Brexit was bad actually, says new poll Surprising nobody who hasn’t been living under a rock for the last few years, [a new poll has found that][1] UK voters think Brexit has made everything worse, actually. However, the flipside is that most respondents in the EU would be happy for the UK to rejoin the union. Yonder Data solutions conducted the survey for FGS Global, a major public relations firm. Almost 20,000 people took part, of whom 11,714 were in the EU and 2,022 were in the UK. ## Brexit – nothing it says on the tin Arch-Brexiteers[ Johnson][2] and [Farage][3] claimed that [leaving the EU][4] would allow Britain to ‘take back control’. However, the vast majority of respondents now believe that that was a load of tosh. In fact, on 15% believe that we have more control over our own affairs, compared to 72% who believe we have less. Furthermore, 55% stated that the warnings of ‘Project Fear’ (a.k.a. factual statements about the potential consequences of Brexit) were correct. Just 23% of respondents thought that the warnings proved to be innaccurate. Regarding the [economy][5], 66% of respondents agreed that Brexit did financial harm to the UK. Conversely, 22% believed Brexit made a positive difference. Even the banner promise of the Brexiteers – that leaving the EU would grant the UK greater control over [immigration][6] – has proven to be false in the public eye. Again, 66% said we now have less control over immigration, vs 22% who believed the opposite. ## EU – you’d be welcome back Across the channel (or over the border, for our NI readers), most voters in the [EU][7] also think the union is worse off without the UK. However, most also believed that Brexit was a shining example of why countries shouldn’t leave the EU – so that’s one useful achievement for the UK. In total, 66% of the EU voters surveyed felt positive about the [UK][8] rejoining the EU, vs 16% who opposed a potential rejoining. Just 19% of EU respondents believe that they’re better off because of Brexit. Conversely, 50% held that they’re no better off. Following on from this, 59% stated that Brexit acted as a warning for other countries who might want to to leave the union. ## Why not rejoin then? However, respondents were still rather ambivalent about the prospect of rejoining. In fact, people actually seemed somewhat confused by the question. When the UK respondents were asked if Britain *should not* rejoin the EU, 49% agreed and 36% disagreed. Pretty overwhelming, right? Except that, in a separate question, the participants were asked whether they believed that Britain *should* rejoin the EU. This time, 50% said that we should rejoin, and just 38% said that we shouldn’t. This flip-flopping closely resembles the original EU referendum itself, where Brexit won out on a narrow 52% majority. Taken overall, EU voters’ welcoming attitude and the UK’s dismal opinion of the outcomes of Brexit should signal to [PM Starmer][9] that the public favours rebuilding closer relations with the EU. The referendum took place 10 years ago; since then, every promise of the Little Britain-bloc has proven to be a crock of shit. The UK is worse off outside the EU. Likewise, the people of the EU feel they’re worse off without us. We are – as we have always been – stronger together, as part of an international community. *Featured image via the Canary* By [Alex/Rose Cocker][10] [1]: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-uk-economy-immigration-eu-starmer-b2895257.html [2]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=Boris+Johnson [3]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=Farage [4]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/brexit/ [5]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=economy [6]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=immigration [7]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=EU [8]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=UK [9]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=Starmer [10]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alexrosecocker/ https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/01/06/brexit-latest-polling/

Cymru Cuba speaker extends solidarity to Venezuela and highlights threat to Cuba Following the [US attack][1] on Venezuela, a solidarity protest took place in Cardiff on 5 January. Dominic MacAskill from [Cymru Cuba][2] was among the speakers and delivered the following remarks: ## Cymru Cuba activist extends solidarity to Venezuela I am speaking on behalf of Cymru Cuba, the Welsh arm of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign in Britain. The Cuba Solidarity Campaign unequivocally condemns the US bombing of Venezuela and the kidnapping of its president. This reckless and illegal act of military aggression is a blatant violation of international law and an attack on Venezuela’s sovereignty, regional peace, and the fundamental right of nations to self-determination, free from imperialist violence. The use of US air power against Venezuela marks a grave and dangerous escalation. It confirms that Washington has moved beyond economic warfare, covert destabilisation and proxy operations to open military assault. This is not “security cooperation” or “counter-narcotics” – it is an act of war. Cymru Cuba calls on the Welsh Government and all Members of the Senedd to publicly condemn the US bombing; demand a halt to all military operations against Venezuela; the return of president Maduro and oppose any further escalation that threatens catastrophic consequences for the region. Silence is complicity with this blatant imperialist act of aggression. For more than two decades, successive US administrations have sought to overthrow Venezuela’s sovereign government through coups, sanctions, diplomatic isolation and economic strangulation. Those measures have inflicted immense suffering on the Venezuelan people. This US action represents the most extreme expression of that long-running campaign. The use of direct military force to impose US political control. The attack poses a threat far beyond Venezuela’s borders. US military aggression destabilises the entire Caribbean and Latin America, endangers shipping lanes and energy supplies, and raises the risk of wider regional conflict. It also constitutes a direct threat to Cuba. US attacks on Venezuela are inseparable from Washington’s long-standing objective of isolating, economically suffocating and politically destabilising both Venezuela and Cuba. Cymru Cuba stands with Venezuela and Cuba in the face of this aggression. We echo the firm condemnations issued by governments and peoples across the Global South and affirm that no nation has the right to bomb another under false pretexts or imperial ambition. Stand for peace, sovereignty and international law. Imperialist intervention must be resisted. Solidarity with the people of Venezuela! Watch the speech on [Twitter][3] or [Instagram][4]. *Featured image via the Canary* By [The Canary][5] [1]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=Venezuela+attack [2]: https://cuba-solidarity.org.uk/news/article/4515/cymru-cuba-and-revolutionary-resilience [3]: https://x.com/cymrucubacsc/status/2008287560297005360 [4]: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTJNTnkDQf2/?igsh=OG1taWtiam03bnRl [5]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/ https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/01/06/cymru-cuba-speaker-extends-solidarity-to-venezuela-and-highlights-threat-to-cuba/

