#braverman — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #braverman, aggregated by home.social.
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People who are #blind from birth never develop #schizophrenia – what this tells us about the #psychiatric condition
In 1950, two researchers noticed something that didn’t quite add up. Hector #Chevigny, a writer who had lost his sight in adulthood, and #psychologist Sydell #Braverman were studying the #psychological lives of blind people when they stumbled upon an intriguing pattern ...
#MentalHealth #ScienceMatters #medical #brain #sighted #sight #research
[1/2]
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People who are #blind from birth never develop #schizophrenia – what this tells us about the #psychiatric condition
In 1950, two researchers noticed something that didn’t quite add up. Hector #Chevigny, a writer who had lost his sight in adulthood, and #psychologist Sydell #Braverman were studying the #psychological lives of blind people when they stumbled upon an intriguing pattern ...
#MentalHealth #ScienceMatters #medical #brain #sighted #sight #research
[1/2]
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People who are #blind from birth never develop #schizophrenia – what this tells us about the #psychiatric condition
In 1950, two researchers noticed something that didn’t quite add up. Hector #Chevigny, a writer who had lost his sight in adulthood, and #psychologist Sydell #Braverman were studying the #psychological lives of blind people when they stumbled upon an intriguing pattern ...
#MentalHealth #ScienceMatters #medical #brain #sighted #sight #research
[1/2]
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People who are #blind from birth never develop #schizophrenia – what this tells us about the #psychiatric condition
In 1950, two researchers noticed something that didn’t quite add up. Hector #Chevigny, a writer who had lost his sight in adulthood, and #psychologist Sydell #Braverman were studying the #psychological lives of blind people when they stumbled upon an intriguing pattern ...
#MentalHealth #ScienceMatters #medical #brain #sighted #sight #research
[1/2]
-
People who are #blind from birth never develop #schizophrenia – what this tells us about the #psychiatric condition
In 1950, two researchers noticed something that didn’t quite add up. Hector #Chevigny, a writer who had lost his sight in adulthood, and #psychologist Sydell #Braverman were studying the #psychological lives of blind people when they stumbled upon an intriguing pattern ...
#MentalHealth #ScienceMatters #medical #brain #sighted #sight #research
[1/2]
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It gets better - Suella #Braverman - is defending Farage for taking the gift from Harborne. To be clear this is the same donor who gave £6m to the Brexit Party in 2019 and £15m to Reform in 2025-26 - making him the biggest donor to a political party in British history.
And Suella says she and the #Tories are fine with him not declaring this £5m pay-off as it was ‘private’ - and completely unrelated to Farage leading the political party Harborne is also bankrolling: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/apr/30/local-election-campaign-labour-reform-conservatives-tories-greens-lib-dems-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-69f334038f08e0584d89bf03#block.
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Enième #vendredilecture consacré à la critique de l’idéologie du fascisme artificiel, cette fois-ci dévorant « The Eye of the Master » de #MatteoPasquinelli, prof de philosophie des sciences à Venise que je ne connaissais pas du tout avant sa participation dans un débat public il y trois semaines à Berlin, « Critique of AI », à coté de @ANosthoff, @bildoperationen et @RainerMuehlhoff. Son livre s’inscrit dans la tradition de #Marx, #Simondon, #Braverman et de l'opéraïsme italien des années 60, expliquant l’histoire sociale de l’IA dans le cadre de l’économie politique. L'IA n'est autre que l'automatisation du travail et n’a strictement rien d’intelligent.
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Enième #vendredilecture consacré à la critique de l’idéologie du fascisme artificiel, cette fois-ci dévorant « The Eye of the Master » de #MatteoPasquinelli, prof de philosophie des sciences à Venise que je ne connaissais pas du tout avant sa participation dans un débat public il y trois semaines à Berlin, « Critique of AI », à coté de @ANosthoff, @bildoperationen et @RainerMuehlhoff. Son livre s’inscrit dans la tradition de #Marx, #Simondon, #Braverman et de l'opéraïsme italien des années 60, expliquant l’histoire sociale de l’IA dans le cadre de l’économie politique. L'IA n'est autre que l'automatisation du travail et n’a strictement rien d’intelligent.
