Charlie Alford

Big Oil must foot the bill for urgent heat protection as Europe swelters

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

As deadly heat covers Europe, governments must act quickly to protect lives and force fossil fuel companies to foot the bill. That’s the view of campaign group 350.org. There were more than 10,000 excess deaths across Europe during record-breaking heatwaves in June. Deadly wildfires are still raging in France and Spain. And even in the normally less extreme UK, the death toll has topped 2,700 and multiple fires have taken hold. Climate campaigners urge European governments to take urgent measures to protect the public, especially vulnerable populations, from heat impacts. This includes measures such as upgrading hospitals, care facilities, schools and…

Exclusive: Your Party CEC votes no confidence but must ask leadership to respect vote

Post author:Skwawkbox
Post published:13 July 2026
Post last modified:13 July 2026

The Your Party executive committee (CEC) no-confidence vote exclusively revealed by Skwawkbox last week took place on Sunday. The specially-arranged CEC meeting, to hold no-confidence votes in three key officials, was fraught and lasted almost three-and-a-half hours. Yet it ended without a clear conclusion, forcing members to ask party leaders to respect a clear majority vote that just failed to reach the required threshold. The issue was a vote of no confidence in three figures blamed for the suspension of three well-known CEC members for attending a socialist conference. A number of members left the meeting rather than participate, but the…

The next PM must act on the interim Timms Report and scrap the DWP’s PIP assessment system

Post author:Grace
Post published:9 July 2026
Post last modified:9 July 2026

On 9 July, the interim Timms Review branded Personal Independence Payments (PIP) “not fit for purpose”. The news comes as the Labour Party searches for a new leader, and a new UK prime minister, to boot. Right now, Andy Burnham looks like a shoo-in — and he’s got a golden opportunity to scrap PIP as we know it. Stephen Timms, the minister for social security and disability, began his investigation back in October. The interim report drew on well over 38,000 responses to the government’s call for evidence. It highlighted that PIP assessments were frequently “dehumanising”, “degrading” and “stressful” for claimants.…

Polluters must pay for European heatwave costs

Post author:The Canary
Post published:30 June 2026
Post last modified:1 July 2026

Fossil fuel companies must be held responsible for the extreme heatwave gripping Europe. Campaigners from 350.org say they should pay permanent windfall taxes to help cover the mounting health costs. A new study by World Weather Attribution found that climate change is “unequivocally” the driving force behind Europe’s record-breaking heatwave. The study found that: Heatwave temperatures would have been “virtually impossible” to occur at this time just 50 years ago. Overnight temperatures are about 100x more likely today. Almost half of more than 800 cities across 30 European countries have broken, or are likely to break, heat stress levels. UN climate…

Royal Family to get a 94% surge in taxpayer-funded income whilst ‘it’s subjects’ must expect less

Post author:Maddison Wheeldon
Post published:27 June 2026
Post last modified:27 June 2026

Long-time benefit scroungers, the Royal Family are set for a staggering 94% increase in taxpayer funding through the Sovereign Grant. So, while the rest of us are told there’s no money for public services and everyone needs to tighten their belts, the richest family in the country is about to see its public funding almost double. When doctors and other public sector workers are criticised for asking for pay rises of 5% or 6.6%, it’s hard not to notice a pretty sickening contrast. Apparently, modest wage increases are “unaffordable” — unless you’re already fabulously wealthy. And this comes at the same…

Polanski says Burnham must dump Israel, and recognise genocide, for Greens’ help

Post author:Skwawkbox
Post published:26 June 2026
Post last modified:27 June 2026

Green party leader Zack Polanski has given presumptive new Labour leader and PM Andy Burnham an ultimatum over Israel. Polanski, Britain’s only Jewish party leader, has said that Burnham must dump Israel and recognise the Gaza genocide — anything less is a red line. In remarks after a university speech, the Green party leader said that Burnham’s apparent multiple personalities over key issues was a problem. Some versions would be a natural partner for the Greens, while others would be impossible — and the early signs are worsening: We genuinely don’t know which version of Andy Burnham turns up. I can see…

Haiti coach: we must be proud of our historic performance against Scotland despite the loss

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:14 June 2026
Post last modified:14 June 2026

Sébastien Migné, the Haiti national team coach, emphasized that his players should feel proud of their performance against Scotland, despite the 1-0 loss in their opening match of Group C in the 2026 World Cup. Following the match, Migné told Reuters that his side displayed strong character and competed until the final whistle, stressing the importance of maintaining faith in their ability to reach the knockout stages, despite the disappointing result. The match held special significance for Haiti, marking their first World Cup appearance since 1974—a 52-year absence from the world’s biggest football stage. While Haiti previously participated in the 1974…

Equity congratulates SAG-AFTRA and says AI standards must become UK benchmark

Post author:The Canary
Post published:8 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

Equity, the UK performing arts and entertainment union, has today congratulated US union SAG-AFTRA on reaching a new agreement for film and TV workers. Crucially, the US agreement includes stronger protections around AI and Equity says its members: will accept no less than the global industry standard on AI protections. A ballot of SAG-AFTRA members closed on Thursday 4 June, with 91% voting to ratify the new agreement. The agreement with studio trade association the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is wide-ranging. It covers pay, pensions, healthcare, and working conditions. Equity continues push for AI protections The issue of…

Corbyn: Filton activists must not be sentenced as terrorists

Post author:Skwawkbox
Post published:6 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

Your Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has told the Canary that the Filton 24 activists convicted of criminal damage must not be sentenced as terrorists. The Starmer regime insisted on retrying six activists. The jury had refused at the first trial to convict them on any of the state’s charges relating to damage to an Israeli-owned weapons factory, after police and security guards’ claims didn’t match CCTV evidence. At the retrial, security service-linked judge Jeremy Johnson banned any mention of the fact that the activists carried out their action to prevent the slaughter of Palestinian civilians. He also banned even the media…

Sánchez must act against Spanish police after brutal attack on pensioner protester

Post author:Skwawkbox
Post published:4 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez has a solid record of resistance to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. But he must now show emphatic action against Spanish police after another brutal attack on peaceful protesters. In late May, police in Bilbao launched a vicious and unprovoked attack on volunteers of a humanitarian flotilla as they returned from abduction by Israel as they tried to reach Gaza. Now, as teachers were peacefully protesting in Valencia for public education and better pay, a 68-year-old retired teacher was cold-bloodedly shoved over from behind without warning. The 31 May 2026 attack slammed the woman’s face into the road…

Saudi must overcome challenges of the past at the 2026 World Cup

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:1 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

When the Saudi national team takes to the pitch at the 2026 World Cup, they will carry a weighty legacy of both glory and anticipation. In the same country that witnessed its greatest World Cup moments more than three decades ago, the Green Falcons return to reclaim a story that has remained unfinished since the summer of 1994. In 1994, Saudi entered the tournament for the first time and emerged having put their name on the map of world football. Since that extraordinary American summer, generations have come and gone, and teams and managers have changed, but that achievement remains a…

Amazon UK must urgently ban sale of donkey skin products says charity

Post author:The Canary
Post published:29 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

Over six million donkeys are slaughtered each year to produce ejiao. It’s a gelatine used in supplements, food and cosmetics. And it’s sold globally, including via major online retailers. Working donkey and horse charity Brooke carried out an investigation. It found that while Amazon UK doesn’t sell these products directly, they remain available through third-party sellers on its marketplace. Donkeys are vital to millions of people, supporting livelihoods, education and access to essentials in some of the world’s poorest communities. The donkey skin trade is causing extreme suffering worldwide, including violent capture, long transportation without food or water, and brutal slaughter…