Far-right MP Rupert Lowe shown up for Venezuela/Israel hypocrisy [Far-right][1] MP Rupert Lowe has been quickly caught out after his absurd, Trumpian rant about Venezuela after Trump’s illegal abduction of its president and his wife. ## Rupert Lowe drops another one Lowe, a [constant][2] [anti-immigrant][3] bigot, couldn’t resist [trying to turn Trump’s crime into an anti-immigrant, isolationist attack][4] on those who condemned Trump’s terrorism: > To those MPs planning to spend the next few months banging on about Venezuela, I have some advice. > > Go to your nearest town and LOOK AROUND. > > Our country is in deep shit. Britain needs its MPs to be focusing on OUR problems, not those in South America. > > OBVIOUSLY. > > — Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) [January 4, 2026][5] Ol’ Rupert’s not wrong that the UK is in deep shit. The right and far-right – including the fascist Starmer regime – are the turds in that equation, though. But he’s not, shall we say, entirely consistent in his clamour that the UK should ignore far-off countries and focus on supposed domestic issues. And of course, there are always receipts, as an X user ‘Xavier’ was quick to point out: > Rupert: “MPs should focus on Britain not other countries like Venezuela” > > Also Rupert: [https://t.co/5T3AeXwUdS][6] [pic.twitter.com/EotGIzqB7p][7] > > — Xavier (@xavierjp__) [January 4, 2026][8] Yes, seems that when it comes to Israel, Britain must find the resources to “support them, *however* we can”. Damn those bloody foreigners – except when they’re genocidal colonists. Then Rupert Lowe’s ‘patriotic’ pants are well and truly round his ankles. What an embarrassment. *Featured image via the Canary* By [Skwawkbox][9] [1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/12/04/rupert-lowe-thinks-britain-was-built-by-the-british-not-those-nasty-immigrants/ [2]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2025/11/16/rupert-lowe-nhs/ [3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/08/12/dwp-rupert-lowe/ [4]: https://x.com/RupertLowe10/status/2007865074267156519?s=20 [5]: https://twitter.com/RupertLowe10/status/2007865074267156519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [6]: https://t.co/5T3AeXwUdS [7]: https://t.co/EotGIzqB7p [8]: https://twitter.com/xavierjp__/status/2007912406853554348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [9]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/skwawkbox/ https://www.thecanary.co/skwawkbox/2026/01/06/rupert-lowe-venezuela/

GMB union faces two new harassment claims – despite institutional sexism report Trade union the GMB is in the midst of a[ brewing conflict between senior staffers][1]. It centers on sexism claims made by two women on the leadership team – one of whom was recently dismissed for making racist comments. Back in 2020, an independent report from Karon Monaghan KC concluded that GMB harboured an [“institutionally sexist”][2] culture. Since then, the union has [made attempts at reform][3] – against which the new allegations will land a worrying blow. The news comes ahead of the votes for the union’s new general secretary in May. The incumbent, Gary Smith, will face at least one opponent following expressions of interest gathered over December. ## ‘Zero tolerance to any form of discrimination’ Of the two women who made the allegations against the[ union][4], the first was recently fired. Following her dismissal, she sent an email to GMB’s entire central executive committee. She alleged that her sacking was motivated by revenge, given that she’d submitted complaints of bullying and harassment several months beforehand. Significantly, she named Smith and other senior men on the team within the complaints. She also made claims regarding contraventions of governance within the union. The *Guardian *reported that GMB is [now facing an unfair dismissal claim][5] from the former staff member. However, GMB claimed that her sacking wasn’t related to the harassment claims, but rather because she had made racist comments. In fact, a statement from the union held that she was: > dismissed from our employment due to a breakdown in trust and confidence, including matters arising from serious grievance relating to racism, with the complaints made against her by numerous members of staff being fully upheld. > > Following legal action at the high court, nearly 700 files were returned to GMB by [her]. [She] had held this data in breach of contract and, despite numerous requests to return it, only did so when legal action was commenced. The GMB data returned related to numerous individuals, including multiple junior members of staff who bravely raised concerns about her conduct during employment with the union. GMB also stated that it had investigated the staff member’s harassment claims, but none were upheld. It added that: > GMB has a zero tolerance for any form of discrimination, including racism, and we have acted swiftly in all matters where it is raised. However, the former staffer’s Unite representative challenged GMB’s claims: > Our member was dismissed with no investigation and no hearing. An investigation and hearing, as set out in Acas guidance, is the minimum we would expect from any employer. The allegations have been denied throughout and are now the subject of an employment tribunal claim. ## GMB: ‘rotten at the root’ A second woman on the senior leadership team also stated that she emailed the central committee to report harassment and bullying from union leadership. However, unlike the previous complainant, this second staffer is still in GMB’s employ – though she is now on