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Enième #vendredilecture consacré à la critique de l’idéologie du fascisme artificiel, cette fois-ci dévorant « The Eye of the Master » de #MatteoPasquinelli, prof de philosophie des sciences à Venise que je ne connaissais pas du tout avant sa participation dans un débat public il y trois semaines à Berlin, « Critique of AI », à coté de @ANosthoff, @bildoperationen et @RainerMuehlhoff. Son livre s’inscrit dans la tradition de #Marx, #Simondon, #Braverman et de l'opéraïsme italien des années 60, expliquant l’histoire sociale de l’IA dans le cadre de l’économie politique. L'IA n'est autre que l'automatisation du travail et n’a strictement rien d’intelligent.
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Enième #vendredilecture consacré à la critique de l’idéologie du fascisme artificiel, cette fois-ci dévorant « The Eye of the Master » de #MatteoPasquinelli, prof de philosophie des sciences à Venise que je ne connaissais pas du tout avant sa participation dans un débat public il y trois semaines à Berlin, « Critique of AI », à coté de @ANosthoff, @bildoperationen et @RainerMuehlhoff. Son livre s’inscrit dans la tradition de #Marx, #Simondon, #Braverman et de l'opéraïsme italien des années 60, expliquant l’histoire sociale de l’IA dans le cadre de l’économie politique. L'IA n'est autre que l'automatisation du travail et n’a strictement rien d’intelligent.
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Enième #vendredilecture consacré à la critique de l’idéologie du fascisme artificiel, cette fois-ci dévorant « The Eye of the Master » de #MatteoPasquinelli, prof de philosophie des sciences à Venise que je ne connaissais pas du tout avant sa participation dans un débat public il y trois semaines à Berlin, « Critique of AI », à coté de @ANosthoff, @bildoperationen et @RainerMuehlhoff. Son livre s’inscrit dans la tradition de #Marx, #Simondon, #Braverman et de l'opéraïsme italien des années 60, expliquant l’histoire sociale de l’IA dans le cadre de l’économie politique. L'IA n'est autre que l'automatisation du travail et n’a strictement rien d’intelligent.
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✒️ Dans cet article, il revient sur les différentes critiques faites à l’#intelligenceartificielle et défend, s'inspirant des ouvriers #luddites du XIXe et de #Braverman, une trajectoire technologique alternative et le droit de la définir collectivement
➡️ https://www.revolutionpermanente.fr/Que-faire-de-l-intelligence-artificielle
4/4
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Robert #Jenrick and Suella #Braverman accidentally voted with Labour to abolish the two-child benefit cap tonight after entering the wrong lobby!
#ReformUK as incompetent as usual. #ukpol
screenshot from https://x.com/PeterStefanovi2/status/2018812946298868043
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Robert #Jenrick and Suella #Braverman accidentally voted with Labour to abolish the two-child benefit cap tonight after entering the wrong lobby!
#ReformUK as incompetent as usual. #ukpol
screenshot from https://x.com/PeterStefanovi2/status/2018812946298868043
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Robert #Jenrick and Suella #Braverman accidentally voted with Labour to abolish the two-child benefit cap tonight after entering the wrong lobby!
#ReformUK as incompetent as usual. #ukpol
screenshot from https://x.com/PeterStefanovi2/status/2018812946298868043
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Robert #Jenrick and Suella #Braverman accidentally voted with Labour to abolish the two-child benefit cap tonight after entering the wrong lobby!
#ReformUK as incompetent as usual. #ukpol
screenshot from https://x.com/PeterStefanovi2/status/2018812946298868043
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Robert #Jenrick and Suella #Braverman accidentally voted with Labour to abolish the two-child benefit cap tonight after entering the wrong lobby!
#ReformUK as incompetent as usual. #ukpol
screenshot from https://x.com/PeterStefanovi2/status/2018812946298868043
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/27/matthew-goodwin-gorton-and-denton-reform-uk-minorities. Those of us who know for a fact that #Reform UK Ltd preaches #racism & is a deeply #racist Party won't be surprised by this. So, Nadim #Zahawi & Suella #Braverman, are you comfortable belonging to it? You probably think the size of your bank accounts will protect you. They won't.
