Jon Ungoed-Thomas

After he was released from jail, Jeffrey Epstein approved a new firm to exploit Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's access when he was a trade envoy. It was set up by an aide and called Witan, after the council which advised Anglo-Saxon kings. Full story in today's Observer.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Epstein files detail ‘Andrew for access’ plans of his ult... Mountbatten-Windsor ‘fed information to his contacts while touring the world at taxpayers’ expense as trade envoy’

Epstein files detail ‘Andrew for access’ plans of his ultra-wealthy friends bit.ly/46TzOzg

Andrew’s emails shoot down his Newsnight claim to have cu... Despite what he told the BBC, a new year greeting and a confidential briefing reveal his links with Epstein were far from over

Andrew’s emails shoot down his Newsnight claim to have cut ties with Epstein

Despite what he told the BBC, a new year greeting and a confidential briefing reveal his links with Epstein were far from over, writes Jon Ungoed-Thomas
https://bit.ly/3MdeA8A

More than 40 fostering agencies providing homes for vulnerable children in England bought up by private equity firms since 2015, with many passed from one equity firm to another in hunt for profits.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Private equity owns lion’s share of children’s foster ser... Three London firms are now the biggest players in the provision of foster carers in England

Private equity owns lion’s share of children’s foster services in England, ‘bleeding the sector of money’.

Profits margins of 19%. Money extracted in interest payments, intragroup charges. Children suffer.

Ban profit-taking entities from foster services.

War at Oxfam: how the chief and the chair turned on each ... A dossier leaked to The Observer reveals the extent of the crisis at the heart of one of Britain’s best-known charities

Civil war at Oxfam: board trustee files whistleblowing complaint with Charity Commission over "brutal" ousting of chief executive.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

The Bradford jewellers who turned dirty money into a trai... Four men have been sentenced over a £266m money laundering scheme. Not only will it be hard to find the cash – three of the culprits have vanished too

Extraordinary story of the Yorkshire laundromat, with Observer confirming three of those convicted are on the run. observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Private schools charging councils £250k for each Send pupil | The Observer Get full access to the app & website:

Private schools charging councils £250k for each Send pupil, writes Jon Ungoed Thomas

https://bit.ly/4pD6l49

The tenants forced to pay for their richer neighbours’ gyms | The Observer

The tenants forced to pay for their richer neighbours’ gyms.

Residents in affordable flats in south London were barred from the premium facilities their costly service charges were paying for, writes @jonungoedthomas.bsky.social
https://bit.ly/44LAdCN

The tenants forced to pay for their richer neighbours’ gyms | The Observer

Victory for residents in property tribunal over claims service charges of up to £7k a year on “affordable” flats were helping to fund exclusive facilities in development that they were barred from using, including concierge service and gym.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

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Climate-change denying Reform councils are axing net zero... Environmental fears are being described as lies and fantasies to justify scrapping green policies

“There is no climate crisis,” Sean Matthews, leader of Lincolnshire council, posted on X last year. “We are all paying for these idiots to escalate their fantasies.”

By my colleague @jonungoedthomas.bsky.social

observer.co.uk/news/politic...

Unite created phoney job to prevent challenge to leaders, says whistleblower

Union gave a Heathrow baggage handler a ‘ghost post’ and let him keep his first job, according to claim

✍️@JonUngoedThomas

https://bit.ly/4nX84A8

What's gone wrong with our honey? My latest investigation in the Observer.

observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Former magistrate, 81, faces six months in jail for Pales... Cornish pensioner arrested at Truro cathedral falls foul of government’s labelling of direct action group as a terrorist organisation

"I lived through the Troubles...I know what a terrorist organisation is." Interview with former magistrate Deborah Hinton, 81, OBE, arrested under Terrorism Act and held in cell for seven hours over Palestine Action vigil.

observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

‘The most damaging thing for the sea’ … and 300 trawlers... Conservationists call for action after tracking hundreds of vessels they suspect of harmful deep-sea fishing

‘The most damaging thing for the sea’ … and 300 trawlers are at it in Europe

Conservationists call for action after tracking hundreds of vessels they suspect of harmful deep-sea fishing

More than 3,000 species are caught by bottom trawlers and at least 10% are critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable, including hawksbill turtle and Patagonian seahorse, reveals new research. In today's Observer.