sick leave. The second staffer reportedly informed the committee that the behaviour of senior staff members was no longer tolerable. The *Guardian *reported that she claimed: > that the union was rotten at the root and being damaged by the actions of those at the top. As with the previous allegations, GMB held that it had investigated the allegations, but hadn’t upheld them. The union stated that: > GMB does not comment on matters relating to individual employees and has a duty to ensure staff wellbeing and confidentiality. We can confirm that whistleblowing complaints raised by a senior member of staff were investigated thoroughly over a three-month period in line with GMB’s policies and procedures. > > The investigation concluded that the allegations were not substantiated and found no evidence of wrongdoing. GMB takes all complaints seriously and remains committed to robust governance and fair process. The two complaints against GMB, and the[ unfair dismissal][6] claim, come 6 years after the Monaghan report on institutional sexism within the union. As of August 2025, a leaked follow-up report showed that just 11 of Monaghan’s 27 recommendations had been fully implemented. *Featured image via the Canary* By [Alex/Rose Cocker][7] [1]: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/05/gmb-union-in-fresh-turmoil-over-claims-by-senior-female-leaders [2]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=institutional+sexism [3]: https://www.gmb.org.uk/about/how-we-work/taskforce-for-positive-change [4]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=union [5]: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/05/gmb-union-in-fresh-turmoil-over-claims-by-senior-female-leaders [6]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=unfair+dismissal [7]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/alexrosecocker/ https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/01/06/gmb-union-harassment/

East London Peabody residents left without heating and hot water – some since September 2025 Tenants and residents of Hoey Court and Massey House in Bromley-by-Bow, east London, have been left without heating or hot water for months. For some, this has been going on since September 2025. Their [landlord][1], [Peabody Housing Association][2] has repeatedly ignored their pleas to fix the problems, and has instead supplied some with blow-heaters as a solution. ## Residents left in the cold The two large tower blocks have suffered persistent problems with their heating and hot water systems, as one tenant explains: > It is almost unbelievable that Peabody is allowed to continue to make us suffer. For some of us, these issues started back in September and we are now in January. > > What kind of an organisation leaves vulnerable people, elderly, children and families without essential services in the coldest months of the year? Despite contacting Peabody and its maintenance teams, the tenants and residents believe Peabody is brushing them off. Suzanne Muna, secretary and cofounder of [housing campaign group SHAC][3], commented: > This is an intolerable situation for the householders affected by the broken plumbing. The lack of urgency by Peabody is staggering. > > It shows just why tougher accountability is needed in the housing association sector, and that we need a body to be set up that can inspect homes and enforce minimum living standards. The current regulatory system is just not working. > > Landlords are able to ignore the fact that people are living in conditions that are hazardous to their health. And the remedy that government offers is a long-winded procedure through the landlord’s own complaints system, the Housing Ombudsman Service, and then the courts, or possibly a regulatory downgrade that might embarrass the landlord into fixing the problem. > > This is a desperate situation and government needs to make it clear that it is not acceptable through meaningful enforcement. SHAC added that finances cannot be an issue. Peabody Housing Association made an operating surplus of £220m in the financial year ending 31 March 2025 according to its latest accounts. Yet SHAC receives an increasing volume of complaints about this landlord, concerning disrepairs including leaks, damp and mould. SHAC will continue supporting the tenants and residents of Hoey Court and Massey House until Peabody completes the repairs properly. *Featured image via the Canary* By [The Canary][4] [1]: https://www.peabody.org.uk/ [2]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=peabody+housing+association [3]: https://shaction.org/ [4]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/thecanary/ https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/01/06/east-london-peabody-residents-left-without-heating-and-hot-water-some-since-september-2025/

Watch Corbyn expose wealthy BBC guest shilling for US warmongers The *BBC* brought out [wealthy][1] Venezuelan Vanessa Neumann to talk about the new [US oil grab][2] in her country. But Jeremy Corbyn quickly exposed her shilling for US imperialism. ## Corbyn on top form Corbyn had already condemned the “[illegal act of war][3]” in which the US abducted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. But he also took to the *BBC* to call out Neumann’s absurd assessment that the US coup was “stunning” and “does not break international laws”. Neumann was totally wrong, of course, as legal experts called it “[completely illegal under international law][4]“. The US had absolutely no right to cross into another country to abduct one of its citizens. And when Corbyn pushed Neumann to explain why she thought it was acceptable, she argued that targets for US imperialism: > can be snatched anywhere > US imperialism summed up in a single exchange: > > Vanessa Neumann: Maduro was a fugitive from justice[@jeremycorbyn][5]: From where? > > Neumann: The United States > > Corbyn: But he wasn't in the United States > > Neumann: It doesn't matter where you are. You can be snatched anywhere [pic.twitter.com/IpaurD60sS][6] > > — Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) [January 6, 2026][7] [US imperialism has long terrorised South America][8]. But its 21st-century [destabilisation tactics][9] had been [quieter and more subtle][10] until Donald Trump and his [elitist backers][11] came in with the type of wildly authoritarian logic Neumann expressed. Highlighting the fact that it has already [threatened Cuba, Colombia and Mexico too][12], Corbyn rightly asked: > Where’s it gonna end? > It’s not complicated: The United States’ invasion of Venezuela is a total violation of all aspects of international law. > > Venezuela first, who’s next? [pic.twitter.com/CwG01ZLgKC][13] > > — Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) [January 6, 2026][14] You may remember Neumann from the last big wave of Venezuela news, when Western governments were trying to anoint [far-right randomer Juan Guaidó][15] as its leader. Since the earth-shaking 1998 election of Hugo Chávez’s left-leaning government in oil-rich Venezuela, the US and its allies had [bombarded the country with all types of hostility][16]. But as brutal US sanctions and lower oil prices were strangling Venezuela in 2019, the West dug in behind Guaidó. And Neumann was right by his side. But who exactly is she? ## An embodiment of the billionaire/far-right alliance As the *Canary* [reported][17] previously, Neumann’s: > European-born grandfather bought the island of Mustique – “a playground for the very rich”. She then went on to serve her class interests faithfully. She worked with [super-rich thinktanks][18] like the [International Institute of Strategic Studies and the Foreign Policy Research Institute][19] (FPRI). At the [interventionist][20] FPRI, which is [rolling][21] in [billionaire][22] [cash][23], she [tried][24] to [suggest][25] al-Qaeda was in Venezuela (something [even the US didn’t believe][26]). [Venezuela’s criticism of Israeli war crimes and support for Palestine][27] are [longstanding][28]. And the [far-right opposition are both racist and very pro-Israel][29]. So with propagandists often trying to equate pro-Palestine groups with al-Qaeda, despite even [right-wing][30] [thinktanks][31] accepting they’re [not the same][32], Neumann clearly thought it was worth a shot. [Idolising US war criminals][33] and [longing for a “return of the Americans”][34] to Venezuela, Neumann also cosied up to the empire. After lobbying the US on behalf of “[oil industry interests][35]“, she founded an [organisation][36] reporting for corporations on sectors like [“oil & gas” and “finance”][37], leading her to speak: > at many US military bases around the world She became “[closely connected to the US military and intelligence services][38]“. As Guaidó‘s representative in the UK, meanwhile, she pushed for [more intervention and murderous sanctions][39]. And she developed strong “back channels” to the government at a time when the UK was withholding enough Venezuelan gold to cover “almost its [entire budget for food and medical imports][40]“. In short, Neumann is a perfect embodiment of the [billionaire/far-right alliance][41] that wants to rid Venezuela’s government of anything progressive. So it’s no surprise she’s cheering on Trump’s illegality now. But it absolutely is something we should all be resisting. *Featured image via the Canary* By [Ed Sykes][42] [1]: https://orinocotribune.com/a-quick-look-at-vanessa-neumanns-family-the-revenge-of-the-rich/ [2]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/01/06/delcy-rodriguez-venezuela/ [3]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/01/05/mps-tell-the-canary-labours-stance-on-trumps-venezuela-attack-is-pathetic-and-reckless/ [4]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr4krkz7242o [5]: https://twitter.com/jeremycorbyn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [6]: https://t.co/IpaurD60sS [7]: https://twitter.com/SaulStaniforth/status/2008426697440256308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [8]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2019/02/06/three-terrifying-reasons-never-to-trust-us-intentions-in-latin-america/ [9]: https://dissidentvoice.org/2022/01/21st-century-us-coups-and-attempted-coups-in-latin-america/ [10]: https://www.thecanary.co/explainer/2025/11/20/venezuela-international-billionaire/ [11]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/01/21/billionaires-support-israel-trump/ [12]: https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/01/06/delcy-rodriguez-venezuela/ [13]: https://t.co/CwG01ZLgKC [14]: https://twitter.com/jeremycorbyn/status/2008463110793830435?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [15]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=Guaido [16]: https://phoenixcoop0.wordpress.com/2021/03/24/venezuela/ [17]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2019/05/21/venezuelas-coup-representative-in-the-uk-says-shes-too-young-to-discuss-brutal-us-record-in-latin-america/ [18]: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/12/8/uk-think-tank-probed-for-accepting-secret-bahrain-funds [19]: https://www.fpri.org/contributor/vanessa-neumann/ [20]: https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Foreign_Policy_Research_Institute [21]: https://www.desmog.com/who-donors-trust/ [22]: https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Koch_Family_Foundations [23]: https://www.desmog.com/scaife-family-foundations/ [24]: https://www.fpri.org/article/2011/12/the-new-nexus-of-narcoterrorism-hezbollah-and-venezuela/ [25]: https://www.fpri.org/article/2011/11/kidnappings-in-venezuela/ [26]: https://commdocs.house.gov/committees/intlrel/hfa28638.000/hfa28638_0.htm [27]: https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/venezuela-demands-decolonization-of-international-justice-in-hague-group-anti-genocide-conference/ [28]: https://x.com/GUnderground_TV/status/1817499659595579885 [29]: https://www.thecanary.co/explainer/2025/11/20/venezuela-international-billionaire/ [30]: https://www.desmog.com/scaife-family-foundations/ [31]: https://www.csis.org/analysis/understanding-hamass-and-hezbollahs-uses-information-technology [32]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/04/24/israel-lobby-kneecap/ [33]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2020/05/13/revealed-secretive-british-unit-planning-for-reconstruction-of-venezuela/ [34]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2019/05/21/venezuelas-coup-representative-in-the-uk-says-shes-too-young-to-discuss-brutal-us-record-in-latin-america/ [35]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2019/05/21/venezuelas-coup-representative-in-the-uk-says-shes-too-young-to-discuss-brutal-us-record-in-latin-america/ [36]: https://asymmetrica.net/leadership/ [37]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2019/05/21/venezuelas-coup-representative-in-the-uk-says-shes-too-young-to-discuss-brutal-us-record-in-latin-america/ [38]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2020/05/13/revealed-secretive-british-unit-planning-for-reconstruction-of-venezuela/ [39]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2020/05/13/revealed-secretive-british-unit-planning-for-reconstruction-of-venezuela/ [40]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2020/09/03/value-of-venezuelan-gold-withheld-by-bank-of-england-likely-double-amount-reported/ [41]: https://www.thecanary.co/explainer/2025/11/20/venezuela-international-billionaire/ [42]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/oso/ https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/01/06/corbyn-bbc-newsnight-venezuela/