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/27/matthew-goodwin-gorton-and-denton-reform-uk-minorities. Those of us who know for a fact that #Reform UK Ltd preaches #racism & is a deeply #racist Party won't be surprised by this. So, Nadim #Zahawi & Suella #Braverman, are you comfortable belonging to it? You probably think the size of your bank accounts will protect you. They won't.
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/27/matthew-goodwin-gorton-and-denton-reform-uk-minorities. Those of us who know for a fact that #Reform UK Ltd preaches #racism & is a deeply #racist Party won't be surprised by this. So, Nadim #Zahawi & Suella #Braverman, are you comfortable belonging to it? You probably think the size of your bank accounts will protect you. They won't.
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/27/matthew-goodwin-gorton-and-denton-reform-uk-minorities. Those of us who know for a fact that #Reform UK Ltd preaches #racism & is a deeply #racist Party won't be surprised by this. So, Nadim #Zahawi & Suella #Braverman, are you comfortable belonging to it? You probably think the size of your bank accounts will protect you. They won't.
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/27/matthew-goodwin-gorton-and-denton-reform-uk-minorities. Those of us who know for a fact that #Reform UK Ltd preaches #racism & is a deeply #racist Party won't be surprised by this. So, Nadim #Zahawi & Suella #Braverman, are you comfortable belonging to it? You probably think the size of your bank accounts will protect you. They won't.
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#Suella #Braverman helping to sink #ReformUK. A further step in the creation of the "#Reformatives Ltd." (for profit and personal gain) Party.
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“Tories criticised over claim Braverman defected to Reform after ‘mental health’ issues.” Seeing peace marches as hate marches does suggest some kind of mental aberration. #Braverman
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Seeing the news about Cruella defecting to Reform is a bit like when you hear about some long-retired actor dying peacefully in their late 90s, and you think "oh, I thought that had already happened years ago"
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"Employers should never disclose any details about the mental health of their employees or former staff. Doing so says far more about them than the person they are referring to."
"Although, in this case Braverman, is absolutely fucking whack-a-doodle-do so it's fine" the charity adddd.
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Could anyone imagine a more disgusting photo? #Braverman #Farage
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Möge auf die Tory-Abgeordneten, die gerade ihre Wähler verraten und in Nigel Farages Partei überlaufen das gleiche Schicksal warten wie die Wagenknechte. #braverman
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jan/26/labour-andy-burnham-byelection-blocked-police-reforms-starmer-streeting-farage-uk-politics-live-news-updates. First Nadim #Zahawi, then Robert #Jenrick, now Suella #Braverman - all taking the #Farage shilling & signing up with #ReformUK. Who's next? Liz #Truss? The #Tories are toast! Moderate, sane #Tory voters should vote for the @libdems. There is no future for #Badenoch & her rabidly right-wing Party, which isn't right-wing enough for all-too-many of its extremist fringe members.
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jan/26/labour-andy-burnham-byelection-blocked-police-reforms-starmer-streeting-farage-uk-politics-live-news-updates. First Nadim #Zahawi, then Robert #Jenrick, now Suella #Braverman - all taking the #Farage shilling & signing up with #ReformUK. Who's next? Liz #Truss? The #Tories are toast! Moderate, sane #Tory voters should vote for the @libdems. There is no future for #Badenoch & her rabidly right-wing Party, which isn't right-wing enough for all-too-many of its extremist fringe members.
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jan/26/labour-andy-burnham-byelection-blocked-police-reforms-starmer-streeting-farage-uk-politics-live-news-updates. First Nadim #Zahawi, then Robert #Jenrick, now Suella #Braverman - all taking the #Farage shilling & signing up with #ReformUK. Who's next? Liz #Truss? The #Tories are toast! Moderate, sane #Tory voters should vote for the @libdems. There is no future for #Badenoch & her rabidly right-wing Party, which isn't right-wing enough for all-too-many of its extremist fringe members.
