cares about journalists after Iraq kidnapping
[iraq]
A journalist has been kidnapped in Iraq, and suddenly, the US government has decided it does, in fact, care about the safety of journalists. That is, as long as they’re white, and it’s not Israel killing or threatening them.
## Iraq scene of kidnapping
Shelly Kittleson, an Italian-American journalist who contributes to *Al-Monitor*, was kidnapped in Baghdad on Tuesday. [Reports ][1]suggest a suspected Iran-backed armed group was behind the abduction.
> American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson has been kidnapped in broad daylight in Baghdad.
>
> Iraq’s interior ministry says authorities at the highest level are searching for the 49-year-old. [pic.twitter.com/86ToXdVRiG][2]
>
> — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) [April 1, 2026][3]
Videos [circulating][4] on social media show men capturing Kittleson on Saadoun Street in central Baghdad.
*Middle East Eye* has reported that authorities in Iraq had launched an operation to find the kidnappers, and:
> they had intercepted a vehicle belonging to the kidnappers, which overturned as they attempted to flee.
>
> Security forces were able to arrest one of the suspects and seize one of the vehicles used in the crime.
Dylan Johnson, US assistant secretary of state for Public Diplomacy, [said on X][5] that Iraqi authorities have arrested an individual linked to the Kataeb Hezbollah group.
Of course, we should take anything the US government says with a huge pinch of salt.
## Murdering journalists
The US has stood blindly by whilst Israel has murdered journalists in both Gaza and Lebanon for the last two and a half years.
Back in 2022, Israel murdered[ *Al Jazeera *reporter Shireen Abu Akleh][6]. The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) shot the Palestinian-American in the head while she was covering an Israeli army raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank.
The US government [claimed][7] the death was unintentional – despite Israel’s long history of targeting journalists.
Since then, Israel has [murdered over 300][8] journalists since October 7, 2023. It was [responsible][9] for two-thirds of all press killings in both 2025 and 2024.
Most of the media workers Israel killed were Palestinian. However, Israeli air strikes also killed 31 staff in newspaper offices in Yemen.
The IOF have committed more targeted killings of journalists than any other government’s military since records began.
Only last week, Israel murdered journalists Ali Shuaib (*Al-Manar*) and Fatima Ftouni (*Al-Mayadeen*), along with Fatima’s brother, camera operator Mohamad Ftouni. They join a [long list][10] of Lebanese journalists that Israel has murdered.
Israel has repeatedly labelled media outlets and journalists as ‘terrorists’. Obviously, Western media and governments have parroted these claims without any evidence to support them.
The Israeli military also posted a photograph of Shoaib dressed in a military uniform. However, when asked by *Fox News* to provide the image, a spokesperson said:
> Unfortunately there isn’t really a picture of it, it was photoshopped.
It provided no evidence to support its claims that Shoaib and Ftouni were Hezbollah combatants.
Israel goes after journalists in an attempt to stop the world from witnessing its war crimes. If it kills all the journalists in Gaza, Lebanon, and even Iran, then the rest of the world will not know what it’s up to.
## Suddenly, the US cares?
The US has stayed quiet while Israel murdered over 300 journalists – many of whom were brown, and often Muslim.
Now all of a sudden:
> The FBI, National Security Council, state department, Delta Force and the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service were in contact about her abduction.
So, they can pay attention to attacks on journalists, after all. Of course, Kittleson is originally from [rural Wisconsin.][11]
So, whether it’s because Israel is not the perpetrator here or because Kittleson looks very white and is from a rural part of the US, the government suddenly decided it cares about journalists in the Middle East.
The US would not care if it were Israel that had kidnapped or even murdered Kittleson. Likewise, if a visibly brown, Black, or Muslim US citizen had been abducted, the US government would not care.
The hypocrisy is astounding – but what more should we expect from a government that Israel has so much influence over?
*Featured image via [Shelly Kittleson/Instagram][12]*
By [HG][13]
[1]: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/american-italian-journalist-kidnapped-baghdad?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=Social_Traffic&utm_content=ap_wdm1qb9cbi&fbclid=IwVERTSAQ51txleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7r-lfCSnOO3wnIlVer63C18BHG7dY9l2whHmZAELoHDI3lJOdkn5VbLZgZaw_aem_npGYSOWUpUPGsyNFAlLp6Q&sfnsn=scwspwa
[2]: https://t.co/86ToXdVRiG
[3]: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish/status/2039198570851516751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://x.com/AJEnglish/status/2039198570851516751
[5]: https://x.com/ASDylanJohnson/status/2039068022451613858
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2022/12/06/al-jazeera-takes-new-evidence-of-the-killing-of-shireen-abu-akleh-to-international-court/
[7]: https://2021-2025.state.gov/on-the-killing-of-shireen-abu-akleh/#:~:text=The%20USSC%27s%20analysis%20found:%20*%20The%20bullet,deepest%20condolences%20to%20the%20Abu%20Akleh%20family
[8]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/23/israel-designates-five-palestinian-news-outlets-as-terrorist-organisation
[9]: https://cpj.org/special-reports/record-129-press-members-killed-in-2025-israel-responsible-for-2-of-3-of-deaths/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/01/27/lebanon-israel-murders-tv/
[11]: https://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-who-is-shelly-kittleson-us-journalist-who-extensively-covered-isis-kidnapped-in-iraq-her-abduction-video-goes-viral-one-suspect-arrested-3204760
[12]: https://www.instagram.com/shellyrkittleson/
[13]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/hg/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/04/01/iraq-kidnapping/

2026-04-01 17:10:46 CEST

Italy nightmare continues as they fail to qualify for third consecutive World Cup
[Italy fail to qualify for World Cup 2026]
Football in Italy is experiencing one of its darkest periods after the national team failed to qualify for the [2026 World Cup][1], missing the tournament for the third consecutive time. This has been [described][2] by international media reports as an unprecedented ‘historic collapse’ for one of the pillars of the game.
According to [*Reuters*][3], the latest elimination has sparked grief and anger in Italy, with reports of ‘tears and national shock.’ The *Associated Press*, meanwhile, [considers][4] this a ‘new normal’ for a team that was once the world’s dominant force.
## Italy face a deepening crisis
Italy’s failure is no longer a passing event, but rather a continuous decline since their 2006 World Cup victory. They were eliminated in the group stage in 2010 and 2014, before failing to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, culminating in their third consecutive absence in 2026.
This downward trajectory has prompted major Italian media outlets to use harsh descriptions, with local newspapers [speaking][5] of a ‘footballing disgrace’ and a ‘systemic collapse,’ arguing that the problem has transcended mere results and reached the very core of the country’s football structure.
The greatest paradox lies in the fact that this decline comes after Italy’s [Euro 2020 triumph][6], which analytical reports have deemed a:
> clear disconnect between momentary success and the absence of a long-term project.
Just when the Italian national team seemed poised to reclaim its continental glory, it encountered a different reality on the world stage, repeatedly failing to advance through the qualifiers and playoffs.
## Structural flaws and a decline in talent
International reports suggest that the Italian crisis has deeper dimensions than just technical ones, pointing to a range of factors.
Most notably, there has been a decline in the country’s player development system and an increasing reliance on foreign players for Italian clubs, which has negatively impacted opportunities for developing local talent.
The reports also highlighted the lack of administrative and technical stability, along with the national team’s lack of leadership figures capable of handling the pressure in crucial matches – a deficiency clearly demonstrated by the successive failures during the qualifying rounds.
The recent elimination sparked widespread criticism within Italian sporting circles, with calls growing for a comprehensive review of the football system, from the national federation to the league structure and youth development programs.
In this context, reports quoted officials and former players confirming that “Italy is no longer just losing matches, but losing its footballing identity,” indicating the depth of the crisis the Azzurri are experiencing.
## An uncertain future and open questions
Amid this situation, the Italian national team faces a real challenge to regain its historical standing, especially as it is one of the most decorated teams in World Cup history.
However, the repeated failures raise serious questions about Italy’s ability to break what has become known in the media as the “[World Cup curse][7]” and return to the global stage after years of absence and decline.
*Featured image via the Associated Press*
By [Alaa Shamali][8]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=world+cup+2026
[2]: https://onefootball.com/en/news/italys-worst-ever-historic-bosnia-and-the-best-of-the-play-offs-42642459
[3]: https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/the-world-cup-curse-italy-tears-after-missing-out-third-straight-time-2026-04-01/
[4]: https://apnews.com/article/italy-world-cup-playoffs-eliminated-c41b58511967df48ab3e548f52873f9d
[5]: https://tribuna.com/it/blogs/inter-lo-scudetto-dei-delinquenti/
[6]: https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/match/2024491--italy-vs-england/
[7]: https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/4/1/the-world-cup-curse-outcry-as-italy-miss-out-for-third-time-in-a-row
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alaa-shamali/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/04/01/italy-nightmare/

2026-04-01 17:06:20 CEST

Congo make history as they qualify for the World Cup after a 52-year absence
[Congo qualifies for the World Cup 2026]
The Democratic Republic of Congo national team has [returned][1] to the world’s biggest football tournament after a 52-year absence. Their only prior appearance was at the 1974 World Cup as Zaire.
A dramatic extra-time victory over Jamaica secured the Leopards’ qualification for the [2026 World Cup][2], writing a new chapter in Congolese football history.
## Half a Century of Waiting
The Congolese team started the match strongly, applying constant pressure on the Jamaican goal from the opening whistle. Despite numerous attempts, the game ended in a goalless draw, forcing extra time.
In the 100th minute, the historic moment arrived when Axel Tuanzebe headed in a corner kick. The goal was confirmed by VAR, giving the Leopards the victory and qualification, and bringing Congolese football back onto the world stage after half a century of absence.
## A National and Symbolic Achievement
This qualification is not just a victory in a single match, but a symbol of organized effort. It represents a source of national pride for the Congolese people and reflects years of dedicated effort in developing players and sporting infrastructure.
It also demonstrates the rise of unconventional African teams and their ability to compete on the world stage.
## The Challenges of the Upcoming World Cup
The Congolese national team will participate in Group K of the 2026 World Cup, alongside Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan, facing a tough test against diverse footballing styles.
Finally, after 52 years, the Congolese Leopards have returned to the world’s biggest stage. They are carrying the hopes and aspirations of an entire nation, proving that organized work and unwavering determination can rewrite footballing history and establish themselves on the international stage.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Alaa Shamali][3]
[1]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm296yv05eeo
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=world+cup+2026
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alaa-shamali/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/04/01/congo-world-cup/

2026-04-01 17:01:58 CEST

DWP Universal Credit complaints have increased by 43%
[dwp]
Complaints to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about Universal Credit have increased by 43% in the last year. This is despite there only being a 12% increase in claimants.
The DWP [publishes their official complaint statistics quarterly][1], so they’ve just released the figures up til the end of December 2025.
Overall, the department received 7,730 complaints, which is a 19% increase from December 2024. However
Universal Credit got over half of those complaints at 3,930. That’s a 43% increase from the previous year.
## DWP blaming increase in Universal Credit again
They try to explain this away, of course, with the increase in Universal Credit claimants:
> There are a range of different factors that may lead to a change in the number of complaints received. This can include increases in the caseload of a benefit, though you do not need to be in receipt of a DWP benefit to complain. In December 2025 there were 8.3 million people on Universal Credit, up from 7.4 million people on Universal Credit in December 2024.
However, the number of claimants only increased by 12%, so to blame that for a 43% leap is absurd.
There was also a sharp increase in complaints about disability services, which provide specialist support and advice to claimants. Whilst it hasn’t increased in number, statistically it has shot up by 62%. The type of complaint also matters. The DWP mentioned in the release that many complaints were ‘you’ve got it wrong’, but they conveniently missed out that many complained about staff not respecting them.
Just 4 out 10 complaints were upheld by the DWP, meaning many were probably once again treated poorly.
Universal Credit is currently experiencing a big increase in claimants as many are being forced to move onto it from legacy benefits. The DWP claims they are supporting everyone to move over, but the number [who have failed to move over says otherwise][2].
Many disabled people have said they find the process too complex to navigate. So the process is probably not made any better by rude staff who don’t treat claimants with basic respect.
## UC is generally a shit show
Along with migration issues, the Universal Credit system is, in general, an absolute shit show.[ Universal Credit sanctions][3] are at a record high under Labour.[ The amount of compensation][4] the DWP has had to issue due to their own incompetence has also shot up.
[The Public Accounts Committee][5] found that benefit claimants were overpaid by £1 billion in 2024-25 due to the DWP’s own errors. However, this was cancelled out by the fact that claimants were underpaid by £1.2 billion for the same reason 2024-25.
Instead of holding their hands up, the DWP once again blamed claimants.
The PAC report said:
> The DWP has carried out some work to tackle the root causes of fraud and error – but this has focused on those committed by claimants, rather than errors by officials.
It’s clear from repeated inquiries, reports, and the DWP’s own stats that the department needs to spend less time demonising claimants and focus on teaching their staff how to be fucking compassionate.
But it’s clear from how much they’re pushing the workshy narrative that they care far more about forcing people off benefits than actually supporting people. But more people supported into benefits wouldn’t fit their narrative.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Rachel Charlton-Dailey][6]
[1]: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dwp-complaints-statistics-to-december-2025/dwp-complaints-statistics-to-december-2025
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/dwp-uc-cel/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/04/dwp-labour/
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/05/dwp-compensation/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/02/13/dwp-pac-fraud/
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/rachel-charlton-dailey/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/dwp-uc-complaints/