Manchester Arena bombing families slam ‘lying’ MI5 and call for accountability MI5 must be held accountable for its lies, the families of those killed and injured in the 2017 [Manchester Arena bombing][1] have demanded. They said Britain’s internal security organisation must be fully integrated into [a new law][2] to prevent cover-ups by state bodies. ## MI5 are liars MI5 lied in a public inquiry into the bombing. The attackers killed 22 concertgoers. A letter from families to UK PM Keir Starmer shown to the *BBC* said: > How many times must MI5 show that it cannot be trusted before something is done? The *BBC* said: > The “Hillsborough Law”, making its way through Parliament, follows campaigning by families affected by the 1989 Hillsborough disaster that claimed 97 lives. The Manchester families want to make sure MI5 is fully subject to the new legislation. Campaigning lawyer Peter Weatherby, who has worked with the families and Hillsborough football disaster victims, [told the *BBC*][3]: > The problem was that MI5 decided to protect themselves after the fact, and advance the false narrative. > > And that just means that those failures will repeat in the future, and nobody will have confidence in MI5. > > If this law is passed and they’re required to tell the truth even when things go wrong, then failures can be rectified and people can be safer in the future. He added: > MI5 shouldn’t be given a free hand to run a false narrative to protect themselves, rather than to advance truth and justice. The *BBC* reported: > During the Manchester Arena public inquiry, and an earlier official review, MI5 provided a false narrative about intelligence it received about the suicide bomber before the attack. But MI5’s collusion with militants is a much bigger issue than many understand. ## A false narrative about intelligence MI5 knew about the British-Libyan bomber [Salman Abedi][4]. Yet they failed to act. Abedi died in the blast. His brother, who [was his accomplice][5] in the bombing, [is in a British jail][6]. Yet the Manchester bomber’s story goes much deeper: into the murky underworld of Britain’s shadow wars. *Declassified UK* (*DCUK*) and the *Canary* [helped reveal the extent of British involvement][7]. Abedi’s father was member of Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG). LIFG were Al-Qaeda in Libya. They were once backed by the British because they opposed Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. A Royal Navy ship [even rescued Abedi][8] from Libya in 2014. The US, UK, France and others toppled Gaddafi in 2011. Gaddafi’s fall plunged the North African state into war and chaos. [A *DCUK* editorial][9] from 2022 outlined how the security services [hindered the inquiry][10]. The British worked with militant groups to overthrow Gaddafi. NATO forces even trained Abedi, according to some accounts. ## Mate’s rates MI5 got mate’s rate at the inquiry. The service gave evidence in secret. The authorities limited the questions they could be asked. [There are other questions too][11]: > A related issue concerns the extent to which MI5 and MI6 [encouraged][12] radicals such as the Abedis, and other British-Libyans based in Manchester, to fight in that war. The inquiry didn’t push on any of these questions. Lawyer John Cooper represented the families at the inquiry. He said at the time the intelligence services were: > using national security as an excuse not to answer legitimate questions. MI5 has had too much freedom for too long. In an democracy the organs of the state should be accountable. The Manchester bombing was just one example of many of imperial blowback. Innocent concertgoer’s fell victim to British foreign policy. There will be more cases like this until basic accountability exists. *Featured image via the Canary* By [Joe Glenton][13] [1]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2023/03/09/manchester-arena-bombing-the-mi5-mi6-and-nato-backstory-detailed/ [2]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crkr0r6lrdjo [3]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crkr0r6lrdjo [4]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2021/11/07/mi5-director-testifies-that-at-one-point-arena-bomber-was-considered-as-low-or-no-risk/ [5]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2020/03/17/manchester-arena-bombers-brother-found-guilty-of-plot-that-killed-22/ [6]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-53850642 [7]: https://www.declassifieduk.org/how-uk-security-services-obstructed-the-manchester-bombing-inquiry/ [8]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2018/08/01/what-you-didnt-know-about-the-manchester-bomber-who-was-rescued-from-libya-by-the-royal-navy/ [9]: https://www.declassifieduk.org/how-uk-security-services-obstructed-the-manchester-bombing-inquiry/ [10]: https://www.declassifieduk.org/how-uk-security-services-obstructed-the-manchester-bombing-inquiry/ [11]: https://www.declassifieduk.org/how-uk-security-services-obstructed-the-manchester-bombing-inquiry/ [12]: https://www.declassifieduk.org/counter-terrorism-officials-allowed-manchester-bomber-to-operate-in-libya-warzone/ [13]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/joeglenton/ https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/01/06/mi5-manchester-arena-bomber/