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jan/26/labour-andy-burnham-byelection-blocked-police-reforms-starmer-streeting-farage-uk-politics-live-news-updates. First Nadim #Zahawi, then Robert #Jenrick, now Suella #Braverman - all taking the #Farage shilling & signing up with #ReformUK. Who's next? Liz #Truss? The #Tories are toast! Moderate, sane #Tory voters should vote for the @libdems. There is no future for #Badenoch & her rabidly right-wing Party, which isn't right-wing enough for all-too-many of its extremist fringe members.
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jan/26/labour-andy-burnham-byelection-blocked-police-reforms-starmer-streeting-farage-uk-politics-live-news-updates. First Nadim #Zahawi, then Robert #Jenrick, now Suella #Braverman - all taking the #Farage shilling & signing up with #ReformUK. Who's next? Liz #Truss? The #Tories are toast! Moderate, sane #Tory voters should vote for the @libdems. There is no future for #Badenoch & her rabidly right-wing Party, which isn't right-wing enough for all-too-many of its extremist fringe members.
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#UKPol
#Braverman
Please use her real name - Sue Ellen.
Named after a character from a long forgotten TV drama ?
The merger of Tories and Reform gets closer. -
#Braverman claims she was sacked "for telling the truth"
Braverman, was sacked by Sunak in November 2023 following a series of controversies, most notably an unauthorized newspaper article in which she accused the police of bias in their handling of protests.
She wrote in police were softer on "Palestinian protests but harder on those associated with causes attributed to the far right" "playing favourites"
How far is Braverman's statement true?
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CW: UKPol Braverman
Ahh... Suella "I have a dream*" Braverman has defected to Reform UK Ltd.
(*A dream of deporting all those icky people who come to the UK without having lots of money)
She also brings with her an opposition to "radical gender ideology" (by which she means trans people existing, not Transphobic "feminism" as an extreme ideology based on gender essentialism)
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“Iranian hacker group ‘Handala’ says it breached Netanyahu chief of staff’s phone”
by The Cradle News Desk
@[email protected]
@[email protected]
@[email protected]“While Netanyahu's office denied the claims, the group says it will release sensitive data involving Tzachi Braverman's contacts and information regarding the Qatargate scandal”
#Press #Israel #Genocide #Netanyahu #Hacker #Handala #Corruption #QatarGate #Hamas #Payments #Braverman #Iran
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“Iranian hacker group ‘Handala’ says it breached Netanyahu chief of staff’s phone”
by The Cradle News Desk
@[email protected]
@[email protected]
@[email protected]“While Netanyahu's office denied the claims, the group says it will release sensitive data involving Tzachi Braverman's contacts and information regarding the Qatargate scandal”
#Press #Israel #Genocide #Netanyahu #Hacker #Handala #Corruption #QatarGate #Hamas #Payments #Braverman #Iran
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“Iranian hacker group ‘Handala’ says it breached Netanyahu chief of staff’s phone”
by The Cradle News Desk
@[email protected]
@[email protected]
@[email protected]“While Netanyahu's office denied the claims, the group says it will release sensitive data involving Tzachi Braverman's contacts and information regarding the Qatargate scandal”
#Press #Israel #Genocide #Netanyahu #Hacker #Handala #Corruption #QatarGate #Hamas #Payments #Braverman #Iran
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“Iranian hacker group ‘Handala’ says it breached Netanyahu chief of staff’s phone”
by The Cradle News Desk
@[email protected]
@[email protected]
@[email protected]“While Netanyahu's office denied the claims, the group says it will release sensitive data involving Tzachi Braverman's contacts and information regarding the Qatargate scandal”
#Press #Israel #Genocide #Netanyahu #Hacker #Handala #Corruption #QatarGate #Hamas #Payments #Braverman #Iran
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“Iranian hacker group ‘Handala’ says it breached Netanyahu chief of staff’s phone”
by The Cradle News Desk
@[email protected]
@[email protected]
@[email protected]“While Netanyahu's office denied the claims, the group says it will release sensitive data involving Tzachi Braverman's contacts and information regarding the Qatargate scandal”
#Press #Israel #Genocide #Netanyahu #Hacker #Handala #Corruption #QatarGate #Hamas #Payments #Braverman #Iran
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So those Iranian hackers claim to have broken to the phone of Tzachi Bravermaמ, Netanyahu's chief of staff, and found basically nothing interesting.