2026-04-01 16:55:16 CEST

Open letter to Green Party leaders confronts “racism problem” in party
[green party]
Hamza Egal, chair of Global Majority Greens and convenor of the Greens’ racism policy working group, has [sent a searing open letter to the leadership][1] of the Green Party, calling on them to address “racialised harm,” governance failures, and what he describes as the weaponisation of party processes. Egal also serves as an elected member of the Standing Orders Committee (SOC), demonstrating a wealth of experience with the party’s internal governance structures and procedures.
Addressing the letter to Harriet Lamb and Zack Polanski, internal governance branches, and the Green’s Parliamentary group, Egal states:
> The Green Party of England and Wales has a racism problem. Not a perception problem. Not a communication problem. A racism problem — structural, documented, and sustained.
Egal goes on to say that he has exhausted attempts to address this “racism problem” in private and in clear frustration, he has brought this serious issue to the public’s attention.
Discussing actions already taken, he writes:
> I have raised concerns through the party’s own channels, used its rules and structures, submitted evidence, and waited for responses that have not come. What I have received instead is exclusion, misrepresentation, and the weaponisation of process against me.
Egal repeatedly raises concerns throughout the damning letter about inaction and ignorance from leadership. This suggests that, whilst the party portrays itself to be anti-racist, it hasn’t been behaving as such towards its minoritised members and elected officials.
A pretty damning accusation for a party that portrays itself as acting in solidarity and that apparently celebrates its diversity.
## Green party racism furore
Speaking to the recent Spring Conference which saw[ repeated filibustering and delay tactics][2] to block the vote on landmark motion [“Zionism is Racism”][3], Egal said he chose not to attend due to fear of suffering harassment for being a “racialised member”. A concern which was seemingly proven well-founded by members actively working against the anti-Zionist motion.
For instance, Egal informed that a timely complaint had been sent by an ally of Polanski, Andrée Frieze. Conveniently, it came immediately prior to conference taking place. This complaint targeted him for a “conflict of interest” regarding an email sent out requesting members support the motion when it came to a vote. This apparent attack came despite Egal having no involvement in said email, reinforcing the suggestion that tactics are afoot in the Greens which are hostile to anti-Zionist members.
Addressing the “repeated use of accusations of antisemitism” within the Green Party, Egal wrote:
> A serious dimension of this pattern has been the repeated use of accusations of antisemitism — deployed not only against me but against many members of this party who oppose Zionism and its racist ideology and practice. For a Black Muslim man raising concerns about racism, governance, and Palestine solidarity, these accusations have taken on a particularly targeted character.
Adding:
> Attaching accusations of antisemitism to a Black Muslim member raising concerns about racism and Palestine is not incidental. It is a racialised tactic — one that conflates political opposition to Zionism with hatred of Jewish people, deployed repeatedly to delegitimise my voice and my roles in this party.
Consequently, this situation draws [strong similarities][4] to the period under[ Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership][5]. Corbyn’s Labour saw anti-Zionist socialist [members expelled or sidelined][6] due to a politically motivated [antisemitism witch-hunt.][7]
This heightens concerns that some within the Greens may be using unfounded allegations of antisemitism to discriminate against Muslim members.
## Islamophobia concerns
Furthermore, Muslim members are increasingly facing [toxic identity politics][8] in the UK. Labour and right-wing parties have used Muslim communities as a [political football,][9] attempting to [divide growing grassroots solidarity][10] by portraying them as opposed to LGBTQIA+ people.
According to this open letter, it appears the Greens are not immune to hateful political game-playing either.
Critics have levelled allegations of transphobia against Egal, seemingly because he is a Muslim man:
> I am also aware that SOC members who defended the constitution at Spring Conference are being publicly described as transphobes. That characterisation is false. It is another example of identity-based smearing deployed to silence those who challenge power inside this party.
>
> The pattern is consistent: when process and procedure fail to silence dissent, identity-based attacks are deployed instead.
The letter further strengthens the suggestion that he is being targeted for being Muslim, detailing how transphobia allegations were directed at Egal after Joe Hudson-Small, co-chair of the Green Party Council (GPC), told approximately 900 members at the Spring Conference that Egal is “gender critical”:
> That is not a neutral description. It is a politically loaded mischaracterisation by a senior party figure that causes direct harm to those named. By the party’s own legal standard, that should have triggered immediate accountability.
>
> Instead there is silence. There is too often silence.
## Repair before it is too late, or explain why you won’t
This damning letter drew attention to how these behaviours are increasingly pushing out Black and Brown members, who “no longer believe this party means what it says”. Pointing out that the membership of the Global Majority Greens has reduced, Egal pleaded with the Greens to act:
> Trust is not rebuilt with statements. It is rebuilt with action, accountability, and the willingness to confront power internally rather than only performing that confrontation in public.
Opposing the party’s exclusion practices, Egal issued a list of proposed actions, insisting:
> The Green Party must now choose what it is. It cannot speak the language of justice while practising exclusion. It cannot claim anti-racism while ignoring the people building anti-racist policy inside its own structures. It cannot call itself a democratic party while treating the decisions of its own membership as advisory.
Egal powerfully finished with a pleading call to action that Green Party leadership must now heed:
> Choose justice. Or explain, publicly and in detail, why you will not.
*The Green Party had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication. *
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Maddison Wheeldon][11]
[1]: https://greenparty.org.uk/2026/03/26/mothin-ali-takes-the-fight-to-reform-in-his-hometown-of-leeds-in-a-personal-address/
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/03/30/green-party-conference-chaos/
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/03/28/zionism-is-racism-green-party/
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/the-fraud/2025/10/17/the-fraud-part-five-antisemitism-crisis/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/editorial/2019/11/27/the-letter-from-a-rabbi-that-wont-make-the-front-pages-of-most-of-the-mainstream-media/
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2021/02/25/suspended-and-expelled-members-win-victory-over-labour-in-the-courts/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2025/11/10/corbyn-antisemitism-bbc/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/01/26/farage-javid/
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/03/12/islamophobia-labour-muslim-problem/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/23/your-party-divisions/
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/maddison-wheeldon/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/green-party-racism/

2026-04-01 16:24:41 CEST

MPs’ pay set to rise, because they’ve been soooo good this year and also every year
[MPs pay]
Starting today, 1 April, MPs’[ basic salary will rise to £98,599.][1] For comparison, the [average full-time worker][2] in the UK made £39,039 a year, as of April 2025.
The pay bump marks a 5% increase in MPs’ basic wage. For comparison, average inflation stood at 3% as of January 2026.
Likewise, MPs’ salaries are expected to continue to rise to around the £110,000 by 2029, which marks the end of the current parliament. For comparison, even chancellor Rachel Reeves’ promise that people will be £1,000 better off [by then is looking shaky at best. ][3]
However, the basic salary is only the beginning of the story. MPs also get an expenses allowance to cover absolute necessities like their second homes in London, their offices, and travel. Likewise, if an MP also sits on a committee or holds an additional role, they of course receive extra money.
Meanwhile, teachers in the UK are[ still buying classroom supplies][4] out of their own pocket.
## MPs pay rise has to be a joke
If all of this is setting your blood to boiling, please calm down. Don’t be like [the the Taxpayers’ Alliance said,][5] who rushed to state that people will be:
> seething to see politicians receive an inflation-busting pay rise, all while they suffer a personal recession.
Likewise, take care not to follow the example of the group’s chair John O’Connell, who said that:
> After years of broken promises, falling living standards and deteriorating public services, MPs are being rewarded for failure with a princely pay boost.
You see, it’s not like MPs are setting their own salaries or anything – that would be monstrously corrupt.
Instead, politicians’ wages are determined by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). IPSA makes its decision based on a number of factors, including 3.5% cost-of-living increase, along with a 1.5% benchmarking adjustment.
The watchdog compares MPs’ salaries to other politicians in similar democracies, as well as senior figures in the public sector and the NHS. Public sector salaries are, in turn, set by review bodies and, [ultimately][6], by MPs.
Fortunately, MPs’ salaries are not compared to lower-ranking public sector workers, as this would look less favorable. For example, most NHS staffers will receive a 3.3% pay rise this year. Similarly, Civil Service workers received pay awards of up to 3.25% on average for 2025/26.
## ‘The wider economic context’
The independent head of IPSA is Richard Lloyd. An interesting an unrelated fact about Richard Lloyd is that he worked as[ a special adviser to prime minister Gordon Brown. ][7]
Explaining his decision, Lloyd said:
> The role of an MP has evolved. They are dealing with higher levels of complex casework, and abuse and intimidation towards MPs and their staff has been growing.
>
> In reaching our decision for 2026-27 we have benchmarked MPs’ pay against other responsible, senior roles in civic society and similar worldwide democracies, as well as considering our own core principles and the wider economic context.
>
> In future years we will continue to consider prevailing economic and fiscal conditions when confirming annual pay decisions taking into account the experience of people outside of parliament.
When more work has been added to my jobs for the same pay as before, managers have called it a ‘necessary adjustment’ and ‘good business sense’. It’s nice that this kind of good business doesn’t apply to MPs.
It’s also nice that, despite their increasing casework and full-time jobs as MPs, parliamentarians are still finding time to work other jobs like appearing on the news[ in exchange for hundreds of thousands of pounds.][8] Some even work extra jobs like[ appearing in cameo videos saying hi to neo-Nazis.][9]
## Growing levels of abuse, often factually accurate
Likewise, it’s also completely true that MPs are facing ever increasing levels of abuse. I know this, because I’m one of the cunts writing the abuse, and I’m writing more and more of it by the day.
However, I’m calling snivelling toerags like Starmer ‘snivelling toerags’ because [he sucks up to fascist dictators like Donald Trump.][10] I call Kemi Badenoch a racist horror because she[ talks about slashing human rights][11] so that she can attack migrants. And, of course, I call Farage a far-right neo-Nazi shill [because of the video evidence that he is a far-right neo-Nazi shill.][12]
If MPs would like to receive less abuse, many would benefit from considering whether this abuse is linked to their being contemptible scum.
Until that point, they can kindly go fuck themselves – I imagine it’s covered by expenses.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Alex/Rose Cocker][13]
[1]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgvrpvveyqo
[2]: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/annualsurveyofhoursandearnings/2025
[3]: https://news.sky.com/story/uk-growth-forecast-downgraded-and-unemployment-will-peak-this-year-chancellor-reveals-13514642
[4]: https://socialistworker.co.uk/trade-unions/education-round-up-labour-offers-a-pittance-in-teachers-pay-review/
[5]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgvrpvveyqo
[6]: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainer/public-sector-pay-and-employment
[7]: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmspeak/1706/170605.htm
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/24/liam-byrne-research/
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/19/farage-neo-nazis/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/02/17/starmer-snivelling/
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2025/10/09/poll-shows-public-oppose-badenochs-big-new-policy/
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/19/farage-neo-nazis/
[13]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alexrosecocker/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/mps-pay/

2026-04-01 16:04:27 CEST

Trans kids protest the Department of Education
[Let trans kids bloom]
A group of young trans activists have used guerrilla gardening to protest transphobic revisions drafted in the Department for Education’s new ‘[Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) 2026][1]‘ document.
The activists planted an array of blue, pink and white flowers, carrying soil-filled suitcases to the site, which were displayed to reveal the message:
> Let trans kids bloom.
## New guidance
This floral protest followed the publication new guidance from the Department of Education (DfE), which aims to limit social transition in school, prioritising the opinion of parents and teachers over the wellbeing of trans kids. When the
It is a [document][2] that makes little fanfare about child who identity as lesbian, gay or bisexual, but insists that children who question their gender are likely going through a phase, noting:
> It is common for children to engage in activities that are less typically associated with their sex… Sometimes young children also go through a period of questioning their gender but for the majority this will not continue into adulthood, while a small proportion may continue to question their gender and this feeling may
> intensify into puberty.
Although the document recommends that schools and colleges should “maintain flexibility and avoid rigid rules based on gender stereotypes”, it is advised that some forms of flexibility be encased in [medicalised bureaucracies][3].
On this basis, the guidance emphasises that schools “should not adopt any changes relating to social transition unless a decision has been made by a school or college in consultation with parents or carers.” Instead, schools “should ensure that [a child’s] decision-making process is documented and records are kept.”
The document also defers to the [widely criticised][4] Cass Review, published in 2024.
## Trans kids speak out
One of the suitcases displayed by the activists contained testimonies from trans kids about the life-changing benefits of being able to socially transition in school:
> Social transition, especially at school, has heavily impacted my life. Before I socially transitioned, my school attendance was awful, and when I was in, I avoided all interaction as much as possible.
>
> I hated school, and I hated feeling forced to be reminded of my dysphoria at every second.
>
> I socially transitioned at school multiple years ago now, and I am doing so much better. I feel more able to express myself, and going to school feels significantly less terrifying. Now that I’m not worried about being misgendered and deadnamed, I can actually think about my future with comfort.
>
> It is such a simple improvement to the quality of my life, and I’m so grateful that I could have a school experience where I got the respect and support that I deserved.
There were also quotes from trans adults on how being unable to socially transition negatively impacted both their childhoods and later life:
> Social transition as a kid would’ve let me **be **a kid – figuring out what kind of person I was and how I related to the world around me.
>
> Instead, I only knew that I was different and weird, isolated and stunted. It took me a full decade of self-loathing in adulthood to begin unpacking everything and growing into myself in the way I should’ve been allowed to so much earlier.
## Setting hoops for trans kids to jump through
Commenting on the document, a spokesperson from [Trans Kids Deserve Better][5] said:
> This guidance would restrict trans kids’ autonomy to socially transition in school by questioning our knowledge of ourselves. The guidance would set hoops for trans kids to jump through in order to socially transition, taking a default stance of doubt (especially when a child is neurodivergent) and forcing meetings with parents, teachers, and potentially clinicians, to decide for a child whether or not they are able to socially transition.
>
> This does not centre the wellbeing of trans kids, rather this puts us through scrutiny and invasive questioning when we need support. The guidance of course neglects to mention the negative mental health effects for being denied a social transition…
>
> This guidance has been in the works for quite some time now – first proposed under the Tories in 2024. But this iteration is even more harmful… Coming alongside the recent ban on HRT for trans kids, this is an alarming escalation of policy, designed to prevent trans kids accessing even the most basic forms of gender-affirming care.
>
> If this guidance were to pass, it would amount to state-mandated conversion therapy.
>
> Trans kids want to be able to live carefree. Access to a social transition gives us space to develop and grow, rather than feeling trapped and isolated. To the Department for Education: show us that you hear our voices, axe the guidance, and LET TRANS KIDS BLOOM!
## Consultation period
The revisions implemented in the new document are currently under consultation, with the DfE seeking feedback to be reviewed in April.
The consultation period began when DfE first posted the document online in February 2026. At that time, the *Canary*‘s Alex/Rose Cocker [described][6] how it “treats vulnerable kids as a threat”.
By [The Canary][7]
[1]: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/keeping-children-safe-in-education-proposed-revisions-2026
[2]: https://consult.education.gov.uk/independent-education-and-school-safeguarding-division/keeping-children-safe-in-education-2026-revisions/supporting_documents/keeping_children_safe_in_education_2026_draft_for_consultationpdf-1
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/11/28/puberty-blocker-trial/
[4]: https://transactual.org.uk/advocacy/critiques-of-the-cass-review/
[5]: https://transkidsdeservebetter.org/
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/02/16/trans-school-guidance-harms-vulnerable-kids/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/01/trans-kids-dfe/