Labour have sold out UK’s most ‘water stressed’ areas to US AI barons ***This article is part of a series looking at the risks to the UK’s water security which are being amplified by our current Labour government. You can read the first article in the AI data centres Water Crisis series [here][1].*** A report from a government advisory body has detailed the [growing threat that AI companies pose to clean drinking water in the UK][2]. And believe it or not, the issue is actually worse than it sounds. The government isn’t just greenlighting water-guzzling data centres; it’s greenlighting them in areas which face the most severe water scarcity. And why are they expanding so aggressively, you ask? As of right now, it’s seemingly to meet the growing demand for pointless slop like this: > My favorite trend in the Sora app is these body cam footage videos > > This clip with Spongebob hit 1M+ TikTok views! [🤯] > > I built a workflow to remove the Sora 2 watermarks[👇] [pic.twitter.com/9eI7kjAkKC][3] > > — Miguel | AP (@angrypenguinPNG) [October 3, 2025][4] So much for the grownups being back in the room. ## Britain isn’t drinking – but AI data centres will The [Government Digital Sustainability Alliance][5] (GDSA) was established to provide guidance on how we can achieve “digital transformation” without putting sustainability targets at risk. In aid of this, they published a report titled [*Water use in AI… Data Centres*][6]. [As the GDSA summarised][7], only 0.5% of water on the Earth’s surface is available freshwater. Given how much it rains in the UK, you’d think we’d be better placed than most to ensure adequate water supplies. You’d think wrong, of course – chiefly because decades of failed privatisation have lain waste to our water infrastructure (more on how that[ here][8]). The GDSA highlight that [we’re already expecting][9] a “daily water deficit of nearly 5 billion litres by 2050”. This is over a third of the “current public water supply”. Even more alarming is the fact that these estimates don’t account for all the water that data centres are guzzling, because the government hasn’t bothered to factor that in. In fact, these companies don’t even need to monitor or report on how much water they use. Noting the uneven nature of this problem, the GDSA highlight: > This impending water deficit is not uniform across the country. Some regions are projected to experience less future rainfall, possess smaller water storage capacities, and face larger population or resource demands, leading to localised areas of acute water stress. For instance, water-poor regions such as Sussex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, and Norfolk are already experiencing the impact, with housing and business growth being constrained by water supply availability and inadequate or ageing water infrastructure. ## Water stressed regions The GDSA highlight that multiple regions in the UK are classified “seriously water stressed”. The list of private water companies which allowed this to happen includes Thames Water, with the GDSA highlighting that: > the first government-designated “AI Growth Zone” in Culham, Oxfordshire, is situated just seven miles from the site of a planned new reservoir at Abingdon, intended to supply customers in the Thames Valley, London, and Hampshire. Thames Water, the utility responsible for this area, is itself classified as seriously water stressed. For decades, we allowed private companies to get away with profiting from water networks even as they brazenly failed to maintain them. Now, just as they’re being forced to do the absolute bare minimum, the government is allowing a different set of private companies to set us back even further. > England’s reservoirs at lowest level for a decade, experts call for hosepipe bans. > > No new reservoirs built since 1989. Over a trillion litres a year lost to leaks. > > Water companies paid out £85bn in dividends. No regulator/Govt had a national plan.[https://t.co/P86HGHO05j][10] > > — Prem Sikka (@premnsikka) [July 12, 2025][11] In response to the *BBC*, [a government spokesperson said in February][12] that they ‘recognise’ AI data centres: > face sustainability challenges such as energy demands and water use – that’s why AI Growth Zones are designed to attract investment in areas where existing energy and water infrastructure is already in place. The GDSA took issue with this, stating: > this stance appears to be more aspirational or reactive rather than a proactive, mandated policy. We’re going to take issue with the GDSA report here, because the government’s stance arguably isn’t even “reactive”. On 16 September, [they announced a new Google data centre in Waltham Cross][13]. Thames Water provide water to Waltham Cross, and as noted, [this frequent offender][14] is on the list of seriously water stressed regions. This suggests one of two things: * There’s no communication between government departments. * Starmer decided he doesn’t give a damn about the UK’s water needs some time between February and September. Supporting the latter, it was between February and September that it became widely agreed that Starmer can’t survive past the 2026 local elections: > Basically the trend of the last 50 years is that if your approval rating is less than -10 after your first year, you are completely cooked. > > May (-17) resigned, Sunak (-29) lost, Brown (-53) lost. > > The outcome of Starmer’s leadership (-43) is TBD. > > — Stats for Lefties [🍉][🏳️‍⚧️] (@LeftieStats) [September 12, 2025][15] The biggest catastrophe for Starmer was the local election kicking in May: > I’m really surprised how little attention Labour’s shattering defeat has received. This is the sort of result you expect after 10 **years** in government, not 10 months. Indeed the last time Labour suffered anything remotely like this was in 2009 (-62%) after 12 years in office! > > — Stats for Lefties [🍉][🏳️‍⚧️] (@LeftieStats) [May 4, 2025][16] We’re not saying that Starmer has sold Britain out to curry favour with potential employers, but we are saying his actions can’t be explained by ignorance or incompetence. It’s on the record that his government understands the “sustainability challenges”; Starmer has simply chosen to ignore them. ## “Conflict” The GDSA predict that the rise of AI data centres in seriously water stressed areas will lead to ‘predictable conflict hotspots’. They add: > The siting of water-intensive infrastructure in already water-stressed areas, particularly those with existing socio-economic vulnerabilities, raises significant environmental justice concerns. This practice could disproportionately impact local communities, potentially leading to increased water bills, rationing, or reduced environmental flows, thereby transforming a technical water management issue into a matter of social equity. Things could get worse too. [If a new proposal goes through][17], AI data centres will be considered Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP), allowing developers to seek planning permission directly from the government. This would “[bypass normal local authority planning][18]“, and put more power in the hands of a national government which has demonstrated it will put the business interests of US AI barons over the resource needs of British citizens. As of right