Not really surprising. In an interview just last week, Eli Feldstein described a scene where Braverman calls him to the office late at night, meets him at the parking lot, makes sure that there are no phones in the car, and talks about an upcoming investigation he was aware of and he can shut down if needed.
#Braverman is already careful enough.
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aspiration to towards reality.
Those promoting the reunification of the island, only have before 1921 to point too for an example of a united island. Reunification has to better than a romantic ideal.
This is going to take work but #Braverman has possibly started a wider debate in England because of the small boats - Get rid of NI to stop the small boats. That will play well with those who vote for Farage.
This isn't #Brexit this is far more important. We have to get this right first time.
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Anti-protest law modified
High Court loosens restrictions on demonstrations
May 2025
No government likes protests. They demonstrate, all too visibly, that the public – or a part of them at least – is not happy with them or the status quo. Depending on the degree of despotism, demonstrations are controlled or in the worst of countries, banned altogether. China has an extremely restrictive policy backed up by a massive and all pervasive surveillance system making protests all but impossible. Gulf states are also highly restrictive.
Demonstrations are often how change happens. Britain has many examples throughout its history of protest bringing change. Wat Tyler and the plight of the poor (serfs); the Poll Tax riots in 1381 and 1970; the Prayer Book rebellion; the Iraq War protest and of course the Suffragettes. There are many more examples. They do not necessarily bring about immediate change. They do show to politicians and others the depth of feeling that people have about their cause.
The last Conservative government was no different to others in disliking protests. What upset them the most were the climate protests. Just Stop Oil and other groups such as Extinction Rebellion, engaged in a series of eye-catching protests which shone a light on the government’s failure (in their eyes) to do enough to stop fossil fuel extraction.
Suella Braverman, then the Home Secretary resented these protests and introduced the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act in 2022 in an attempt to seriously curtail them. Controversially they introduced a change in the threshold wording from ‘serious disruption’ to ‘more than minor’. This was done by using a statutory instrument not after proper debate in the House of Commons. This had the effect of almost banning all protests.
Successful challenge
Liberty and other groups successfully challenged this in the courts and the new Labour government decided to appeal. This seems to demonstrate that the dislike of protest is not a party political matter: governments just do not like challenge. Last week (May 2) the Appeal Court ruled that ‘serious’ is not ‘more than minor’ and said that the anti-protest laws were introduced unlawfully. The regulations gave police almost unlimited powers to prevent protests taking place. Many were arrested using these powers.
The protests which so upset the previous government concerned fossil fuels. The fossil fuel industry is extremely powerful and well-funded. Several of the various think tanks based in and around 55 Tufton Street are thought to be funded by them. These include: The Tax Payers Alliance; Civitas; Adam Smith Institute; Global Warming Policy Foundation; Centre for Policy Studies and the Institute of Economic Affairs. Their funding is opaque but is thought to be mainly from fossil fuel companies such as the Koch corporation in the USA among others. They have frequent access to the media being interviewed on various BBC and commercial stations without ever being asked ‘who funds you?’ Their opinions often appear in newspaper columns. They employ large numbers of lobbyists and enjoy close contact with ministers and civil servants. They claim to be influential in forming policies to suit their interests. It was admitted by Rishi Sunak when he was prime minister that the Policy Exchange – another of these think tanks funded by Exxon Mobil – had drafted the anti-protest legislation.
Protest is crucial to enable the ordinary person to make their voice heard. As with the arms industry we highlighted in a previous post, governments are dominated by commercial concerns, the need for growth and the enormous power and influence of companies and their army of lobbyists. Around £2bn per annum is spent by firms on this activity. It is welcome news that the Appeal Court has ruled against the government and its ‘draconian’ anti-protest legislation.
