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News editor @Climatehome, covering climate change around the world. DM me or email jl@climatehomenews.com

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Here's the Lowdown on that Viral Parliament Tweet About Selling Off the NHS

Here's the Lowdown on that Viral Parliament Tweet About Selling Off the NHS

VICE UK — Photo: / Alamy Stock Photo On Monday, the government voted against a Labour amendment to its trade bill which aimed to ensure the NHS was protected from any future trade deals. The official House of Commons tweet announcing this went viral as critics like Labour's Diane Abbott said it showed the government was going to put the NHS "on the negotiating table" in trade talks.

Scottish care homes owned by the Chinese state in tax havens

Scottish care homes owned by the Chinese state in tax havens

The Ferret — Dozens of Scotland's care home buildings are owned by companies based in tax havens and controlled by global hedge funds, private equity and the Chinese government, The Ferret can reveal. Data obtained from Registers of Scotland shows that - as of the end of 2019 - at least 44 Scottish care homes were owned by companies based in tax havens such as Jersey, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar.

Scottish property worth billions held in tax havens

Scottish property worth billions held in tax havens

The Ferret — Foreign companies own £4.4 billion worth of Scottish property, The Ferret can reveal, leading to calls for greater transparency to stop Scotland losing out on tax revenue. Concerns have also been raised about the need for urgent action to stop criminals using opaque foreign companies to invest in Scottish property as a front for money laundering.

Lord Provost portrait cost Glasgow council nearly £20,000

Lord Provost portrait cost Glasgow council nearly £20,000

The Ferret — Glasgow City Council has been accused of "ridiculous" spending after a freedom of information request by The Ferret revealed it used nearly £20,000 of taxpayers' money on a portrait of former Lord Provost, Sadie Docherty. The council's chief executive, Annemarie O'Donnell, approved £18,000 for the painting from the Lord Provost's expenses budget in 2017, the same year that Glasgow's council tax rose by three percent.

Loopholes let MSPs declare 'arbitrary' share values

Loopholes let MSPs declare 'arbitrary' share values

theferret.scot — A Conservative MSP is exploiting a loophole in parliamentary rules to avoid declaring the value of her stake in a property company, The Ferret can reveal.

Making PPE for a Pittance

Making PPE for a Pittance

Tribune Magazine — As the global demand for disposable gloves has rocketed, so have the share prices of the companies who make those gloves. While the executives and shareholders look forward to bonuses and dividends, though, the workers making the gloves see little reward. The majority of the world's medical gloves are made in Malaysia and Thailand.

Opinion: If you think NHS workers have it bad, just look at the people who equip them

Opinion: If you think NHS workers have it bad, just look at the people who equip them

The Independent — Coronavirus has made it obvious to all that people like doctors, nurses and care workers are heroes. Crisis or no, they keep society going, without glamour, gratitude or great pay. On the other side of the world, there are other heroes keeping Britons safe.

Bank increases bet that Irn-Bru maker AG Barr will fail

Bank increases bet that Irn-Bru maker AG Barr will fail

theferret.scot — A Swiss private bank has upped its multi-million pound bet on Irn-Bru maker AG Barr to fail during the coronavirus crisis, The Ferret can reveal. As government lockdown measures have reduced demand for drinks, the Cumbernauld-based firm has furloughed staff and cut back on marketing and investment.

Airbnbs keep hosting travellers despite coronavirus lockdown

Airbnbs keep hosting travellers despite coronavirus lockdown

theferret.scot — Airbnb hosts across Scotland are facing police and council action for welcoming guests despite a government ban aimed at slowing the spread of Covid-19. The Ferret asked dozens of hosts if they were still accepting guests. Seven properties in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and near Loch Lomond invited us to book in defiance of UK and Scottish governments saying accommodation providers should shut.

NHS struggled to recruit anaesthetists before coronavirus

NHS struggled to recruit anaesthetists before coronavirus

theferret.scot — Many Scottish health boards have struggled to recruit as many consultant anaesthetists as they need, making it harder to keep coronavirus patients alive. Recently-released Scottish Government figures show that, as of December 2019, the country was supposed to have 818 consultant anaesthetists but only had 760.

Football clubs accused of 'astonishing' failures to protect children | The Ferret

Football clubs accused of 'astonishing' failures to protect children | The Ferret

theferret.scot — Childrens' charities have accused Scottish football clubs of failing to protect young players from sexual abuse, following research from The Ferret which shows nearly two-thirds of Premiership and Championship teams have no dedicated safeguarding officer. Just 36 per cent of the clubs in Scotland's top two divisions confirmed they have appointed a salaried safeguarding officer with no other roles at the club.