2026-04-01 15:05:59 CEST

People Against Genocide once again target Elbit’s insurers
[People Against Genocide protest Elbit insurers]
On 30 March 2026, two activists from the group People Against Genocide (PAG) targeted the London headquarters of Chubb Insurance, as well as the offices of Sompo, owner of Aspen Insurance. They sprayed the front of the building with symbolic blood-red paint, before locking-on outside the front entrance.
This is the fourth recent action by PAG. They have previously targeted both the [Manchester][1] and [London][2] offices of Chubb.
## UAV Engines
Chubb insures UAV Engines, a subsidiary of Israel’s biggest weapons company, [Elbit Systems][3]. Elbit produce 85% of the Israeli military’s killer drone fleet.
UAV produce engines for Israel’s drone fleet at their factory in Shenstone in Staffordshire. These include the R902(W) Wankel engine used in Elbit’s [Hermes 450 drone][4], the same model used by Israel to kill seven aid workers from the [World Central Kitchen][5], including 3 British nationals.
## Calls to action
One of the activists locked-on outside the Chubb offices called on fellow activists to join them with flags, banners, and whistles. They said:
> We are here to shut down Chubb, the insurers of Elbit Systems, until they cut all ties.
>
> In the last month, we have seen whole families obliterated, thousands killed, and over thirty thousand injured across Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, and the whole of West Asia. Israel announced its intention to ethnically cleanse almost one million people out of southern Lebanon, all operationally supported by Elbit Systems, who profit from every life lost.
>
> Those profits are guaranteed by Chubb, who insure their Shenstone factory here in Britain. The responsibility to drive Elbit out of our communities has never been more urgent.” They then called on supporters to get trained in direct action tactics, and join the struggle to shut down Elbit.
Without the mandatory Employer Liability Insurance provided by Chubb and Aspen, neither UAV Engines, nor Elbit themselves, could operate in Britain.
## Global campaign
Other actionists have targeted insurance companies in recent months, following the announcement of a [global campaign][6] to disrupt an international ‘economy of genocide’. Previously, insurers Allianz and Aviva have [ended their cover][7] of Elbit after sustained protest activity.
PAG has previously targeted [HSBC branches][8] across the UK over their investments in Elbit Systems, as well as protesting [Elbit sites][9] directly.
By [The Canary][10]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/10/people-against-genocide-take-action-at-chubbs-manchester-office/
[2]: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/city-of-london-paint-protest-b1271508.html
[3]: https://diem25.org/elbit-genocide-proven-systems/
[4]: https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/hermes-multirole-high-performance-tactical-uas/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2024/04/04/world-central-kitchen-drone-strike/
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2025/08/13/insurance-companies-protests/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2025/12/23/insurers-pull-cover-for-israeli-firm-elbit/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2025/12/16/people-against-genocide-targets-11-hsbc-branches-over-elbit-investments/
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/02/26/people-against-genocide-block-elbit-factory/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/01/people-against-genocide/

2026-04-01 15:02:36 CEST

Cut ties to Big Oil to stop energy crisis sparked by Trump’s war on Iran – protest footage
[Fossil Fuel London campaigners outside US Embassy in London protesting oil company profits due to Trump war on Iran]
Outside the US Embassy in London on 1 April, two activists were tied by fuel hoses to a life-sized petrol pump in response to Donald Trump’s war on Iran.
The protest criticised the increase in oil company profits in the wake of the war’s destruction and trade disruption. The pump carried the label: “Oil Profit$$$ for Oil Bosses”.
Campaigners from Fossil Free London held signs saying “Stop Trump Tying us Into Fossil Fuels”, “Break Free from Climate Crisis” and “Break Free from Big Oil”.
> View this post on Instagram
>
>
> [A post shared by Canary (@thecanaryuk)][1]
[Thousands have died][2] to date across the region following US and Israeli attacks on Iran. Trump has recently stated his intention to “[take the oil in Iran][3]” following major attacks on [fossil fuel][4] infrastructure.
Meanwhile, oil dependency is increasing the cost of living once again for families in the UK as petrol prices rise. Whilst [fossil fuel companies stand to make a windfall of billions][5] on the back of the price shock.
One of Reform’s major donors, Jeremy Hoskings, has seen his fossil fuel and energy hedge fund investments [rise by more than $25m][6] since the war began in Iran.
This comes as Trump and Reform are using the oil price spike to call for our government to approve [new UK oil and gas projects][7], like the [controversial Rosebank oil field][8]. Despite the fact that drilling in the North Sea would not make the UK more energy secure. If production began, [Rosebank’s oil would still go for export][9] – like 80% of all UK oil.
Robin Wells, director of Fossil Free London said:
> Right now we are seeing the horrors of Trump’s war on Iran in the faces of dead schoolgirls and facing skyrocketing energy costs at home. And Big Oil cashes out big, with bumper profits.
>
> We’re protesting today to say that for as long as the UK stays tied up in fossil fuels, we’ll see more oil wars, more extreme weather deaths and more instability.
>
> The UK needs to cut ties with Trump and Big Oil. We need to break free from this knot of violence.
>
> That starts with scrapping new UK oil and gas and rejecting Rosebank. Until then, being tied into Big Oil’s big disaster leaves us paying the price.
*Featured image via Fossil Free London*
By [The Canary][10]
[1]: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWlMu40ER04/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
[2]: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/how-many-people-have-been-killed-us-israel-war-iran-2026-03-24/
[3]: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-says-preference-take-oil-iran-rcna265747
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/fossil-fuels/
[5]: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/ceraweek-big-oil-reap-billions-iran-war-windfall-after-month-soaring-energy-2026-03-26/
[6]: https://democracyforsale.substack.com/p/farages-fossil-fuel-donors-profit-iran-war
[7]: https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-nine-false-or-misleading-myths-about-north-sea-oil-and-gas/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/12/climate-activists-demand-miliband-kills-off-rosebank-oil-and-gas-project/
[9]: https://www.stopcambo.org.uk/updates/crisis-in-the-middle-east-and-what-it-means-for-rosebank
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/04/01/cut-ties-to-big-oil-to-stop-energy-crisis-sparked-by-trumps-war-on-iran-protest-footage/

2026-04-01 14:15:39 CEST

DWP celebrates stripping 360,000 vulnerable people of Universal Credit
[dwp]
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) is bragging about how “successful” the Managed Migration to Universal Credit has been. This is despite over 360,000 vulnerable people being stripped of vital benefits in the process.
The DWP [announced the closure of Employment Support Allowance and Housing Benefit][1] following the campaign to force claimants to move to Universal Credit.
They bragged:
> Over 1.9 million people now better supported to find good, secure jobs as the Government moves customers off outdated benefits and on to Universal Credit
Considering ESA was a benefit for disabled people who couldn’t work as much or at all, it’s absolutely gross that the focus here is on work. But it doesn’t come as a surprise from the department that wants to force disabled people into work by any means necessary.
## What about those who haven’t migrated?
However, this ignores how many haven’t been able to claim or have been stripped of their benefits. The DWP [sent out over 2,352,886 managed migration notices, and 1,985,703 have moved over][2]. That means 367,183 people haven’t successfully moved over yet and could have them stripped away.
That means a huge number of disabled people who already live in poverty will be forced into even harsher living conditions. [As the *Canary* has previously reported,][3] making the move is especially difficult for chronically ill and disabled people, who struggle with stress and lack the energy to fill in excessive forms.
[An internal report][4] showed that some disabled claimants often have very little of what they were being asked to do. As a result, many failed to make a new claim for Universal Credit and lost their legacy benefit.
It’s been such a cause for concern that mental health professionals have warned the DWP that migration will put claimants at risk.
[The National Association of Welfare Rights Workers][5] told Work and Pensions committee chair Debbie Abrahams that:
> These claimants will all have long-term health conditions and/or disabilities, and their legacy benefits are likely to be their only source of income. A failure to migrate to universal credit therefore carries a high risk of destitution, rapid deterioration in their health, and even death.
>
> The latest DWP statistics, published on 11 November 2025, provide a detailed analysis of the migration of the ESA cohort to universal credit. The Department highlights that, for those sent a migration notice between July 2024 and May 2025, 3% failed to make a claim to universal credit and had their legacy benefits stopped. However, for claimants who were in receipt of ESA only, the figure alarmingly doubles to 6%.
## Many lose out while DWP pushes workshy narrative
What’s also missing is that many forced onto UC have their benefits reduced and somehow have to survive on less as prices rapidly increase.[ Policy in Practice][6] found that around 200,000 households lost around £59.54 a week. That’s over £230 a month that people are just expected to do without.
The DWP release also only mentions two of the benefits that are being amalgamated into Universal Credit. Others have an even worse success rate. [As the *Canary* has previously reported,][7] nearly a quarter of Tax Credits claimants who’ve been forced onto Universal Credit ended up without any benefits.
And once again, despite ESA claimants having already been found too sick to work, the DWP is obsessed with pushing the workshy narrative.
> This Government is committed to updating the welfare system so that it promotes opportunity, rather than stifling it – as part of our Plan for Change.
>
> The campaign means the number of people on Universal Credit has increased, particularly the number of people who receive the benefit with no requirement to look for work, as, since June last year, the focus has been on moving vulnerable people from Employment and Support Allowance.
There’s absolutely no need for them to [constantly mention people with ‘no work requirements’][8] other than to remind people of this fact. By using this wording, they make it sound like people are choosing to work, as opposed to not being well enough to.
While the DWP are celebrating ‘supporting’ so many to switch to UC, it’s clear what their motives are. It’s easier to push people into work from Universal Credit, and even easier to turn the public against people with ‘no work requirements’.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Rachel Charlton-Dailey][9]
[1]: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/successful-dwp-campaign-leads-to-closure-of-historical-benefits
[2]: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/move-to-universal-credit-july-2022-to-end-december-2025/completing-the-move-to-universal-credit-statistics-related-to-the-move-of-households-claiming-tax-credits-and-dwp-benefits-to-universal-credit-data
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/12/02/dwp-endangering/
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/07/28/dwp-managed-migration-report/
[5]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/12/02/dwp-endangering/
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/01/08/dwp-universal-credit-claims-increase-2/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2023/08/21/universal-credit-tax-credits-benefits-stop/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/02/18/dwp-honesty/
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/rachel-charlton-dailey/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/04/01/dwp-uc-cel/

2026-04-01 13:29:15 CEST

Football racism crisis deepens as Spanish fans spew Islamophobic chants
[islamophobic]
Islamophobic chants by [Spanish fans during a friendly football match against Egypt][1] have sparked outrage. Stadium management were forced to intervene repeatedly to halt the racist behavior.
During the first half, some fans chanted offensive phrases, most notably “If you don’t jump, you’re a Muslim,” and booed during the Egyptian national anthem. The chants were repeated on several occasions.
## Islamophobic chants
Observers at Espanyol’s stadium in Barcelona reported that organizers displayed a warning message on the stadium screens during half time, which was also read aloud by the stadium announcer, urging fans to stop the Islamophobic chants. The warning was repeated at the start of the second half, amidst continued booing from attendees.
In its first official response, the [Spanish Football Federation][2] condemned the incident, emphasizing in a statement published on its official social media accounts its categorical rejection of such behavior. [The statement read:][3]
> The Spanish Football Federation stands against racism in football and condemns any act of violence within stadiums.
And Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente called the chants “intolerable” and said those responsible:
> must be removed from society, identified, and kept as far away as possible.
The match was part of both teams’ preparations for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, for which both teams have already qualified.
The match saw the participation of Lamine Yamal, a player of Moroccan descent and a Muslim, in the Spanish national team’s starting lineup. Observers considered the chants to have implications beyond the realm of sports, reigniting the debate about the rise of hate speech in European stadiums.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Alaa Shamali][4]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/23/football-racism-2/
[2]: https://x.com/rfef/status/2039077291506950386?s=46
[3]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgk0ddmmm3mo
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alaa-shamali/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/01/islamophobic-friendly/