Previous -
Anti-protest law modified
High Court loosens restrictions on demonstrations
May 2025
No government likes protests. They demonstrate, all too visibly, that the public – or a part of them at least – is not happy with them or the status quo. Depending on the degree of despotism, demonstrations are controlled or in the worst of countries, banned altogether. China has an extremely restrictive policy backed up by a massive and all pervasive surveillance system making protests all but impossible. Gulf states are also highly restrictive.
Demonstrations are often how change happens. Britain has many examples throughout its history of protest bringing change. Wat Tyler and the plight of the poor (serfs); the Poll Tax riots in 1381 and 1970; the Prayer Book rebellion; the Iraq War protest and of course the Suffragettes. There are many more examples. They do not necessarily bring about immediate change. They do show to politicians and others the depth of feeling that people have about their cause.
The last Conservative government was no different to others in disliking protests. What upset them the most were the climate protests. Just Stop Oil and other groups such as Extinction Rebellion, engaged in a series of eye-catching protests which shone a light on the government’s failure (in their eyes) to do enough to stop fossil fuel extraction.
Suella Braverman, then the Home Secretary resented these protests and introduced the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act in 2022 in an attempt to seriously curtail them. Controversially they introduced a change in the threshold wording from ‘serious disruption’ to ‘more than minor’. This was done by using a statutory instrument not after proper debate in the House of Commons. This had the effect of almost banning all protests.
Successful challenge
Liberty and other groups successfully challenged this in the courts and the new Labour government decided to appeal. This seems to demonstrate that the dislike of protest is not a party political matter: governments just do not like challenge. Last week (May 2) the Appeal Court ruled that ‘serious’ is not ‘more than minor’ and said that the anti-protest laws were introduced unlawfully. The regulations gave police almost unlimited powers to prevent protests taking place. Many were arrested using these powers.
The protests which so upset the previous government concerned fossil fuels. The fossil fuel industry is extremely powerful and well-funded. Several of the various think tanks based in and around 55 Tufton Street are thought to be funded by them. These include: The Tax Payers Alliance; Civitas; Adam Smith Institute; Global Warming Policy Foundation; Centre for Policy Studies and the Institute of Economic Affairs. Their funding is opaque but is thought to be mainly from fossil fuel companies such as the Koch corporation in the USA among others. They have frequent access to the media being interviewed on various BBC and commercial stations without ever being asked ‘who funds you?’ Their opinions often appear in newspaper columns. They employ large numbers of lobbyists and enjoy close contact with ministers and civil servants. They claim to be influential in forming policies to suit their interests. It was admitted by Rishi Sunak when he was prime minister that the Policy Exchange – another of these think tanks funded by Exxon Mobil – had drafted the anti-protest legislation.
Protest is crucial to enable the ordinary person to make their voice heard. As with the arms industry we highlighted in a previous post, governments are dominated by commercial concerns, the need for growth and the enormous power and influence of companies and their army of lobbyists. Around £2bn per annum is spent by firms on this activity. It is welcome news that the Appeal Court has ruled against the government and its ‘draconian’ anti-protest legislation.
Previous -
Anti-protest law modified
High Court loosens restrictions on demonstrations
May 2025
No government likes protests. They demonstrate, all too visibly, that the public – or a part of them at least – is not happy with them or the status quo. Depending on the degree of despotism, demonstrations are controlled or in the worst of countries, banned altogether. China has an extremely restrictive policy backed up by a massive and all pervasive surveillance system making protests all but impossible. Gulf states are also highly restrictive.
Demonstrations are often how change happens. Britain has many examples throughout its history of protest bringing change. Wat Tyler and the plight of the poor (serfs); the Poll Tax riots in 1381 and 1970; the Prayer Book rebellion; the Iraq War protest and of course the Suffragettes. There are many more examples. They do not necessarily bring about immediate change. They do show to politicians and others the depth of feeling that people have about their cause.
The last Conservative government was no different to others in disliking protests. What upset them the most were the climate protests. Just Stop Oil and other groups such as Extinction Rebellion, engaged in a series of eye-catching protests which shone a light on the government’s failure (in their eyes) to do enough to stop fossil fuel extraction.