Issue #12,183 Deep Trouble

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Dirty work: more than half of our rubbish is being incine... More waste is being burned as fuel than recycled, releasing more carbon and other toxins into the atmosphere

Incineration plants for refuse undermine recycling and have been branded the country's dirtiest form of generating power - so why is England now burning more than half its rubbish? (Ed Miliband approved a new plant in March against planning inspectors' advice.)

observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

High court to decide if 23 million chickens are killing the River Wye | The Observer Poultry industry insists that phosphate-rich manure is not to blame, as 3,000 people join one of the biggest environmental legal cases ever seen in the UK

"There are bits of the environment being destroyed all along their supply chain." Food giant Cargill challenged over its soy supply chain from one of richest ecosystems in the world in South America to the catchment of the now blighted River Wye.

observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Dozens of betting companies secretly put in special measures | The Observer The Gambling Commission is under fire for keeping the identity of troubled companies secret in return for charity payments

The gambling watchdog has put 38 failing betting firms into special measures in the past five years under a secretive regime that prevents the companies being identified.

✒️ ‪@jonungoedthomas.bsky.social‬

Read more:

The Firm: Trump Inc. and the new age of corruption.

Buy your copy of The Observer, available across the country, tomorrow morning.

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Millions of people misled over Britain’s mobile network ‘dead zones’ | The Observer Trackers placed in bin lorries reveal mobile coverage in some areas ‘1,000 times worse’ than official data suggests

How millions of consumers are misled over scale of 'dead zones' in UK's mobile network coverage.

observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

The UK's toxic export: banned weedkiller Daughter joins campaign to stop production of controversial pesticide at factory in Huddersfield after her father died with Parkinson’s disease years after spraying his farm

One of the most toxic pesticides ever produced is banned for use in more than 50 countries. Still made in Britain (where it use is also banned) for export.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Revealed: gambling firms secretly sharing users’ data with Facebook without permission Betting companies secretly track visitors to their sites before sending data to parent company Meta

New: Gambling companies are secretly tracking visitors to their websites and sending their data to Facebook without consent. We visited 150 sites and found a third breaking the rules. In the days after the testing, we were flooded with gambling ads.

With @jonungoedthomas.bsky.social

‘Unwilling’ coroners failed us, say families of gambling addicts who took their own lives Relatives of those who committed suicide claim betting industry is not being held to account, report reveals Families of gambling addicts who took their own lives have told of being let down by the coroner service, which they say failed to properly…

‘Unwilling’ coroners failed us, say families of gambling addicts who took their own lives

Clean water campaigners claim victory in Windermere sewage case United Utilities has dropped legal fight to block access to data on the discharge of treated sewage in Lake District The water company United Utilities has conceded defeat in its legal battle to block public access to data on treated sewage it is…

Clean water campaigners claim victory in Windermere sewage case

Labour under fire over plans for 40 more ‘greenwashing’ waste incinerators Communities across the UK are fighting ‘catastrophic’ proposals to build new energy-from-waste plants Labour faces a growing backlash across the country over proposals to build a new generation of more than 40 waste incinerators to burn household and…

Labour under fire over plans for 40 more ‘greenwashing’ waste incinerators

Labour under fire over plans for 40 more ‘greenwashing’ waste incinerators Communities across the UK are fighting ‘catastrophic’ proposals to build new energy-from-waste plants

"Net zero farce": Labour under fire over plans to build more than 40 new incinerators to help burn more than half of household and commercial rubbish in England.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

‘Heartless’ multinationals exploiting pensions loophole for UK workers Hewlett Packard, American Express and Pfizer among firms to have frozen increases in payouts despite inflation

Pensions turning to "rust": US multinationals accused of exploiting pensions law loophole to freeze increases in payouts to former UK employees.

www.theguardian.com/money/2024/d...