now, the key benefit to ‘hyperscaling’ AI capacity is to generate dross like this: > AI Spongebob Is Just The Beginning > Sora 2 is trash and nobody should be a fan of it[https://t.co/iHRLG4rLev][19] [pic.twitter.com/QmShIdrVZd][20] > > — DimmyM7 (@DimmyM7) [October 3, 2025][21] The above is taken from OpenAI’s Sora 2 which allows users to generate videos with audio. We have no idea how much water is used to generate a video like this, but we do know that[ generating text could use as much a 0.25ml of water per prompt][22]. Video and audio are significantly more resource intensive than text, and on top of this people are generating multiple videos every time, because most fail to match what the user had in mind. Even if you believe these companies can give birth to an all-knowing AI super being which will solve the world’s problems, you have to acknowledge they’re currently squandering processing power at the expense of local communities. ## AI data centres vs “social well-being” The [GDSA summarise the threat to UK society as follows][23]: > AI’s water footprint adds another layer of complexity to an already multi-faceted policy challenge, demonstrating that water is not merely an environmental concern but a fundamental constraint on economic development and social well-being. Starmer ran on a platform of ‘growth, growth, growth’, and he repeated that mantra so much it became farcical. It seems far more ridiculous now, of course, given that his own advisors have said his agenda risks a “fundamental constraint on economic development”. This is what Starmer said a week after the announcement of yet more AI data centres: > My government has given the go ahead for a record number of major infrastructure projects — creating thousands of jobs and driving growth across the country. > > I promised we would get Britain building. > > That’s exactly what we’re doing. > > — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) [September 23, 2025][24] Specifically, the growth he’s driving is a growing burden on the UK’s most at-risk areas. If the AI companies succeed in creating an all-thinking machine, the ‘benefits’ they predict are as follows: > The CEO of Anthropic (a powerful AI company) predicts that AI could wipe out HALF of entry-level white collar jobs in the next 5 years. > > We must demand that increased worker productivity from AI benefits working people, not just wealthy stockholders on Wall St. AI IS A BIG DEAL. > > — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) [June 5, 2025][25] Starmer has some serious questions to answer on what happens if these companies get what they want with AI data centres. Because right now, it’s hard to see how any of this will benefit British citizens. *Featured image via the Canary* By [Willem Moore][26] [1]: https://www.thecanary.co/topics/ai-data-centres/ [2]: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/688cb407dc6688ed50878367/Water_use_in_data_centre_and_AI_report.pdf [3]: https://t.co/9eI7kjAkKC [4]: https://twitter.com/angrypenguinPNG/status/1974144279955325191?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [5]: https://sustainableict.blog.gov.uk/welcome-to-the-government-digital-sustainability-alliance/ [6]: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/688cb407dc6688ed50878367/Water_use_in_data_centre_and_AI_report.pdf [7]: https://sustainableict.blog.gov.uk/2025/09/17/ais-thirst-for-water/ [8]: https://www.thecanary.co/?p=1717757&preview=true [9]: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/government-digital-sustainability-alliance-gdsa [10]: https://t.co/P86HGHO05j [11]: https://twitter.com/premnsikka/status/1943914904294985908?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [12]: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce85wx9jjndo [13]: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/us-uk-pact-will-boost-advances-in-drug-discovery-create-tens-of-thousands-of-jobs-and-transform-lives [14]: https://www.thecanary.co/?s=thames+water [15]: https://twitter.com/LeftieStats/status/1966484495428657389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [16]: https://twitter.com/LeftieStats/status/1918979291783504076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [17]: https://www.newcivilengineer.com/latest/government-upgrading-planning-status-of-data-centres-large-labs-and-gigafactories-20-10-2025/ [18]: https://national-infrastructure-consenting.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ [19]: https://t.co/iHRLG4rLev [20]: https://t.co/QmShIdrVZd [21]: https://twitter.com/DimmyM7/status/1974196596310200566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [22]: https://theconversation.com/openais-newly-launched-sora-2-makes-ais-environmental-impact-impossible-to-ignore-266867 [23]: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/government-digital-sustainability-alliance-gdsa [24]: https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1970381034660266379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [25]: https://twitter.com/BernieSanders/status/1930613586331635830?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [26]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/willem-moore/ https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2026/01/06/ai-data-centres-water-stressed-areas/

The Tice-Oakeshott engagement is the far-right grifter event of the year We’ve had confirmation that evil attracts evil, as two far-right tossers have committed to each other. Yes, this is the news that far-right ‘journalist’ (grifter) Isabel Oakeshott is engaged to Richard Tice. The *Talk TV* editor,[ who called benefit claimants “parasites”][1], confirmed the news on X. In the tweet, she thanked Reform members for their congratulations. > Thank you from ⁦[@TiceRichard][2]⁩ and I for all the lovely messages on our engagement [🥰] ⁦[@reformparty_uk][3]⁩ [pic.twitter.com/FA5mnG7AEd][4] > > — Isabel Oakeshott (@IsabelOakeshott) [January 5, 2026][5] What’s probably most surprising about the announcement is that the couple are seemingly in the UK. The pair of drains on society currently live in Dubai, despite Tice being MP for Boston and Skegness. The Reform UK deputy leader apparently splits his time between the rich man’s playground and Skegvegas. It’s in no way lost on the *Canary* that Oakeshott makes a good deal of her money bashing migrants, whilst she is one herself. Because fleeing a country is only okay [if you’re the one holding the dangerous views.][6] ## Tice accidentally announces Oakeshott engagement during a grilling Tice, [who most