2026-04-01 12:48:52 CEST

FIFA takes firm stance on Iran’s participation in 2026 World Cup
[iran]
[FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed the organization’s commitment][1] to Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup finals, emphasizing that there is no alternative plan to exclude them despite the political complexities surrounding the tournament.
*ESPN* quoted Infantino as saying [during an interview with the Mexican channel N+ Univision:][2]
> We want Iran to play… they will play in the World Cup. There is no Plan B, C, or D; there is only one Plan A.
Infantino explained that FIFA remains committed to holding the tournament as scheduled, with the participation of all qualified teams, stressing that the organization seeks to “build bridges” through football, far removed from political tensions.
These statements come amid escalating geopolitical tensions, particularly with the United States, along with Canada and Mexico, hosting the next World Cup. This has raised questions about Iran’s potential participation or the possibility of moving its matches to another country, given the escalating US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
According to the agency, the Iranian Football Federation had proposed playing its matches outside the United States, but FIFA has not yet shown any inclination to amend its organizational plans.
The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to take place between June 11 and July 19, marking the first edition to feature 48 teams and be held across three countries.
Featured image via the Canary
By [Alaa Shamali][3]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/18/world-cup-2026-iran/
[2]: https://www.espn.co.uk/football/story/_/id/48357592/fifa-chief-infantino-insists-iran-play-world-cup-no-plan-b
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alaa-shamali/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/01/iran-fifa/

2026-04-01 12:16:36 CEST

Westminster denounced over gutting of north of Ireland voluntary sector
[Ireland charity funding cuts]
MLAs and representatives of the community and voluntary sector are among those who have slammed the Labour government for the decision to push ahead with funding cuts to charities in the north of Ireland. As a result of post-Brexit expenditure changes, on April 1 Westminster will replace the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) with the Local Growth Fund (LGF). The UKSPF supplied money previously provided by the EU. The move will [result in a loss of £16m per year][1] for the community and voluntary sector, going from £25 million to just £9 million.
People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll was among those who [condemned the decision, saying][2]:
> From Wednesday, Westminster will reduce funding for community support programmes by a staggering 64%. This will leave 11,000 people without employment support, and equates to roughly 400 job losses in the sector. It’s particularly cruel that on the same day hundreds of charity workers are handed redundancy notices, a £14,000 pay increase for MLAs will come into effect.
## Politicians to get 27% pay rise as charities have funds slashed
The independent remuneration board [confirmed last month][3] that MLAs would be receiving the obscene salary uptick, taking salaries up to £67,200. Part of their reasoning was that it will be combined with penalties in the event of another Stormont shutdown. There will be 10% cuts on each of weeks 6, 12 and 18 in the event of a collapse. This seems like curious logic, given the whopping pay boost gives MLAs a buffer that makes financial penalties much easier to absorb.
Carroll called on Stormont to fix the problem through transfer of moneys from corporate rates relief:
> Rather than begging Westminster for help that clearly isn’t coming, the Executive must step in today. It is entirely within their remit to provide the £15.8 million to keep these services afloat. The five big parties found £1.2 million for a 27% pay hike and handed over £76 million in rates breaks for the likes of Moy Park and Coca Cola last year alone. It’s time they cough up for people who need it most.
England, Scotland and Wales have all long since abolished these [corporate handouts][4]. Carroll also criticised Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) education minister Paul Givan for “overseeing a slow-motion collapse of youth services“. He concluded:
> Working class communities didn’t create this crisis and they shouldn’t be made to pay for it.
The cuts will primarily affect employment support programs. The Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) represents charity and community groups across the Six Counties (a decolonial term to refer to the north of Ireland). Earlier in March their CEO Celine McStravick [highlighted the effect cuts will have on already marginalised groups][5]:
> This drastic reduction in funding for Local Growth will strip away vital services for people furthest from the labour market – including young people, those with disabilities or returning to work after long‑term illness and those with caring responsibilities. These are precisely the groups most in need of targeted, sustained intervention and support.
## Disabled people to lose crucial support
The Chief Commissioner for the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland Geraldine McGahey had previously highlighted the support needed by disabled people to assist them into employment. [She said][6]:
> Recent figures report that the disability employment rate here remains stubbornly low at 43.4%, while the disability employment gap is most recently reported as 40.3 percentage points and remains the largest of any of the UK regions.
> Ultimately Northern Ireland simply cannot afford cuts to the very limited budgets that currently exist for this important and often life changing work.
NICVA’s McStravick contrasted the support Westminster provides other nations under its control with that granted to the North of Ireland:
> [Today’s announcement][7] from the Prime Minister highlights a growing disparity between the opportunities being created elsewhere in the UK and the shrinking support available for those most acutely in need across Northern Ireland. While England is benefitting from billions in new investment to tackle youth unemployment and expand apprenticeships, Northern Ireland is witnessing its core employability infrastructure being hollowed out.
Secretary of state for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn has said [he expects Stormont to cover the gap in funding itself][8]. However, multiple Northern Ireland Executive ministers [have already said][9] they are unable to [cover the bare minimum][10] for their departments as it is.
The first day of April is offering fresh opportunities for Westminster to once again show it is populated by fools. Labour continues its trend of being penny wise and pound foolish, as it fails to cough up tiny sums that would pay off many times in the long run.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Robert Freeman][11]
[1]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c30rd447j3eo
[2]: https://www.facebook.com/gerrycarrollmla/posts/pfbid0idPs92JLHLfSyAwPLrs6W3spWKstj7Xsm3HVisx2kh5MY6mh5GR1U9HKhVjzyGcHl
[3]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgj8xgq74qo
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/10/21/stormont-act-now/
[5]: https://www.nicva.org/article/cuts-to-local-growth-fund-leave-northern-ireland-behind
[6]: https://equalityni.org/our-work/news/supporting-more-disabled-people-into-employment
[7]: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/major-employment-drive-to-help-unlock-200000-new-jobs-and-apprenticeships-for-next-generation
[8]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxzzkqng47o
[9]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crk1xrmpprjo
[10]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgnj50jw0qo
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/robert-freeman/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/04/01/ireland-cuts/

2026-04-01 12:00:21 CEST

Campaigners urge action on fossil fuel giants profiting from war
[Fossil fuel giants profiteering from war]
New [analysis][1] has raised growing concerns about energy market volatility and its impact on the global economy. [350.org][2] is urging governments to go further and tackle the root cause of rising costs: fossil fuel profiteering.
The organisation’s intervention follows a [communiqué][3] written by G7 Energy and Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors. The G7 group recently held a meeting online, which reaffirmed the need to closely monitor the impact of surging energy prices on households and markets. But without action being taken on extraordinary corporate profits, these efforts risk falling short.
## Profiteering impacts the cost of living
Recent market activity highlights the scale of the issue. Energy giant Total is [reported][4] [paywall] to have monopolized crude shipments from the UAE and Oman last month, securing around 70 shipments. By stockpiling oil during escalating tensions in the Gulf, the company is estimated to have made $1 billion in profit in just one month, as Murban crude prices surged from $70 to $170 per barrel.
The [analysis][5] by 350.org shows that $100 billion has been siphoned from ordinary people to oil and gas companies due to soaring energy prices. With less oil available on the market, companies like TotalEnergies are able to exert outsized control over supply, selling to the highest bidder, likely overseas markets, rather than helping ease pressure on energy bills for households already struggling with the cost of living.
Fanny Petitbon, France Team Lead, said:
> It is obscene that companies like TotalEnergies are making enormous profits from war, while ordinary people’s lives are being shattered and the world faces a spiraling economic crisis. At a time of such profound human suffering, no company should be allowed to exploit chaos and conflict for financial gain. The G7’s deafening silence on these windfall profits speaks volumes, signaling a failure to hold corporate greed accountable while the rest of the world pays the price.
## Coordinated international action is needed
Advocates are calling for coordinated international action to introduce windfall taxes on fossil fuel companies benefiting from crisis-driven price spikes. Revenues raised could be used to support vulnerable households, accelerate the transition to renewable energy, and fund recovery efforts in regions affected by conflict.
Petitbon added:
> The principle is clear: extraordinary profits made in times of crisis should be redirected for the public good, not concentrated in the hands of a few.
This intervention [follows the submission][6] of a letter by 40 UK civil society organisations, who are similarly calling on the government to introduce new domestic levies across various war-profiteering industries.
By [The Canary][7]
[1]: https://350.org/press-release/over-100-billion-lost-to-oil-and-gas-price-spikes-in-first-month-of-iran-war-350-org-analysis-shows/?r=GB&c=EU
[2]: https://350.org/
[3]: https://presse.economie.gouv.fr/g7-energy-and-finance-ministers-and-central-bank-governors-communique/
[4]: https://www.ft.com/content/eba87bd4-7e55-4a7b-b14c-71bf486bfd31?syn-25a6b1a6=1
[5]: https://350.org/press-release/over-100-billion-lost-to-oil-and-gas-price-spikes-in-first-month-of-iran-war-350-org-analysis-shows/?r=GB&c=EU
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/26/iran-war-profits/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/04/01/fossil-fuel-profiteering/

2026-04-01 11:44:11 CEST

Irish activist says “more actively disruptive protests” needed for Palestine
[palestine]
A heroic activist alleged to have been one of three people who spray painted a US military warplane at Ireland’s Shannon airport has said Palestine campaigners [need to escalate beyond “marches, speeches and rallies”. ][1]
Conan Kavanagh [has been charged with][2]:
> …criminal damage of the main body of a Boeing 737-700 belonging to the US Navy Reserve at Shannon airport on November 22nd.
Police say he and his comrades crashed through an airport barrier before making their way to the warplane used by the United States military for its global terror campaigns. They are then alleged to have used a “modified fire extinguisher” to douse the offensive object with green spray paint. Showing the extent to which the Irish government will go to protect its US master, [Irish soldiers aimed guns at the non-violent activists.][3]
Speaking to *Al Jazeera*, Cavanagh said:
> I took part in the action out of a general frustration with the Irish establishment and society.
He continued:
> For a country that prides itself on a shared history of colonialism and resistance, I think we’re incredibly limited in how we express support for the Palestinian people.
>
> A lot of Palestinian activism in Ireland is centred around marches, speeches and rallies, which while good needs to be escalated upon with more actively disruptive protests if we hope to actually force the hands of the state.
## Palestine direct action: Shannon hit several times, but more needed
There have been four incursions into the genocide-enabling airport since March 2024, including three in the last year. In the [first one on the 30th of that month][4], three activists got on the runway with a banner which read “US military out of Shannon”. [On 1 May 2025][5], three activists are alleged to have again used a van to breach the airport perimeter, though a trench prevented further progress. 16 days later, another trio got into the facility and [spray-painted a US military-contracted Omni Air International Boeing 767 with red paint.][6]
More must be done to match the scale of criminality, however. The airport has for years been a key refuelling point for the US empire*.* [Shannon Watch ][7]details this feeble surrender to American militarism, stating that:
> Since 2002 close to 3 million US troops have gone through Shannon Airport.
Shannon is also used as a means to ferry munitions across the world. The Irish government has to grant exemptions for overflights or landing at the airport. *Shannon Watch *show that 1354 of these were issued in 2024. *Al Jazeera *[quote Irish senator Alice Mary Higgins saying][8]:
> …it is known that the largest number of exemptions have been sought by Germany and the United States.
*The Ditch *has reported the [Irish government admitting that Shannon has been used to ferry munitions – the tools of genocide – from the US to so-called ‘Israel’][9]. Lately, warplanes [have been landing at Shannon][10] before heading on to Germany’s Ramstein Air Base. It is the main US staging post for its illegal assault on Iran.
The Irish government has been unwilling to carry out inspections of planes to see if they are carrying weapons likely to be used to carry out war crimes. This is unsurprising for a government [determined to completely end Ireland’s always imperfect position of neutrality][11]. Taoiseach [Micheál Martin has been enthusiastically covering for Trump’s mass murder][12], including during a [truly pathetic display at the White House on St Patrick’s Day][13].
## Promising escalation against Collins and GAA
*Al Jazeera* also spoke to Aine Ni Threinir, who was arrested following the March 2024 action. She agreed with Kavanagh, saying opposition to the US military presence at Shannon:
> …should be something that we all mobilise strongly around.
Ni Threinir said people “absolutely could do more”. She acknowledged the risks when the criminal Irish state is determined to invert reality by prosecuting activists attempting to uphold international law.
The South of Ireland has seen increasing use of direct action in the last year. Activists have repeatedly targeted the Cork offices of Collins Aerospace. The company transferred munitions to the Zionist entity via Shannon. On March 30 campaigners from Palestine Action Éire improved the premises’ facade with the [use of a hammer and spray paint can][14]. Two activists from the group are alleged to have caused £100,000 of damage [during an action on 13 October 2025][15]. In the supposedly more radical North, those backing Palestine are yet to hit equivalent targets such as Aldergrove airport or the companies Act Now named as [helping manufacture F35 warplanes][16].
The effectiveness of direct action was seen again when campaigners took over a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) conference at Croke Park. They were opposing the [continued use of Allianz as a sponsor][17], who help insure Zionist land thieves taking Palestinian territory. The pressure resulted in GAA boss Jarlath Burns being provoked into making[ tone-deaf comments comparing the occupation of the GAA building][18] to the occupation of Palestine.
The sporting organisation’s continued resistance to dropping Allianz suggests direct action will be needed again. Similarly, the Football Association of Ireland must be shown they face a cost if they continue with their [plan to play the Nations League match][19] against the [genocidal][20] [apartheid][21] pseudo-state.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Robert Freeman][22]
[1]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/30/palestine-aily-ireland-under-fire-for-allowing-weapons-transfers-to-israel
[2]: https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/extensive-garda-file-on-pro-palestinian-activists-charged-with-damage-of-us-military-plane-court-hears-1843020.html
[3]: https://www.limerickpost.ie/2025/11/24/army-draw-weapons-at-shannon-airport-as-activists-spraypaint-us-military-aircraft/
[4]: https://m.independent.ie/regionals/clare/news/three-people-arrested-at-shannon-airport-after-allegedly-approaching-us-plane/a1736820131.html
[5]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce82xwgkwyno
[6]: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/XFd5IkyonNg
[7]: https://www.shannonwatch.org/Military
[8]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/30/palestine-aily-ireland-under-fire-for-allowing-weapons-transfers-to-israel#:~:text=While%20the%20full%20records%20of%20all%20the%20flights%20are%20not%20available%2C%20it%20is%20known%20that%20the%20largest%20number%20of%20exemptions%20have%20been%20sought%20by%20Germany%20and%20the%20United%20States%2E%E2%80%9D
[9]: https://www.ontheditch.com/state-admits/
[10]: https://www.ontheditch.com/us-military-aircraft-stopped-at-shannon/
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/02/nato-ireland/
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/06/iran-irish-gov/
[13]: https://x.com/SuzyJourno/status/2034296035502096667
[14]: https://www.instagram.com/pal_action_eire/reel/DWgj86iDOKV/
[15]: https://www.thejournal.ie/palestine-action-collins-aerospace-cork-office-6842834-Oct2025/
[16]: https://madden-finucane.com/files/2025/10/invest-ni_f-35s_israel_public-money-for-war-crimes.pdf
[17]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/11/15/allianz-hit-by-palestine-action-eire/
[18]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/07/jarlath-burns-receives/
[19]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/24/israel-drogheda/
[20]: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/09/israel-has-committed-genocide-gaza-strip-un-commission-finds
[21]: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2022/02/israels-system-of-apartheid/
[22]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/robert-freeman/
https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/04/01/palestine-direct/