Suella Braverman, then the Home Secretary resented these protests and introduced the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act in 2022 in an attempt to seriously curtail them. Controversially they introduced a change in the threshold wording from ‘serious disruption’ to ‘more than minor’. This was done by using a statutory instrument not after proper debate in the House of Commons. This had the effect of almost banning all protests.
Successful challenge
Liberty and other groups successfully challenged this in the courts and the new Labour government decided to appeal. This seems to demonstrate that the dislike of protest is not a party political matter: governments just do not like challenge. Last week (May 2) the Appeal Court ruled that ‘serious’ is not ‘more than minor’ and said that the anti-protest laws were introduced unlawfully. The regulations gave police almost unlimited powers to prevent protests taking place. Many were arrested using these powers.
The protests which so upset the previous government concerned fossil fuels. The fossil fuel industry is extremely powerful and well-funded. Several of the various think tanks based in and around 55 Tufton Street are thought to be funded by them. These include: The Tax Payers Alliance; Civitas; Adam Smith Institute; Global Warming Policy Foundation; Centre for Policy Studies and the Institute of Economic Affairs. Their funding is opaque but is thought to be mainly from fossil fuel companies such as the Koch corporation in the USA among others. They have frequent access to the media being interviewed on various BBC and commercial stations without ever being asked ‘who funds you?’ Their opinions often appear in newspaper columns. They employ large numbers of lobbyists and enjoy close contact with ministers and civil servants. They claim to be influential in forming policies to suit their interests. It was admitted by Rishi Sunak when he was prime minister that the Policy Exchange – another of these think tanks funded by Exxon Mobil – had drafted the anti-protest legislation.
Protest is crucial to enable the ordinary person to make their voice heard. As with the arms industry we highlighted in a previous post, governments are dominated by commercial concerns, the need for growth and the enormous power and influence of companies and their army of lobbyists. Around £2bn per annum is spent by firms on this activity. It is welcome news that the Appeal Court has ruled against the government and its ‘draconian’ anti-protest legislation.
Previous -
Anti-protest law modified
High Court loosens restrictions on demonstrations
May 2025
No government likes protests. They demonstrate, all too visibly, that the public – or a part of them at least – is not happy with them or the status quo. Depending on the degree of despotism, demonstrations are controlled or in the worst of countries, banned altogether. China has an extremely restrictive policy backed up by a massive and all pervasive surveillance system making protests all but impossible. Gulf states are also highly restrictive.
Demonstrations are often how change happens. Britain has many examples throughout its history of protest bringing change. Wat Tyler and the plight of the poor (serfs); the Poll Tax riots in 1381 and 1970; the Prayer Book rebellion; the Iraq War protest and of course the Suffragettes. There are many more examples. They do not necessarily bring about immediate change. They do show to politicians and others the depth of feeling that people have about their cause.
The last Conservative government was no different to others in disliking protests. What upset them the most were the climate protests. Just Stop Oil and other groups such as Extinction Rebellion, engaged in a series of eye-catching protests which shone a light on the government’s failure (in their eyes) to do enough to stop fossil fuel extraction.
Suella Braverman, then the Home Secretary resented these protests and introduced the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act in 2022 in an attempt to seriously curtail them. Controversially they introduced a change in the threshold wording from ‘serious disruption’ to ‘more than minor’. This was done by using a statutory instrument not after proper debate in the House of Commons. This had the effect of almost banning all protests.
Successful challenge
Liberty and other groups successfully challenged this in the courts and the new Labour government decided to appeal. This seems to demonstrate that the dislike of protest is not a party political matter: governments just do not like challenge. Last week (May 2) the Appeal Court ruled that ‘serious’ is not ‘more than minor’ and said that the anti-protest laws were introduced unlawfully. The regulations gave police almost unlimited powers to prevent protests taking place. Many were arrested using these powers.