recently took the piss out of disabled kids][7], accidentally announced the engagement at the end of an [interview on GB News.][8] The news followed him trying to defend why Reform UK won’t actually be cutting taxes. That’s, of course, a U-turn from their 2024 promise that they would. Camilla Tominey pointed out that only 25-29% of the public trusts Reform with the economy. She then asked what Reform’s economic policy actually is. To this, Tice replied pompously: > It’s very simple, we’ll make people better off. He explained they would do this by sucking up to the bankers at the Stock Exchange. Because, naturally, those are the people Reform actually serves, not the working class. ## A Nazi wedding for the summer The interview concluded with Tominey asking Tice when the wedding was, something which hadn’t actually been announced. But it’s assumed from this exchange that the Nazi inner circle already knew anyway. > View on Threads > Tice says his wedding with Oakeshott is happening “later this year”. It’s unconfirmed yet whether the wedding will take place in the UK or Dubai. If it’s a summer wedding, surely Clacton-on-Sea would be the perfect choice. *Featured image via the Canary* By [Rachel Charlton-Dailey][9] [1]: https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/ofcom-silent-over-contrast-between-parasites-decision-and-2010-rulings-on-offensive-language/ [2]: https://twitter.com/TiceRichard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [3]: https://twitter.com/reformparty_uk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [4]: https://t.co/FA5mnG7AEd [5]: https://twitter.com/IsabelOakeshott/status/2008208911657324857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [6]: https://archive.ph/YpDSY [7]: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2025/11/19/tice-calls-neurodivergent-kids-overdiagnosed/ [8]: https://x.com/GBNEWS/status/2007775346263724527 [9]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/rachel-charlton-dailey/ https://www.thecanary.co/trending/2026/01/06/tice-oakeshott-engagement/

‘WE’RE A SUPERPOWER!!!’ – White House deputy Stephen Miller has toddler meltdown on CNN White House deputy chief of Staff Stephen Miller had a diddums meltdown on *CNN* when mildly challenged on whether the US was right to kidnap a foreign head of state. Miller, a unrepentant far-right nativist who always gives the impression of Small Man Syndrome. This is despite multiple sources ([here][1] and [here][2]) confirming he is 5ft 10ins tall. ## Stephen Miller just had a tantrum Stephen Miller [ranted that][3]: > We live in a world in which you can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else. But we live in a world, in the real world … that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. He added: > These are the iron laws of the world. The comments came after *CNN* interviewer Jake Tapper had challenged Miller on the kidnapping of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro from his home in Caracas. Tapper asked if other such abductions could be carried out. Miller said the US would “unapologetically” use its military to pursue its interests. > We’re a superpower and under President Trump, we are going to conduct ourselves as a superpower. For good measure, Miller also refused to rule out military action against Greenland – which is governed by Denmark, NATO ally: > [🚨]Stephen Miller: "The United States is the power of NATO. For the United States to secure the arctic region, to protect and defend NATO and NATO interests, obviously, Greenland should be part of the United States." [pic.twitter.com/5IjhfG6o8K][4] > > — Conflict Radar (@Conflict_Radar) [January 5, 2026][5] Normal behaviour there. ## Trump’s new belligerent foreign policy position Stephen Miller is a strong advocate of Project 2025. [Project 2025][6] is a far-right ideological roadmap adopted in parts by the new Trump administration. Far-right and hyper-conservative thinkers – from thinktanks like the Heritage Foundation – developed the plan. It advocates for attacks on migrants, liberals, the left and migrants, and well as sexual and gender minority groups. Ultimately, the Project’s authors see the plan as a sort of vaccine (oo-er) against US national decay. In truth, it is a ramblingly macho 920-page screed which sounds like someone put the transcripts of every Joe Rogan podcast into ChatGPT and asked it to come up with a set of policies. The problem is this divorced dad waffle is now backed by the massive power of the US state. And here is the thing: Project 2025 also lays out a new foreign policy. Parts of the Project have been incorporated into the new National Security Strategy (NSS). You can read the NSS [here][7]. And our write up about how one key aim is an ethnically pure Europe [here][8]. ## Death throes of a fading empire The NSS also advocates for an aggressive posture in the western hemisphere. And the 3 January attack on Venezuela aligns precisely with that aspect of the policy. Yet the document also accepts so-called ‘multi-polarity’. In short, it concedes that China and Russia have their own spheres of influences- hardly the stuff of ‘superpower’ status. In many ways – though not all – the NSS is an inward turn towards US isolationism. But that inward turn still includes Latin America, because the US sees the southern part of the continent is its own property. The truth is that while the US it still very powerful, its superpower status is in decline. On some level, it even accepts that itself. What we’re seeing today is not a rejuvenated world power asserting its dominance, but the death throes of a fading empire. *Featured image via the Canary* By [Joe Glenton][9] [1]: https://www.thelist.com/1991016/how-tall-trump-deputy-chief-staff-stephen-miller/ [2]: https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/what-stephen-millers-height-maga-supporter-gets-mocked-aoc-air-heres-what-triggered-1746816 [3]: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/06/politics/trump-greenland-venezuela-colombia-miller-analysis [4]: https://t.co/5IjhfG6o8K [5]: https://twitter.com/Conflict_Radar/status/2008317804840202293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw [6]: https://static.heritage.org/project2025/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf [7]: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf [8]: https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/12/05/trump-bigotry/ [9]: https://www.thecanary.co/author/joeglenton/ https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/01/06/stephen-miller-cnn/