Investment firm Baillie Gifford attacked for 'hypocrisy' over environmental advocacy

Investment firm Baillie Gifford attacked for 'hypocrisy' over environmental advocacy

The National (Scotland) — An investment firm which funnels hundreds of millions of pounds into the fossil fuel industry has been attacked for "hypocrisy" after it urged the Scottish Government to cut carbon pollution. A Ferret investigation has revealed that Edinburgh-based fund manager, Baillie Gifford, owns nearly £400 million worth of shares in nine global oil, gas and coal companies.

Keep investing in fossil fuels, pension fund tells council

Keep investing in fossil fuels, pension fund tells council

theferret.scot — The managers of a £24 billion pension fund want Glasgow councillors to keep investing in fossil fuels - despite the council declaring a "climate emergency" and preparing to host global climate talks.

Rural areas worst hit by post office closures in Scotland

Rural areas worst hit by post office closures in Scotland

theferret.scot — Rural areas in the west of Scotland have been badly hit by post office closures in the last ten years, according to Post Office data obtained by The Ferret. The information reveals that Scotland has suffered a net loss of 45 post offices since 2011.

UK tried "diplomatic blackmail" to force Mandela to buy Scottish warships

UK tried "diplomatic blackmail" to force Mandela to buy Scottish warships

theferret.scot — Newly-released government documents show that in 1995 the UK Conservative government threatened to cut back naval co-operation with Nelson Mandela's South Africa unless it bought Scottish warships. Foreign Secretary at the time, Douglas Hurd, gave South African ministers the impression the UK would be less likely to respond to requests for military co-operation if they did not buy ships made in Glasgow's Scotstoun shipyard.

Firms linked to tax havens profit from NHS recruitment crisis

Firms linked to tax havens profit from NHS recruitment crisis

theferret.scot — Firms profiting from NHS Scotland's recruitment crisis have links to tax havens and pay their directors up to £184,000, a Ferret analysis has revealed. When NHS boards struggle to find doctors, nurses and other medical staff they use private recruitment agencies.

Tories and LibDems given £658,000 by firms linked to tax havens

Tories and LibDems given £658,000 by firms linked to tax havens

theferret.scot — The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have accepted £658,000 to help fight the general election from companies with links to offshore tax havens, according to an analysis of Electoral Commission records. Since the election was called the Conservatives have accepted £567,000 from four companies with links to Luxembourg, Guernsey and the British Virgin Islands.

MSP pension fund aims to be more ethical - but ups fossil fuel investment

MSP pension fund aims to be more ethical - but ups fossil fuel investment

theferret.scot — The company managing Holyrood's £86 million pension fund has ploughed more money into fossil fuels and opposed bids to combat sexual harassment and hate speech despite MSPs' attempts to make investments more ethical.

Scotland restores its peatlands to keep carbon in the ground

Scotland restores its peatlands to keep carbon in the ground

dw.com

Abuse fears over 'revolving doors' between politics and lobbying

Abuse fears over 'revolving doors' between politics and lobbying

The National (Scotland) — AT least 20 politicians, political advisers and civil servants in Scotland have quit to work as professional lobbyists trying to influence their former colleagues, prompting criticisms of the "revolving door" in Scottish politics.

Survivor groups criticise "appalling" police inaction on football sexual abuse

Survivor groups criticise "appalling" police inaction on football sexual abuse

theferret.scot — Scottish police have been accused of "doing nothing" about an allegation of sexual abuse against a Rangers football scout based in Edinburgh's Canongate. In July 1992 former Rangers youth player, Darren Mixon, told a Lothian and Borders police officer that in 1984, when he was 16 years old, a scout called Harry Dunn had tried to rape him.

No-deal Brexit 'severe disruption' warning from NHS in Scotland

No-deal Brexit 'severe disruption' warning from NHS in Scotland

theferret.scot — The agency in charge of supplying products to the NHS in Scotland is preparing for "severe disruption" if the UK leaves the European Union (EU) without a deal. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) is getting ready for breakdowns in the provision of medicine, blood, food and medical equipment for Scotland's NHS if there is a no-deal Brexit at the end of October.

NHS Highland director Woerden tried to hide his £155,000 salary

NHS Highland director Woerden tried to hide his £155,000 salary

theferret.scot — The board's public health director, Hugo van Woerden, repeatedly refused to disclose his salary in annual reports. A Labour MSP said the lack of transparency was "unfortunate" while a Conservative MSP said the large salary calls into question NHS Highland's financial management.

Jo Swinson criticised over donor links to fossil fuels and tax avoidance

Jo Swinson criticised over donor links to fossil fuels and tax avoidance

theferret.scot — The new Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, has come under fire from political opponents for accepting donations from the director of a fund which invests in a Russian state gas company and advisers from a firm criticised for tax avoidance.
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