Charlie Alford

Campaigners march to end greyhound racing after 100 years of suffering

Post author:The Canary
Post published:27 July 2026
Post last modified:27 July 2026

Animal welfare campaigners took to the streets of central London on Saturday 25 July. They were calling on the government to ban the “inherently dangerous” sport of greyhound racing in England. Campaigners organised The Century of Suffering: March to End Dog Racing Now to highlight the scale of pain and suffering greyhounds have faced at the hands of the greyhound racing industry since the first race took place 100 years ago. It follows landmark moves by the Welsh and Scottish parliaments earlier this year to ban greyhound racing in both Wales and Scotland. The government stipulates that governing body the Greyhound…

Campaigners disrupt event showcase demanding venues stop hosting fossil fuel firms

Post author:The Canary
Post published:16 July 2026
Post last modified:16 July 2026

Amidst the third heat storm of this year, campaigners demanded an end to London venues hosting events for fossil fuel companies. Fossil Free London campaigners disrupted inside the QEII Centre in Westminster while the venue hosted its annual Summer Showcase. This is an invitation-only event marketed to the events industry where companies can find suitable locations for their corporate events. In protest over London venues hosting oil and gas events, five campaigners entered the 40th birthday party event at the QEII Centre and disrupted the event. They requested to give a birthday speech within the DJ booth when they said: Did…

Unions and anti-corruption campaigners react to damning Covid Inquiry report

Post author:Grace
Post published:15 July 2026
Post last modified:16 July 2026

Yesterday, 15 July, the Covid Inquiry published its latest update — this time focusing on the Johnson government’s failure to secure adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). In response, both anti-corruption campaigning organisations and the unions representing affected hospital workers have been swift to issue their condemnation. As the Canary’s Joe Glenton previously reported: Boris Johnson’s government wasted £10bn on unusable personal protective equipment (PPE), the Covid inquiry report has found. Inquiry chair Heather Hallett also slammed the then-Conservative government’s use of firms with Tory ‘VIP’ connections to fulfil major PPE contracts. BMA: Government performance ‘an omnishambles’ Reacting to the Module 5 report,…

Young campaigners urge incoming PM to act on outdoor junk food ads

Post author:The Canary
Post published:15 July 2026
Post last modified:15 July 2026

The Health and Social Care Committee has just delivered one of parliament’s strongest calls yet for action to protect children from junk food marketing. And Bite Back’s young campaigners are urging the incoming government to seize the moment. After a year-long inquiry, MPs have concluded that children’s health has been undermined by unhealthy food environments and decades of industry influence. They’re recommending stronger protections including action on outdoor junk food advertising. The report echoes the evidence given directly to the Committee by Bite Back campaigners Jayda and Alice. They told MPs how children and young people are surrounded by junk food…

Undercover Policing Inquiry reveals BAE Systems offered money to Special Branch to spy on anti arms trade campaigners

Post author:The Canary
Post published:13 July 2026
Post last modified:14 July 2026

Evidence in the Undercover Policing Inquiry recently revealed that BAE Systems, the UK’s largest arms company, offered the Metropolitan police money to spy on anti arms trade campaigners. This followed the 1996 Seeds of Hope Ploughshares action which caused £1.4m worth of damage to Hawk aircraft. Four women were acquitted of criminal damage charges on the basis they were preventing a greater crime by taking action to stop BAE Systems exporting the aircraft to Indonesia for use in war crimes against people in East Timor. The information emerged during the questioning of former detective chief inspector Dell on 1 July 2026.…

‘Don’t burn em’ Burnham!’ campaigners protest new oil outside parliament

Post author:The Canary
Post published:3 July 2026
Post last modified:3 July 2026

Campaigners from Fossil Free London challenged prime minister elect Andy Burnham in a protest outside parliament on 2 July. Uncertainty lingers over whether he will approve the Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea oil fields once he enters No.10. People held flame cut-outs and stood behind a banner reading ‘Fossil Fuels? Andy, Don’t Burn ’em!’. Others held placards that read ‘Stop Rosebank’, ‘Stop Jackdaw’ and ‘Stop North Sea Drilling’. The Burnham protest comes just after the UK endured a record-breaking heatwave. It closed hundreds of schools, as this June became the hottest the UK has ever seen. Scientists stress this extreme heat…

Campaigners react to damning report on Nottingham maternity care failures

Post author:Grace
Post published:26 June 2026
Post last modified:26 June 2026

Charities and campaigning organisations have reacted with sadness and a damning lack of surprise to the findings of the Ockenden Report, which detailed extensive failings in maternity and neonatal care under Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust. The review’s leader, independent senior midwife Donna Ockenden, included a detailed 18-point framework of ‘Immediate and Essential Actions’ for improvement, both nationally and in Nottingham. A single overarching principle — ‘Martha’s Rule’ — underpinned every recommendation. NHS England explained that: Martha’s Rule is a patient safety initiative to support the early detection of deterioration by ensuring the concerns of patients, families, carers and staff…

Campaigners warn Starmer’s social media ban will harm disabled kids

Post author:Rachel Charlton-Dailey
Post published:16 June 2026
Post last modified:16 June 2026

Charities and campaigners have warned that Keir Starmer’s plan to ban under-16s from social media will isolate disabled and LGBTQ+ children. This week, Labour prime minister announced new legislation to stop children from accessing apps like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube. The ban will take effect in Spring 2027 and restrict livestreams and ‘stranger communication’ for children, including on gaming sites. The ban won’t help any kids There are already concerns that, without regulating the tech companies, this will do very little to protect children from the dangers of the internet and punish them instead. The Canary’s Maddison Wheeldon argues that:…

Western Isles MP attacks guga hunt campaigners

Post author:The Canary
Post published:12 June 2026
Post last modified:12 June 2026

Torcuil Crichton MP, the Labour MP for the Western Isles, has hit back at campaigners opposing the annual guga hunt. He accused protesters of “attention-seeking behaviour” and “virtue-signalling”. In response, campaigners accused Crichton of “dismissive and belittling rhetoric”, saying he’s: lost sight of the views of his constituents. The spat comes as Scotland’s nature agency received a licence application for the guga hunt this year. The 10 man hunting team based in Ness, Isle of Lewis is seeking NatureScot’s permission to kill gannet chicks on the island of Sula Sgeir. The birds, still too young to fly, are removed from their…