2026-04-01 11:25:43 CEST

Western media is busy salivating over the decapitation of leaders in the Middle East
[western media]
Western media’s reporting of the Anglo-American-Zionist strategy of decapitation of [leaders][1] in the Middle East is so prolific that one might think they don’t see a problem with it.
As ever, a central element of settler colonialism and imperialism is cognitive dissonance. After all, imagine the absolute uproar in the West if a political leader was beheaded. But for leaders from the Global South, suddenly beheading is a genius military manoeuvre ripe with incisive intelligence operations.
## Western media salivates
Greg Miller of the *Washington Post*, describing what amounts to state terrorism by Israel, uses words like “tactics,” “honed,” and “capable.”
> How Israel tracks and targets Iran’s leaders – with an expanding role from AI. A story from Tel Aviv. [https://t.co/tGSd54V9CU][2]
>
> — Greg Miller (@gregpmiller) [March 30, 2026][3]
He says:
> *Israel’s targeted killing tactics — bombs planted months before being detonated, drones capable of slipping into apartment windows and supersonic missiles fired from stealth fighter jets — have been honed by years of conflict in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.*
“Years of conflict” is a funny way of saying ‘belligerent invasions from a rogue state,’ but okay Greg.
The assassination of Khamenei is described a “singular intelligence breakthrough.”
Even when Miller offers criticism, it is not of the terrorism or extrajudicial killings, but because the goals of the decapitation strategy are “elusive” or the AI is not “foolproof.”
There are many such cases.
## ‘A whiff’
The FT asks whether the killing of a sovereign state’s leader can ever be justified.
> When, if ever, is it an appropriate tactic of war or foreign policy to engage in a ‘decapitation strike’ — the intentional targeted killing of the leaders of another state?
>
> Martin Sandbu reports: [https://t.co/wGDMLpIRlh][4] [pic.twitter.com/YQOcSCgzWW][5]
>
> — Financial Times (@FT) [March 28, 2026][6]
To the FT’s defence, at least it [concludes][7] that there is “more than a whiff of racism or imperialism” about this strategy. We’d call it an unbearable, rancid stench – but there we are.
Sandbu says:
> And it is not a coincidence that when heads of state or government have been targeted, it has usually been in what used to be known as the third world. There is more than a whiff of racism or imperialism in the selective respect the norm enjoyed in the first place, of the same type as has been called out in the International Criminal Court for tending to pursue the leaders of poor countries.
The whole essay, nevertheless, is an ice-cold bucket of imperialism. The essay worries about “what we lose when we lose the norm.” The “we” is unmistakably Western.
And, the framing Iran’s ability to survive decapitation is also replete with racist innuendos.
> The hydra at the core of Iran’s regime built to survive decapitation [https://t.co/AT708WPILP][8]
>
> — The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) [March 27, 2026][9]
The Times, for instance, somehow calls Iran’s government a hydra. Calling a sovereign government a mythical beast strips it of legitimacy before the analysis even starts. It frames Iran not as a country with people, laws, and a history, but as a monster that needs killing.
## State terrorism
Across Western media, the killing of leaders is often framed as a strategy.
Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, in a letter to the Security Council, called the US-Israeli policy of “assassination lists” as state terrorism.
He said the promotion of such lists is no different from the terrorist actions that have deliberately bombed and killed hundreds of schoolchildren, targeted hospitals, and destroyed cultural heritage sites.
The *[Wall Street Journal][10]* has reported that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Iran’s Speaker of Parliament Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf were on the US-Israeli assassination target lists.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the head of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, are among those killed by US and Israeli strikes.
Norman Finkelstein said in a recent [interview][11] that the assassination of Khamenei on February 28 was “the most brazen, flagrant, outrageous breach of the UN Charter ever.” He specifically pointed to [Article 2][12] and [Article 51 ][13]of the UN Charter.
He pointed to Article 2 of the UN Charter, which requires states to exhaust diplomatic means before resorting to war. The Omanis were mediating between the US and Iran. Oman [confirmed][14] that talks were moving forward.
Secondly, he pointed to Article 51, which allows self-defence only in the event of an armed attack.
Finkelstein explained that there is a narrow exception for a preemptive strike, like if missiles were already in the air or planes were on route and couldn’t be turned back. “None of those applied in this situation,” he said.
So let’s ask Western media: why is state terrorism called “strategy,” and why are UN violations treated as a “dilemma”?
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [The Canary][15]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/09/khamenei-son-mojtaba/
[2]: https://t.co/tGSd54V9CU
[3]: https://twitter.com/gregpmiller/status/2038661753114968521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://t.co/wGDMLpIRlh
[5]: https://t.co/YQOcSCgzWW
[6]: https://twitter.com/FT/status/2037909605385134101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[7]: https://www.ft.com/content/36b4e6fc-8fb2-4fa3-8621-6fab2950d979?syn-25a6b1a6=1
[8]: https://t.co/AT708WPILP
[9]: https://twitter.com/thetimes/status/2037620130125844718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[10]: https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-us-israel-news-updates/card/u-s-and-israel-temporarily-remove-two-iranian-officials-from-target-list-uvJndklzulbrHy16yqYg
[11]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBWnC90buHk
[12]: https://legal.un.org/repertory/art2.shtml#:~:text=Codification%20Division%20Publications:%20Repertory%20of%20Practice%20of,*%20Chapter%20I%20%E2%80%94%20Purposes%20and%20Principles.
[13]: https://legal.un.org/repertory/art51.shtml
[14]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/19/us-lost-control-of-its-own-foreign-policy-oman-foreign-minister
[15]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/01/western-media/

2026-04-01 11:06:00 CEST

PETA want Northerners to roll spuds downhill instead of eggs
[An egg and a potato with a 'VS' symbol between them, PETA logo]
If the above headline makes no sense to you, it’s because you’re unfamiliar with the tradition of [egg rolling][1]. This is a game played around Easter in which children roll hard-boiled eggs down a big hill. The reason you’ve never heard of it is because it’s localised to Scotland and the Lancashire city of Preston.
It’s hitting the news now, because PETA have stepped in to ask that we use potatoes instead of eggs. And as a Prestonian myself, I want to say this is the worst thing to ever happen to someone in the Easter period (barring the crucifixion, of course).
> PETA is urging a city council to "modernise" their famous Easter egg roll – by swapping traditional hens' eggs for dyed potatoes.[https://t.co/pdCFY6vRaE][2]
>
> — ITV Granada Reports (@GranadaReports) [March 31, 2026][3]
## The spud, the bad, and the eggly
[*Wikipedia* notes the following about egg rolling][4]:
> In Lancashire there are annual egg rolling competitions at Holcombe Hill near Ramsbottom and Avenham Park in Preston. Egg rolling has been a tradition at Avenham Park for hundreds of years, but in recent years chocolate eggs have been used.
We were already using chocolate eggs when I grew up in the 90’s, so this is nothing new. If it rained, we used to roll them down the stairs at home. When I grew up, I was baffled to learn that most people eat their chocolate eggs without first rolling them down some sort of incline.
*Wikipedia* adds:
> Traditionally, the eggs were wrapped in onion skins and boiled to give them a mottled, gold appearance (although today they usually are painted), and the children competed to see who could roll their egg the farthest. There is an old Lancashire legend that says the broken eggshells should be crushed carefully afterward, or these would be stolen and used as boats by witches.
No one believes the above now, of course, because it’s well known Preston witches build their boats from fiberglass.
Getting to the story at hand, [*Blog Preston* reported][5]:
> An animal rights organisation has urged Preston City Council to swap eggs for dyed potatoes for the annual tradition of egg-rolling.
>
> People have been visiting Avenham Park to roll eggs down the hill for more than 150 years and thousands of people attend every year.
>
> But PETA has written to Preston City Council urging them to switch eggs for dyed ‘Easter potatoes’ – despite the majority of people now rolling chocolate eggs rather than boiled eggs.
In PETA’s own words:
> Children love animals and would be sad to learn that the eggs used for fun and games at Preston’s egg rolling event come from tormented hens who live miserable lives on Britain’s farms.
>
> Easter should be a time of renewal and joy for all sentient beings – and that means hens, too.
There are a couple of problems with PETA’s stance. The first is they’re several decades too late, because people mostly use chocolate eggs now. The second is there are no inspectors checking attendees’ eggs to ensure they’re up to code. People just rock up and roll; it’s incredibly informal like that.
As Preston City Council said:
> The event does not prescribe the type of egg to be rolled, and visitors have the choice as to what they roll down the hill.
This isn’t the first time that [PETA has attached itself to a baffling campaign anyway][6]:
> Dear [@peta][7]
>
> As the parent of a child with Autism, kindly get in the bin.
>
> What is your issue with people who are neurodivergent?
>
> This is next level ableism and flat out lies. [pic.twitter.com/G8gvVgsRhE][8]
>
> — Alex Tiffin (@RespectIsVital) [January 5, 2021][9]
If you’ve read this and would like to know more about Preston, our other big controversy is that [historians keep asking our promoters stop claiming Toto wrote their smash hit *Africa* in one of our nightclubs][10]. [We’re also the birthplace of R2-D2 actor Kenny Baker (RIP)][11].
*Featured image via [Visit Preston][12]*
By [Willem Moore][13]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2025/06/06/peta-beagle-animal-testing/
[2]: https://t.co/pdCFY6vRaE
[3]: https://twitter.com/GranadaReports/status/2038897083558600965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_rolling#:~:text=In%20Scotland%2C%20pace%2Deggin%20is,including%20pash%2C%20peace%20and%20paste.
[5]: https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2026/03/peta-asks-preston-to-switch-eggs-for-potatoes-in-150-year-old-egg-rolling-tradition/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ3Z25leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe5COTrNi4T5V6aZ84fE7hDelYBWGjhhPSdWaLwq3K_HMWAJPzJ8IWkOXjCfc_aem_-1gu2Y82mOqiF3StomKa_g
[6]: https://time.com/2798480/peta-autism-got-milk/
[7]: https://twitter.com/peta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[8]: https://t.co/G8gvVgsRhE
[9]: https://twitter.com/RespectIsVital/status/1346399964130402304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[10]: https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2026/02/a-compromise-to-suit-everyone-after-new-blue-plaque-installed-at-all-hopes-no-promises/
[11]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-37076450
[12]: https://www.visitpreston.com/article/6658/Egg-Rolling-2026
[13]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/04/01/peta-spuds/

