Charlie Alford

FIFA private investment plan sparks major crisis in football

Post author:Alaa Shamali
Post published:29 July 2026
Post last modified:30 July 2026

FIFA’s announcement of its new project was not merely a passing commercial move. Within days, it had become one of the most controversial issues in the history of the game. Whilst FIFA insists the project aims to increase financial resources and expand support for national associations, European stakeholders believe it paves the way for investors to be brought into the heart of the management of football’s most important tournaments, foremost among them the World Cup. The crisis has escalated rapidly, with European federations threatening to boycott the World Cup as a means of pressure. Meanwhile, UEFA is preparing to examine legal…

Activists confront Aviva Norwich HQ for insuring migrant detention and surveillance private contractors

Post author:The Canary
Post published:27 July 2026
Post last modified:28 July 2026

On Friday 24 July 2026, from 8.00-9.00am, activists converged on Aviva’s historic Norwich headquarters. They were demanding the insurer severs ties with companies accused of human rights abuses against migrants and asylum seekers. They brought a 1.5m barbed wire ball surrounding Aviva’s logo, and spoke to hundreds of staff as they made their way to work. Aviva insures the largest number of migrant detention and surveillance contractors operating in the UK. Activists say this record sits in stark contradiction to the company’s publicly stated human rights commitments. Profiting from abuse? Aviva, which grew out of Norwich Union to become a multinational…

Billions in UK public funds are going to dodgy private equity firms

Post author:Ed Sykes
Post published:30 June 2026
Post last modified:1 July 2026

Billions of pounds in UK public funds are going to private equity firms, which have a reputation for lowering standards for profit. Most alarmingly, these firms are getting money for services supposedly caring for people in vulnerable situations, including children. Private equity firms profiting from essential services An extensive Guardian analysis showed that private equity firms have spread into: The social care sector. Private equity has developed a “large presence in adult and children’s social care”, including for people with mental health issues or learning disabilities. Residential care giant Four Seasons Health Care was one example of the debt accumulation and…

Scottish Parliament backs luxury wealth tax on mansions and private jets

Post author:Cameron Baillie
Post published:8 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

The Scottish parliament has voted to approve a new wealth tax on high-end luxury goods, especially mansions and houses over £1m and private jet travel. Scottish parliament leading the way MSPs went to the Scottish parliament chamber to debate a new “fair, progressive and sustainable” approach to tax. This included the plans for a levy on private jets and houses owned by the wealthiest in society. The motion — which passed 84-28, with 10 abstentions — highlighted the role taxes play in the delivery of essential public services. The motion welcomed all of Scotland’s recent progress made towards the creation of a…

Private water company fined record £2m over hospitalising parasite outbreak

Post author:Cameron Baillie
Post published:4 June 2026
Post last modified:9 June 2026

One privately-owned water company has been fined almost £2m after it was found that its water supply was infested with the dangerous parasite cryptosporidium. The outbreak affected Brixham in Devon. The private utility firm was sentenced to this record fine for a drinking water offence at Exeter Magistrates’ Court. The prosecution was brought by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). The privately-owned firm plead guilty to supplying water unfit for human consumption at an earlier hearing, offering a “full and unreserved apology”. Four people were hospitalised out of an astonishing 140 confirmed cases of sickness and diarrhoea during the 54-day incident around…

Private water company leaves thousands dry amid record May heatwave

Post author:Cameron Baillie
Post published:30 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

One privately-owned water company left thousands of people in south-east England dry and thirsty this week. This comes amid one of Britain’s hottest-ever May heatwaves. South East Water, which covers much of Kent, left over 8,000 people without any tap water. The company claimed that nearby reservoirs at Whitstable were at a “critical level” due to “extremely high demand”. The company’s six-figure CEO David Hinton stepped down from his position in early May over consistent failures, shortages and outages but will remain in-post to allow an orderly transition over the summer period. That and, presumably, to keep earning a slice of…

Private consultancy firms rake in big GB Energy public money

Post author:Cameron Baillie
Post published:29 May 2026
Post last modified:8 June 2026

New-ish GB Energy has wasted no time siphoning off public money to private companies. Scottish paper the National has revealed that up to £20m of taxpayer money is going straight to consultancy firms. GB Energy: corporate capture Under energy secretary Ed Miliband’s guidance, London-based firms Deloitte and Baringa Partners are gaining lucrative contracts. They’re to handle day-to-day operations of Labour’s flagship — supposedly publicly-owned — corporation GB Energy. The National has revealed that these contracts, signed on 1 May, awarded the two firms a shared programme — worth up to £10m each — in which they will: be responsible for “organisational set…