The protests which so upset the previous government concerned fossil fuels. The fossil fuel industry is extremely powerful and well-funded. Several of the various think tanks based in and around 55 Tufton Street are thought to be funded by them. These include: The Tax Payers Alliance; Civitas; Adam Smith Institute; Global Warming Policy Foundation; Centre for Policy Studies and the Institute of Economic Affairs. Their funding is opaque but is thought to be mainly from fossil fuel companies such as the Koch corporation in the USA among others. They have frequent access to the media being interviewed on various BBC and commercial stations without ever being asked ‘who funds you?’ Their opinions often appear in newspaper columns. They employ large numbers of lobbyists and enjoy close contact with ministers and civil servants. They claim to be influential in forming policies to suit their interests. It was admitted by Rishi Sunak when he was prime minister that the Policy Exchange – another of these think tanks funded by Exxon Mobil – had drafted the anti-protest legislation.
Protest is crucial to enable the ordinary person to make their voice heard. As with the arms industry we highlighted in a previous post, governments are dominated by commercial concerns, the need for growth and the enormous power and influence of companies and their army of lobbyists. Around £2bn per annum is spent by firms on this activity. It is welcome news that the Appeal Court has ruled against the government and its ‘draconian’ anti-protest legislation.
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Anti-protest law modified
High Court loosens restrictions on demonstrations
May 2025
No government likes protests. They demonstrate, all too visibly, that the public – or a part of them at least – is not happy with them or the status quo. Depending on the degree of despotism, demonstrations are controlled or in the worst of countries, banned altogether. China has an extremely restrictive policy backed up by a massive and all pervasive surveillance system making protests all but impossible. Gulf states are also highly restrictive.
Demonstrations are often how change happens. Britain has many examples throughout its history of protest bringing change. Wat Tyler and the plight of the poor (serfs); the Poll Tax riots in 1381 and 1970; the Prayer Book rebellion; the Iraq War protest and of course the Suffragettes. There are many more examples. They do not necessarily bring about immediate change. They do show to politicians and others the depth of feeling that people have about their cause.
The last Conservative government was no different to others in disliking protests. What upset them the most were the climate protests. Just Stop Oil and other groups such as Extinction Rebellion, engaged in a series of eye-catching protests which shone a light on the government’s failure (in their eyes) to do enough to stop fossil fuel extraction.
Suella Braverman, then the Home Secretary resented these protests and introduced the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act in 2022 in an attempt to seriously curtail them. Controversially they introduced a change in the threshold wording from ‘serious disruption’ to ‘more than minor’. This was done by using a statutory instrument not after proper debate in the House of Commons. This had the effect of almost banning all protests.
Successful challenge
Liberty and other groups successfully challenged this in the courts and the new Labour government decided to appeal. This seems to demonstrate that the dislike of protest is not a party political matter: governments just do not like challenge. Last week (May 2) the Appeal Court ruled that ‘serious’ is not ‘more than minor’ and said that the anti-protest laws were introduced unlawfully. The regulations gave police almost unlimited powers to prevent protests taking place. Many were arrested using these powers.
The protests which so upset the previous government concerned fossil fuels. The fossil fuel industry is extremely powerful and well-funded. Several of the various think tanks based in and around 55 Tufton Street are thought to be funded by them. These include: The Tax Payers Alliance; Civitas; Adam Smith Institute; Global Warming Policy Foundation; Centre for Policy Studies and the Institute of Economic Affairs. Their funding is opaque but is thought to be mainly from fossil fuel companies such as the Koch corporation in the USA among others. They have frequent access to the media being interviewed on various BBC and commercial stations without ever being asked ‘who funds you?’ Their opinions often appear in newspaper columns. They employ large numbers of lobbyists and enjoy close contact with ministers and civil servants. They claim to be influential in forming policies to suit their interests. It was admitted by Rishi Sunak when he was prime minister that the Policy Exchange – another of these think tanks funded by Exxon Mobil – had drafted the anti-protest legislation.
Protest is crucial to enable the ordinary person to make their voice heard. As with the arms industry we highlighted in a previous post, governments are dominated by commercial concerns, the need for growth and the enormous power and influence of companies and their army of lobbyists. Around £2bn per annum is spent by firms on this activity. It is welcome news that the Appeal Court has ruled against the government and its ‘draconian’ anti-protest legislation.
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