2026-04-01 10:57:12 CEST

Sex worker claims US troops are preparing for deployment to Iran
[Charm Daze and an image of US troops, Iran]
The US has denied that it’s planning a ground invasion of Iran. Despite this, [there have been signs that the US is preparing for what will undoubtedly be another catastrophic land war.][1] One of the latest is that US troops are telling strippers that deployment is imminent:
> AMERICA DECIDES ‘26: Who do you trust when it comes to whether the troops are getting deployed?
>
> OSINT strippers or manifesto-publishing access journos? [pic.twitter.com/BBsIw5Z4Po][2]
>
> — ParaPower Mapping (@KlonnyPin_Gosch) [March 29, 2026][3]
## Iran ground invasion signs
In the video above, [influencer Charm Daze says][4]:
> So I work at a strip club next to several military bases and something I have noticed lately is all the military guys are coming in and they’re spending all their money… It’s sad. They’re like kind of depressed, and they’re like just coming in like ‘oh yeah, we’re gonna have fun like we’re getting’ – what is it called? Deployed? – ‘like we’re getting deployed next week…
>
> I don’t want to spread misinformation or anything, but it’s just like, a lot of them are really kind. And to see these young guys that look like my pinky toe, they’re so – they’re like fetuses – coming in and then dancing with them and then being like, bye.
>
> It’s actually making me emotional.
>
> It’s fucked up.
In response to the above, [a military commenter advised troops not to tell their secrets to their strippers, barbers, etc][5]:
> This stripper has singlehandedly caused an OPSEC crisis and panic amongst ex-military careerists.
>
> OSINT strippers, hold the line! Double your Army brass seduction efforts! [https://t.co/iA8g88pIFL][6] [pic.twitter.com/8jI0OScRDr][7]
>
> — ParaPower Mapping (@KlonnyPin_Gosch) [March 30, 2026][8]
The problem, of course, is that many of these troops will feel like their lives are being thrown away for the benefit of oil executives and Jeffrey Epstein associates. As such, why should they care about keeping the empire’s secrets?
*Featured image via [Charm Daze (Instagram) ][9]*
By [Willem Moore][10]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/14/us-sends-uss-tripoli/
[2]: https://t.co/BBsIw5Z4Po
[3]: https://twitter.com/KlonnyPin_Gosch/status/2038342961814180027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[4]: https://www.instagram.com/cgetsnakey/
[5]: https://x.com/KlonnyPin_Gosch/status/2038665292923260957?s=20
[6]: https://t.co/iA8g88pIFL
[7]: https://t.co/8jI0OScRDr
[8]: https://twitter.com/KlonnyPin_Gosch/status/2038665292923260957?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[9]: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWfRBaBD0F_/
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/
https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/04/01/iran-invasion/

2026-04-01 00:17:00 CEST

Help us to finally end fox hunting for good
The [Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs][1] launched a [public consultation][2] on Thursday 26 March 2026 to finally [ban trail hunting][3]. This move aims to close legal loopholes which have allowed the illegal persecution of wildlife under a smokescreen for over 20 fucking years.
## No more loopholes
[The Hunt Saboteurs Association][4] (HSA) welcomed this consultation, but warns that any new law must be watertight. Hunters have used loopholes, such as following trails during hunting as a cover for illegal activity. Huntsman claim to lay false trails to follow. Yet most of the time, this is a lie. Whilst claiming to [follow a person-laid scent][5], the hunt usually just use this to hunt real foxes. And I have seen it with my own eyes. Men on quadbikes claim to lay the trail behind them, a barefaced fucking lie. The diesel fumes would cover these within an instant if it was true.
[The hunt saboteurs film two huntsman who are on the floor on the side of a forest track. They are trying to dig a fox out of a badger set]Two terrier men trying to dig a fox out of a badger set.
A press spokesperson for the HSA stated that using trail hunting as a smokescreen is part of the ‘illegal persecution of wildlife’. They emphasised that the public must help ensure the updated act has no further exemptions ripe for exploitation.
The police (who strangely never appear on scene when actual illegal hunting occurs) have also raised concerns about the current law.[ Matt Longman,][6] the national police lead for fox hunting, has previously stated that illegal activity is frequently disguised using trail hunting methods. This consultation will explore how to prevent animal-based scents from being used as an excuse for the hounds to ‘accidentally’ find and rip apart a live fox.
## The HSA needs our help
Public opinion both in the city and in the country, remains firmly against these blood-thirsty sports. Just a few weeks ago the HSA [filmed a pack of hounds shredding a fox][7] in someone’s garden. There was damage to a fence, as well as trespassing from the local hunt who didn’t have permission to be on the property. By the way, trail hunting often leads to such trespasses and chaos as seen here. But, desperate to hide their poor, fuzzy victim, they entered anyway and manhandled a sab in the process.
81% of people living in rural areas are sick to death of this entitled bullshit from the hunt. They are sick of their property being damaged, of hounds running rampant and causing accidents. On top of this, a whopping [85% of the population][8] believes fox hunting should remain illegal. Remember, tell your parents/nana that [Nigel Farage is a big fan of the hunt][9], kids! Yet, on the other hand, the hunt claims that hunting is a necessary part of country life—bullshit.
It is nothing but an excuse for these inbred wankers to get out their weird bloodlust, with trail hunting used as a justification for continuing their cruel activities.
[Hunt saboteurs watch a clearing in which there are a few hounds circling a burning pile of branches]
The HSA has used direct action for the last 60 years. They have come away with broken bones, knife wounds and so much more over those years, just to save animals from pointless deaths. And they are now urging supporters to engage with the legal process. In short, they need our help to get over this last hurdle and end fox hunting once and for all. The organisation plans to release guidance to help people complete the consultation before 18 June 2026. This follows a petition signed by over 100,000 people asking for a total ban, further highlighting the public’s opposition to trail hunting.
## A better world for wildlife
This consultation is a part of a wider shift towards stronger protections for wildlife in the UK. Along with the hunting of trails being banned, the government is looking to end the use of snares and puppy smuggling. How the hell that wasn’t already a thing is beyond me. For activist, this could be the end of a 20-year fight to save lives.
The question is, does the government have the balls to end fox hunting once and for all? Will it uphold the will of the majority? Or will it fold to the will of a bunch of arseholes on horseback?
Please help us, and have your say [here][10].
*Featured image via Unsplash/the Canary*
By [Antifabot][11]
[1]: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposals-to-prohibit-trail-hunting-in-england-and-wales
[2]: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/defra/trail-hunting-consultation/consultation/intro/
[3]: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/trail-hunting-set-to-be-banned
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2025/12/06/hunt-sabs-blood-bones/
[5]: https://www.huntsabs.org.uk/scent-to-deceive-us-the-smokescreen-of-trail-hunting/
[6]: https://www.tobyperkins.org.uk/2026/03/26/labour-set-to-ban-trail-hunting-delivering-manifesto-promise/
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/03/21/heythrop-hunt-kills-fox-in-garden/
[8]: https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/attitudes-hunting-2017
[9]: https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/man-of-the-people-farage-fumes-at-trail-hunting-ban-401657/
[10]: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/defra/trail-hunting-consultation/consultation/intro/
[11]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/antifabot/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/31/trail-hunting-end-it-for-good/

2026-03-31 23:22:28 CEST

Israel murders two more UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
[UN peacekeeping forces killed in Lebanon]
Israel has murdered two more UN peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon, according to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). This marks the latest lethal attack against UN forces, leaving at least three dead this week.
In a [statement][1] on social media, UNIFIL said:
> Two UNIFIL peacekeepers were tragically killed in south Lebanon today, when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle near Bani Hayyan. A third peacekeeper was severely injured, and a fourth was also hurt.
[Adding][2]:
> This is the second fatal incident in the last 24 hours. We reiterate that no one should ever have to die serving the cause of peace.
>
> We extend our sincerest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of those brave peacekeepers who gave their lives in service of peace.
Since Israel began its bombardment and subsequent invasion of Lebanon, more than [1,000 people have been murdered][3] and more than a [million are internally displaced][4]. Over [120][5] of those deaths are children, highlighting, as we’ve long reported, that Israel does not distinguish between civilians or combatants.
Furthermore, the UN recently recently warned that [370,000 more children][6] could be displaced by the illegal Israeli invasion.
Given that the occupational power is unfazed by the idea of murdering peacekeepers, supposedly protected under international law, the fate of Lebanon’s children hangs in the balance.
> The UN has condemned the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, who were killed in two separate incidents, including a vehicle explosion.
>
> They are the latest UN casualties since Israel expanded its ground invasion. [pic.twitter.com/gwqjTZaLLW][7]
>
> — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) [March 30, 2026][8]
## UNIFIL says “the violence must end”
Israel renewed its bombardment and subsequent ground invasion of Lebanon after attacking Iran in late February. Under the pretext of Hezbollah’s links to Iran, Israeli Occupational Forces (IOF) intend to continue their landgrabs as part of their push towards their “Greater Israel.”
However, once again, it appears Israel is doing little to disguise its sinister motives, murdering UN peacekeepers in their alleged “war on terror.”
UNIFIL has been on the record condemning the IOF’s flagrant violations of international law:
> We reiterate the urgent need for all actors to uphold their obligations under international law and to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property at all times, including avoiding any actions that may put peacekeepers in danger.
>
> Deliberate attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and of Security Council Resolution 1701, and may constitute war crimes.
Pointing out what Western leaders are desperate to ignore, they have also said:
> The human cost of this conflict is far too high. The violence, as we have said before, must end.
This fatal attack followed the murder of another peacekeeper on Sunday near the southern Lebanese village of Aadshit al-Qusayr. UNIFIL states that it’s not clear where the projectile originated from but is investigating the matter.
> UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon said early Monday that one of its peacekeepers was killed and another critically injured after a projectile exploded Sunday night at one of its positions in southern Lebanon [https://t.co/FjqQSwPM54][9] [pic.twitter.com/KvxAHKcTaJ][10]
>
> — Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) [March 30, 2026][11]
One of the peacekeepers who was killed is an Indonesian national, as was confirmed by his country foreign affairs ministry. They also reported that three more of their citizens were wounded in an attack described as “indirect artillery fire.”
> The Government of the Republic of Indonesia expresses its deepest condolences following the death of one Indonesian peacekeeper and the injury of three others serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), after indirect artillery fire in the vicinity of the…
>
> — MoFA Indonesia (@Kemlu_RI) [March 30, 2026][12]
## Every murder is intentional
Israel has demonstrated its capacity to carry out targeted strikes in Iran and Lebanon. This makes the repeated killing of civilians, peacekeepers, and journalists all the more revealing, underscoring the intent behind how the state conducts its military operations.
Basically, if you’re Arab, you’re fair game.
Our own Jamal Awar [wrote][13] recently about three Lebanese journalists murdered by IOF bombs in a double-tap strike:
> Journalists Ali Shuaib (Al-Manar) and Fatima Ftouni (Al-Mayadeen), along with Fatima’s brother, camera operator Mohamad Ftouni, join a long list of Lebanese journalists killed by Israel. An Israeli warplane fired five missiles at their car, travelling in the countryside next to the city of Jezzine, around 30 km north of the border with occupied Palestine. The last two missiles were fired at 2 civilians, one of them from the Lebanese Civil Defence, who were trying to save the targeted journalists.
[Adding][14]:
> If those war crimes tell us anything, it is that:
>
> 1. Israel intentionally targets journalists everywhere they can
> 2. Journalism is as important as taking up arms on the path of resisting colonialism
It is clear that the same logic applies to anyone resisting Zionist colonisers, including UN peacekeeping forces. After all, in Israel’s mind, if there are no witnesses then there can be no crime.
This UN official has had enough of this:
> Yesterday, Israel deliberately killed a UN Indonesian peacekeeper and wounded others in Lebanon.
>
> Israel cannot continue to be treated as a full member of the UN.
>
> Attacking UN peacekeepers is an abomination which was in the past perpetrated by terrorists, but never by members of…
>
> — Mohamad Safa (@mhdksafa) [March 30, 2026][15]
It is long past time since Israel should have been rejected by the international community. The fact that the Zionist entity is still welcome shows the complicity of the world order in genocide.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Maddison Wheeldon][16]
[1]: https://x.com/UNIFIL_/status/2038655439785640228?s=20
[2]: https://x.com/UNIFIL_/status/2038655442851709114?s=20
[3]: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/lebanon-1000-dead-a-million-displaced-expert-explains-israel-10600222/
[4]: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/lebanon-1000-dead-a-million-displaced-expert-explains-israel-10600222/
[5]: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-03-27/unicef-says-over-370-000-children-displaced-in-lebanon-121-killed#:~:text=March%20%E2%81%A027%20%28Reuters%29%20-%20%E2%81%A0More%20than%20%E2%81%A0370%2C000%20%E2%80%8Bchildren,representative%20%E2%81%A0in%20Lebanon%2C%20Marcoluigi%20Corsi%2C%20said%20on%20Friday.
[6]: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-03-27/unicef-says-over-370-000-children-displaced-in-lebanon-121-killed#:~:text=March%20%E2%81%A027%20%28Reuters%29%20-%20%E2%81%A0More%20than%20%E2%81%A0370%2C000%20%E2%80%8Bchildren,representative%20%E2%81%A0in%20Lebanon%2C%20Marcoluigi%20Corsi%2C%20said%20on%20Friday.
[7]: https://t.co/gwqjTZaLLW
[8]: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish/status/2038738042660544713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[9]: https://t.co/FjqQSwPM54
[10]: https://t.co/KvxAHKcTaJ
[11]: https://twitter.com/anadoluagency/status/2038515445154603055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[12]: https://twitter.com/Kemlu_RI/status/2038447928331907208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[13]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/03/28/ali-shuaib-fatima-ftouni-israel/
[14]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-news/2026/03/28/ali-shuaib-fatima-ftouni-israel/
[15]: https://twitter.com/mhdksafa/status/2038535309525123189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[16]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/maddison-wheeldon/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/31/lebanon-un-peacekeepers-killed/

2026-03-31 22:47:12 CEST

US pharma giant makes a fool of Starmer, demands more NHS cash
[NHS privatisation protest against big US pharma]
It was only December last year when Labour bent over for Donald Trump and Big Pharma, [giving][1] companies a 25% pay increase for NHS drugs. It’s now March and these companies are already coming back for more.
## Give us cash, or else
US firm Eli Lilly is [demanding][2] further rises in costs for the NHS. Not just another large increase, but regular ones. The president of the company’s international business has said the company is in discussions with Labour ministers about such payments.
He characertised the drug price increases as “innovative” rather than exploitative.
With support from Donald Trump’s administration, Eli Lilly and other Big Pharma corporations withheld billions in UK investments in 2025.
## Big pharma vs. the British government
The fact that the UK relies on private corporations for its life saving drugs means they can rinse the NHS for more and more cash.
The price gouging makes it clear that big pharma should be brought in-house to relieve pressure on the NHS. Moneyed rewards can remain with nationalisation.
Scientists already receive prizes for breakthroughs and the same could be done in a public sector pharmaceutical division to further incentivise discoveries beyond public good.
The thing is, Labour health secretary Wes Streeting has taken a lot of donations from private healthcare. That [includes][3] £65,000 from Egerton Capital’s John Armitage, which has £169m invested in Eli Lilly.
Big pharma’s profit-milking goes way back. From 2007-2017, pharmaceutical company Concordia [raised][4] the price of a life-changing drug by 6000% as it was the only supplier.
Nick Dearden, director of Global Justice UK, has [said][5]:
> Big Pharma is engaged in a capital strike against the British government – demanding submission so they can fleece our NHS. We need to face down the bullies. Public investment in medicine production outside these monopolists’ grip.
Dearden is quite right. The problem with the privatisation of essentials is that profit-seeking corporations own what people need. They can then hold the public to ransom through removing investment or existing drugs, as Eli Lilly is making obvious to most.
The solution is an in-house pharmaceutical division.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [James Wright][6]
[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/dec/01/uk-us-agree-zero-tariff-pharmaceuticals-deal
[2]: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/mar/30/mounjaro-maker-eli-lilly-wants-nhs-drug-price-rises-in-return-for-more-investment-in-uk
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/04/22/labour-private-health-donations/
[4]: https://www.thecanary.co/discovery/2017/11/21/6000-price-rise-ten-years-big-corporations-overcharge-medicine-rip-off-nhs/
[5]: https://x.com/nickdearden75/status/1966578371615236236
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/james/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/03/31/us-pharma-giant-demands-nhs-cash/

2026-03-31 22:22:52 CEST

US embassies enlisted to pump out US propaganda using X
[US embassies told to use X to push out pro-US propaganda]
[Nazi-saluting][1] billionaire Elon Musk’s X app will be pivotal in a new wave of pro-US propaganda spread through American embassies. A cable sent to embassies around the world encourages staff to use X for psychological influence operations.
Commenting on the directive, a report by the *Guardian, *which has seen the document (signed by secretary of state Marco Rubio), states it[ instructs:][2]
> embassies and consulates [to] work alongside the US military’s psychological operations unit to address the problem of rampant disinformation.
This likely means substituting foreign propaganda with American disinformation.
The Guardian’s Washington correspondent, Joseph Gedeon, also noted that the cable:
> endorses Elon Musk’s X as an “innovative” tool to help do it …[and]… lays out a sweeping set of instructions for how embassy staff should push back against what it describes as coordinated foreign efforts to undermine American interests abroad.
The news comes as the US is getting [spanked daily][3] by Iranian memes and AI videos.
The message highlights five areas where US propaganda will focus:
> countering hostile messaging, expanding access to information, exposing adversary behavior, elevating local voices who support American interests, and promoting what it calls “telling America’s story”.
The US will recruit Influencers, academics and community leaders in target countries And also develop an approach designed:
> to make American-funded narratives feel locally organic rather than centrally directed.
This already sounds very convincing…
## A direct threat to US interests?
The cable also states that ‘enemy’ campaigns [seek to][4]:
> shift blame to the United States, sow division among allies, promote alternative worldviews antithetical to America’s interests, and even undermine American economic interests and political freedoms
The paper warned that:
> Using digital platforms, state-controlled media, and influence operations, they pose a direct threat to US national security and fuel hostility toward American interests.
The cable also instructs embassies to work with:
> “the Department of War’s Psychological Operations” – the military unit more commonly known as Miso, or Military Information Support Operations, formerly Psyop, which is part of the Pentagon.
The US State Department [told][5] the *Guardian* that Sarah Rogers, the new under-secretary for diplomacy, had made countering foreign propaganda a priority. A spokesperson reminded the *Guardian* that leftwing groups were being framed as linked to foreign powers and targeted for US influence operations:
> The state department also noted that Rogers had already drawn attention for a separate report to Congress identifying Code Pink and several other leftwing activist organizations as vectors of Chinese influence operations inside the United States.
The fact this information is now in the public domain may disappoint situational analysts who love to refer to everything as a PSYOP.
Presumably this particular guessing game is much less fun when the US publicly announces its running PSYOPs. Hate that for you, lads.
Though maybe—just maybe— the announcement is itself a PSYOP…*plays X Files music.*
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Joe Glenton][6]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/01/03/elon-musk-nazi-salute-mamdani/
[2]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/30/embassies-campaign-marco-rubio-elon-musk
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/26/iran-colonel-mocks-trump/
[4]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/30/embassies-campaign-marco-rubio-elon-musk
[5]: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/30/embassies-campaign-marco-rubio-elon-musk
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/joeglenton/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/31/us-embassies-instructed-to-use-x-for-psyops/

2026-03-31 21:33:49 CEST

Polanski appeals to unions, signalling the Greens are ready to act
[Polanksi delivers landmark speech at the NEU’s annual conference]
On 31 March, Green leader Zack Polanski [gave a landmark speech][1] on education reform to the National Education Union’s annual conference in Brighton.
His stated ambitions were wide-ranging, including massive uplifts to education spending, resisting the forced transfer of our school system to an academy model, and abolishing the Ofsted inspection system.
The speech also marks another stage in Polanski’s fulfilment of a left-wing promise — he’s speaking and listening to our trade unions.
## Green-union alliance
In [an interview with the *Times*][2], on the same day, Polanski stated that he’s actively courting the unions Labour has let down. He said:
> When I became Green party leader I said I wasn’t here to be disappointed by Labour – I’m here to replace them. And a crucial part of that is connecting with the organised labour movement.
>
> Historically, most trade unions have been very strongly linked to the Labour party but that link is starting to break as it becomes clear the Labour party is no longer the party of working people.
>
> Since becoming leader I’ve had lots of really fruitful conversations with key union figures, and it’s clear that many people in trade unions are feeling really let down by this Labour government and are ready to work more closely with the Green party.
As part of that move, Polanski addressed the National Education Union today—making him the first Green leader to do so. Standing before the attendees of the NEU’s annual conference, he spoke of education being:
> pushed to the brink by the toxic twin pressures of ideologically-driven reorganisation, and an unforgivable squeeze in budgets.
## ‘Chronically underfunded’
Likewise, he recognised schools’ need for a “serious cash injection” — funded, of course, by a wealth tax:
> The UK currently invests approximately just 4.1% of GDP in education, below the OECD average of just under 5%. That puts us significantly behind top-performing countries like Iceland, investing 5.6%, and Norway at 6.2%.
This section of his speech, in particular, drew a standing ovation from the crowd—and little wonder. This aligns directly with the NEU’s criticisms of Labour’s education strategy, which has consistently tried to force schools to do more with less.
In fact, at the same conference, [NEU general secretary Daniel Kebede][3] stated that:
> Our nation’s schools have been chronically underfunded for more than a decade. Today, 74 per cent of schools have less funding than in 2010. The consequences of this are clear for all to see — larger class sizes, burned out teachers leaving the profession, and buildings literally falling apart.
>
> Children with SEND have been failed for too long by a system buckling under the strain of a lack of resources. This cannot be resolved by cutting corners or small cost saving measures. Reforms to SEND provision need to be funded properly – including to pay for additional staff – if they are going to be successful.
## ‘We need to end the Ofsted era’
Beyond the underfunding of the education sector, Polanski also set his sights on the “fail, toxic” institution of Ofsted:
> We need to end the Ofsted era entirely and move towards a genuinely collaborative model. One that connects teachers on the frontline with local experts – specialists in pedagogy, child development and social care – we must make sure teachers have the support and guidance they need to meet the needs of their pupils.
This mirrors the NEU’s own[ ‘Abolish Ofsted’ campaign.][4] In particular, the union has criticised the government’s reforms for increasing inspection pressures and workloads for staff.
Likewise, the union also cited the psychological toll of Ofsted inspections for already-overworked staff. They cited the example of Ruth Perry, the headteacher who took her own life after an inspector rated her school as ‘inadequate’ in 2023.
## Resisting academisation
In his speech, Polanski then moved on to the issue of the ‘academisation’ of schools, calling academies:
> Another failed model pushed on to teachers and children by previous governments’ ideological drive to marketise our children’s education. And the results have been stark: a fragmented system with poor accountability, allowing academy CEOs to be paid enormous salaries while pay and conditions for their staff worsen.
>
> [Research into the impact of academisation][5] on learning has found no positive impact on the attainment and progress of pupils in multi-academy trusts, compared to other schools. And in fact, in larger multi-academy trusts, particularly secondary schools, the results were worse.
Again, this is directly in line with calls from the NEU itself. In particular, the union highlighted the high level of dissatisfaction among teachers at Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs).
Using a[ Freedom of Information request][6], the NEU found shocking levels of turnover at MAT schools:
* > Last academic year, large MATs saw 1 in 5 teachers leave their jobs and more than 1 in 9 teachers leave the teaching profession entirely. This compares poorly with local-authority maintained schools, where over the same period 1 in 7 teachers left their jobs and 1 in 11 teachers left the teaching profession.
* > Among large MATs — defined as those containing at least 21 schools – the rate of leaving the profession has remained consistently higher than in other governance structures over the past 10 years.
* > Free schools and academies have higher rates of teachers leaving the profession than local-authority maintained primary, secondary, and special schools.
* > Among large MATs, several had retention rates of 75 per cent or lower at the end of the 2022-23 school year, meaning that at least a quarter of staff left schools in those MATs.
## ‘Zack speaks more for schools’
Given the fact that the Greens are clearly listening to and learning from the NEU’s research, it’s unsurprising that Polanski’s speech was so well received.
In fact, general secretary Kebede indicated something of a sea-change within his union. Whilst he acknowledged that over 60% of NEU members voted for Labour in 2024, he stated that:
> I think our membership feels that Zack speaks more for schools and education than Labour do at the moment.
If the other unions can be brought on-side with the same effect, this bodes very well for the future of the Green Party.
Hell, in [spite of their][7] [many (many)][8] [differences,][9] even the *Mail *is getting on board:
> Fair play from the Mail.
>
> I said what I said. [pic.twitter.com/xRWnob353P][10]
>
> — Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) [March 31, 2026][11]
*Featured image via [National Education Union][12]*
By [Alex/Rose Cocker][13]
[1]: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/mar/30/starmer-iran-war-labour-values-local-elections-campaign-launch-uk-politics-latest?page=with%3Ablock-69ca862a8f08ffb7a7214d5c#block-69ca862a8f08ffb7a7214d5c
[2]: https://www.thetimes.com/article/4c6085a7-95c7-49ae-9f22-7cce15e79f3a?shareToken=dcc495ca726f04b7a3faad178f38c640
[3]: https://neu.org.uk/latest/press-releases/governments-white-paper-and-proposed-send-reforms-need-be-funded-properly?_locale=en
[4]: https://neu.org.uk/campaigns/abolish-ofsted
[5]: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02671522.2014.885726
[6]: https://neu.org.uk/latest/press-releases/large-multi-academy-trusts-have-lowest-teacher-retention-rates?_locale=en
[7]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/03/30/polanski-mail/
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/29/zack-polanski-feud-with/
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/03/28/zack-polanski-daily-mail/
[10]: https://t.co/xRWnob353P
[11]: https://twitter.com/ZackPolanski/status/2038870963241058695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[12]: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1244199117868320&set=pcb.1244199231201642
[13]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alexrosecocker/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/03/31/polanski-neu-speech/

2026-03-31 21:06:45 CEST

Hegseth’s broker tried to buy major arms fund before Iran strike
[Broker to Hegseth faces fresh allegations of insider trading]
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth’s broker tried to invest in a defence fund weeks ahead of the US-Israeli attack on Iran. The *Financial Times *(FT) said three sources have corroborated this claim, which the Pentagon [denies][1].
On 31 March, the *FT* [reported][2] the following.
> Hegseth’s broker at Morgan Stanley contacted BlackRock in February about making a multimillion-dollar investment in the asset manager’s Defense Industrials Active ETF, the people said, shortly before the US launched military action against Tehran.
> The inquiry on behalf of the high-profile potential client was flagged internally at BlackRock, according to the people familiar with the matter. BlackRock, Morgan Stanley and the Pentagon declined to comment.
Hegseth is a key architect of America’s illegal attack on Iran.
Initial, unprovoked offensive strikes on Iran were launched by the US and Israel on 28 February. Iran was offering concessions in negotiations at the time. The Pentagon has since stated there was no imminent threat from Iran. And the UN’s atomic watchdog, the IAEA, has said there is no evidence Iran was developing a nuclear weapon.
So far the Iranian government remains functional. The main US and Israeli achievement so far appears to be creating [a global energy crisis][3] after Iran predictably closed the vital oil channel in straits of Hormuz.
The *FT* [said][4] the purchase did not go ahead in the end:
> The investment discussed by Hegseth’s broker did not ultimately go ahead as the fund, which launched in May last year, was not yet available for Morgan Stanley clients to buy.
## Making a killing
The inquiry about buying into the fund was flagged because it was related to a “high-profile potential client.”
The *FT* explained the perverse nature of such funds, and their links to global arms giants—profiting from death.
According to BlackRock, the $3.2bn equity fund, which carries the ticker IDEF, pursues “growth opportunities by investing in companies that may benefit from increased government spending on defense and security amid geopolitical fragmentation and economic competition”.
The newspaper also reported:
> Its largest holdings include defence conglomerates RTX, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, which count the US Department of Defense as their biggest customers, as well as data integration specialist Palantir.
The legendary US Marine Corps General turned war resister and whistleblower Smedley Butler (dubbed the Fighting Quaker) once said that [war is a racket][5]. That was in 1935, after Butler had tried to head off a fascist coup in the US. Then 91 years later, the fascists are in power, and, if these reports are true, they’re still looking to make a killing off the killing — at the expense of the people of Iran.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Joe Glenton][6]
[1]: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/3/31/pentagon-denies-hegseths-broker-sought-defence-investment-before-iran-war
[2]: https://archive.is/RpzAb#selection-1985.0-1993.115
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/24/iran-consolidates-its-oil-superpower-status/
[4]: https://archive.is/RpzAb#selection-2013.0-2013.175
[5]: https://www.heritage-history.com/site/hclass/secret_societies/ebooks/pdf/butler_racket.pdf
[6]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/joeglenton/
https://www.thecanary.co/global/2026/03/31/hegseth-broker-tried-buying-major-arms-fund/

2026-03-31 21:04:16 CEST

Starmer’s alleged centre has collapsed, and the left was right all along
[Starmer]
As of now, just [21%][1] of the British people think Keir “he’s playing a blinder” Starmer is doing well as Prime Minister.
The [70%][2] of us that say he is doing badly — also known as the vast majority — isn’t just a dip, but a crater.
YouGov’s [latest][3] tracker puts his net favourability around -48. That’s the kind of rating that is usually reserved for politicians caught in flagrante with an expenses scandal or, in Liz Truss’s case, the [iceberg lettuce][4] that outlasted her premiership.
This isn’t some right-wing hit job. These are the cold, hard numbers staring back at a man who once promised “[change][5]” the way a dodgy salesman promises a revolutionary vacuum cleaner that turns out to be last year’s pile of shite with a fresh lick of paint.
None of this is particularly surprising – it was just so depressingly predictable.
## Starmer’s descent was oh-so predictable
Starmer was elected in 2024 on a [platform][6] so fucking vague it could have meant socialism-lite, neoliberalism, or a particularly enthusiastic neighbourhood watch scheme.
Keir Starmer chose the path of least resistance, managerial centrism, served with a side order of ruthless [purges][7] of anyone to his left.
This has resulted in a government that has alienated its own base faster than you can say “rules-based international order”, while failing poor and working-class people that it claims to champion.
[Look][8] at the last few days alone for the perfect example of why Keir Starmer simply doesn’t get it.
While households brace for yet another [surge][9] in energy bills courtesy of the escalating Israel-US illegal [war][10] on Iran, Keir Starmer jetted off to [Finland][11] for a military summit of the Joint Expeditionary Force.
I’m sure the Starmer-friendly media will call this something like “admirable statesmanship”, but the optics? Chef’s kiss of disaster.
## Chaos
Back at home, pensioners and families are staring down higher fuel costs, a [cost-of-living][12] that refuses to die, and the grim realisation that Keir Starmer’s New Year’s [pledge][13] to bring down living expenses has aged about as well as a pint of full fat milk left out on the hottest day of the year.
This has become so very typical of the Labour Party under Keir Starmer’s leadership. When the people [need bread][14], Labour offers us foreign policy briefings and hope nobody notices the difference.
The Iran-related [energy shock][15] is hammering precisely the [red wall][16] and working class communities Labour was supposed to protect — the same voters who dragged themselves to the polls in 2024 out of sheer exhaustion with [Tory chaos][17].
Fuel duty [rises][18] loom again in September. Winter fuel payments remain [rationed][19] like wartime luxuries. And instead of the bold left-wing measures we needed — a proper [windfall tax][20] on energy giants that actually bites, serious public investment in renewables that creates unionised jobs, or [rent controls][21] to stop tenants being fleeced for every last penny – we get the usual centrist technocratic tinkering.
Starmer’s remaining [cheerleaders][22] will trot out the usual excuses about global headwinds, wars, energy shocks, and an [Inherited][23] mess, some of which is completely valid because the world is in a particularly sorry state right now.
## A left government was and is needed
But I would argue this is exactly why a genuinely left government was needed. A progressive administration would have seized this moment for structural reform by taking energy into [full public ownership][24] to shield bill-payers, launching a real Green New Deal that builds hope instead of just targets, and pursuing a [foreign policy][25] grounded in diplomacy, peace, and justice rather than automatic alignment with whatever the Washington predator Trump dreams up next.
Instead, we get the politics of the “national interest” that mysteriously always aligns with the City, defence contractors, and endless summits abroad while domestic pain festers.
It’s centrism as performance art — all sensible suits with zero soul.
During the leadership years and early government, the left [warned][26] that purging socialist traditions, scrapping or watering down public ownership pledges, and triangulating on welfare and immigration would end in tears.
We were dismissed as unrealistic, divisive, trots, dogs, rabble, and – that favourite insult – “unelectable”. Yet here we are, a Labour government barely 18 months old, [polling][27] like it’s already on its deathbed.
The deeper tragedy is what this means for the millions of us who actually need radical change.
## Starmer must go. The left was right all along.
Britain in 2026 still grapples with [stagnating][28] wages, a [crumbling][29] NHS and council services, and a [housing crisis][30] that makes Victorian slums look like aspirational living.
Only [unashamedly bold][31], structural solutions can fix these deep-rooted failures. Starmer’s cautious centrism was sold as the safe, adult alternative. In practice, it’s delivered paralysis, [broken promises][32], and the slowest political suicide in recent memory.
You see, the problem isn’t merely that Starmer is deeply unpopular. The problem is that the politics he embodies were never going to inspire the working-class voters Labour exists to serve.
We wanted transformation. We got tweaks.
For Labour to try and miraculously survive, it needs to rediscover what it actually stands for – or step aside for [someone][33] that does.
The [shocking numbers][34] really don’t lie. Keir Starmer’s centrist politics has failed spectacularly. The left was right all along.
*Featured image via the Canary*
By [Rachael Swindon][35]
[1]: https://yougov.com/en-gb/trackers/keir-starmer-prime-minister-approval
[2]: https://yougov.com/en-gb/trackers/keir-starmer-prime-minister-approval
[3]: https://yougov.com/en-gb/trackers/keir-starmer-prime-minister-approval
[4]: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/oct/20/iceberg-lettuce-in-blonde-wig-outlasts-liz-truss
[5]: https://labour.org.uk/change/
[6]: https://labour.org.uk/change/
[7]: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/may/30/purge-of-labour-leftwingers-must-end-keir-starmer-told
[8]: https://www.thecanary.co
[9]: https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/mar/04/iran-conflict-energy-bills-gas-prices
[10]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/03/26/iran-war-profits/
[11]: https://www.itn.co.uk/news/starmer-greeted-finish-president-he-arrives-summit-0
[12]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/03/24/cost-of-living-iran-war/
[13]: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/dec/31/keir-starmer-woo-voters-labour-mps-new-year-plan-cut-cost-of-living
[14]: https://www.jrf.org.uk/uk-poverty-2026-the-essential-guide-to-understanding-poverty-in-the-uk
[15]: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/23/iran-war-energy-crisis-1970s-oil-shocks-fatih-birol-iea
[16]: https://labourlist.org/2024/11/labour-red-wall-general-election-2024-average-vote/?amp
[17]: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2024/jul/04/did-that-really-happen-14-years-of-chaotic-tory-government
[18]: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuel-duty-rates-for-2026-to-2027/fuel-duty-rates-2026-to-2027
[19]: https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/25969978.urgent-dwp-warning-300-winter-fuel-payment-deadline/
[20]: https://greenparty.org.uk/2026/03/18/zack-polanski-lays-out-plans-to-back-the-caring-majority-in-major-speech/
[21]: https://www.property118.com/government-maintains-opposition-to-rent-controls-despite-pressure-from-mps/
[22]: https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2026/02/housing-secretary-cheerleading-for-starmer-to-stay/
[23]: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-08-07/uk-s-new-labour-government-inherited-a-mess-now-it-needs-revenue?embedded-checkout=true
[24]: https://greenparty.org.uk/about/our-manifesto/creating-a-fairer-greener-economy/
[25]: https://greenparty.org.uk/about/our-manifesto/a-fairer-greener-world/
[26]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66105250
[27]: https://x.com/leftiestats/status/2037180068842054056?s=46&t=V_RDNrWt0kyDO6fbVhUrzg
[28]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64970708
[29]: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/five-years-on-COVID-is-still-hurting-the-financial-health-of-the-NHS
[30]: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/dec/15/the-slow-death-of-social-housing-and-its-original-purpose
[31]: https://greenparty.org.uk/about/our-manifesto/a-fairer-greener-world/
[32]: https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2026/02/12/keir-starmer-the-broken-promises/
[33]: https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2026/02/12/keir-starmer-the-broken-promises/
[34]: https://x.com/leftiestats/status/2034669124287168983?s=46&t=V_RDNrWt0kyDO6fbVhUrzg
[35]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/rachael-swindon/
https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/03/31/starmer-new-polling/

2026-03-31 20:28:19 CEST

Great Western FC is going to the fucking finals!
[Great Western FC in the background. In the foreground on the left there is the team's logo. On the right is the Canary logo]
Our wonderful grassroots football team Great Western FC kicked arse on Saturday 28 March 2026. The reserves team played Coleview in the fast-paced semi-finals for the Swindon District Community Football League Plate final. This win is about more than football. [It is about a community that refuses to leave its young men behind — championing them at every stage.][1]
But the match was not so close as the scoreboard suggested. Great Western FC controlled the match for most of the afternoon. Our lads headed into half-time with a 3-1 lead. While a late penalty for Coleview made the closing minutes tense, the result was never really in doubt
[Great Western FC huddled on a sunny football pitch ]Our lads, discussing tactics
## A captain’s goal and a rare smile
The pressure was relentless on Coleview for the first half. Liam Irwin smashed two goals into the back of the net first. Team Captain, Levi Dunn, doubled down on the lead with a low-drilled free kick. This clinical finish helped the reserves head into the halftime break with a comfortable 3-1 lead.
Supporters said Dunn smiled for the first time this season when the final whistle blew. This squad is the antithesis of working class, and this victory was a glorious snapshot in working-class survival. The players come from diverse backgrounds, some of them rocking criminal records, who have found a stunning support network through Great Western.
[https://www.thecanary.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/signal-2026-03-31-121929.mp4][2]
In a system that discards young lads with a record, Great Western [offers them hope and solidarity.][3] Research shows that sports-based resettlement programmes can reduce[ reoffending rates][4] significantly. And for these lads, many of whom have felt the sharp end of the justice system, the football pitch is the rehab that the state refuses to provide. And Great Western Reserves show exactly what can be achieved with the right support.
## Late drama in Southbrook
Coleview pushed back in the second half, as Great Western expected. With only five minutes left until the end whistle, one of our players accidentally tripped an opponent in the penalty box.
Coleview won the penalty, bringing the score to 3-2. However, our young reserves held their nerve until the very end. The squad of 16, includes six players under the age of 21. Two of the lads have only just turned 18.
This young group is thriving, despite a national crisis in grassroots sports. Over [90%][5] of grassroots clubs say running costs have skyrocketed recently. Almost half of those clubs estimate their weekly running costs at [£250 or more][6]. Meanwhile, we have big Football Association players on buck-wild wages that they can never hope to spend.
[Great Western Football Club playing a match. They are trying to get to a ball which has been kicked ]Mid-match
## The FA doesn’t give a shit about small teams
The success of Great Western FC comes despite a complete lack of support from the football’s governing bodies. Whilst the FA claims a social return on investment of[ £15.6bn][7], very little of this wealth trickles down to the grassroots teams. Recent data shows that [95%][8] of the annual broadcast revenue stays with the top 26 clubs. That is a fucking shambles.
The FA ignores the reality of working-class teams. For teams like Great Western FC, the survival of the club depends on the community in the form of fees, but these only go so far. The real money behind our little team comes from the dwindling wages of the members, not the bureaucrats in Wembley.
Most local games attract three spectators, and if they’re lucky, a dog. Saturday was different. Over 50 friends and family members cheered the team towards the final. And afterwards they celebrated the win in the most working-class way. In the fucking pub!
The reserves will now face Lambourne FC in the final on 9 May 2026. The match will be held at the Webbswood stadium, home of Swindon Supermarine FC. And the squad will spend next month training their arses off to make sure they bring home the win.
*Featured Image via Great Western FC *
By [Antifabot][9]
[1]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/03/02/football-club-great-western-canary-sponsored/
[2]: https://www.thecanary.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/signal-2026-03-31-121929.mp4
[3]: https://www.thecanary.co/opinion/2026/03/11/great-western-fc-is/
[4]: https://www.streetgames.org/resources/youth-justice-sport-fund/
[5]: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/134345/pdf/
[6]: https://www.networldsports.co.uk/football/grassroots-report
[7]: https://www.thefa.com/about-football-association/what-we-do/fa-grasroots-strategy-2024-2028
[8]: http://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/non-league-and-grassroots-football-what-is-the-state-of-play/?__cf_chl_rt_tk=AJa4NyHry3IZ7aYQTWp0qF9RKEGXaTh_W9IpjCeFHJw-1774957276-1.0.1.1-n8DeL9.gC3hFG2zgffGTdIRUv6nsZf.jYBnyB7sB0Gc
[9]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/antifabot/
https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/03/31/great-western-fc-going-to-the-finals/