Crewe (Alamy)

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In June, Andy Burnham set out his vision for the country. Bringing Manchesterism to Labour’s 2024 manifesto, he is putting “place before party” – building non-partisan consensus on local issues.

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‘Place’ refers to the areas that make a community – where social ties are formed and strengthened.

Andy recognises that high streets should become “the new symbol of Britain’s renaissance”. Independent hospitality businesses are an essential part of that landscape.

They know their customer inside out, setting up shop to offer something new to their neighbours – without a financial model crunching the numbers, identifying your high street as the most lucrative option for the next branch.

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Manchester has successfully supported a growing number of local bars and restaurants. The number of food and beverage spaces in the centre has doubled over the past 10 years.

Labour’s £20m Pride in Place strategy forms the building blocks for stronger communities. We’ve bolstered High Street Rental Auctions to give councils more powers to take over empty units. We’ve launched a £30m crackdown on rogue vendors taking advantage of deserted town centres, a dedicated High Street Organised Crime Unit and increased enforcement measures for trading standards.

These measures are welcome and necessary to turn our high streets around. However, as new sites become available, the government needs to support entrepreneurs to take them over and keep their doors open.

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A quarter of pubs, bars and restaurants are losing money, according to new survey data. Without intervention, there will be fewer businesses left to revive the high streets at the centre of a place-based politics.

One of the levers available to provide immediate relief to the sector is VAT reform. The UK’s standard 20 per cent rate on food and beverages is the second highest in Europe – double that of Spain, France and Italy. There are growing calls from independent businesses to reduce VAT to 10 per cent.

There is a significant fiscal cost associated with this plan, which HMRC claim would create a deficit of £1bn. However, with 21 hospitality businesses closing each week, the Treasury must also consider the revenue losses happening in real time.

The industry is in a state of paralysis; businesses are unable to hire new staff or invest. Some have taken to limiting their opening hours just to stay afloat. They’re built up over decades but are closing down each week. That’s income tax, corporation tax and key youth employers lost to the Treasury.

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Any intervention should also be ringfenced for independent hospitality. Currently, VAT applies equally to all businesses with an annual turnover of over £90,000. The scale of (and taxes levied against) many chains are fundamentally different to those set up by local people.

Beyond VAT, our business rates system disproportionately burdens bricks-and-mortar venues taxed on the rateable property value. Rateable values can be calculated using three different methods which have been known to generate different results. They often jump significantly between the three-year assessment periods and multipliers are set at a cliff-edge, meaning higher rates apply to the whole property once the threshold is reached.

The removal of Small Business Rate Relief and Retail Hospitality and Leisure Relief has left independents facing significantly higher charges than in previous years.

In our manifesto, we promised to replace business rates with something more progressive. We need a fairer system that allows small businesses to settle into our high streets and grows with them. Whether that means partial landlord liability or tapered rates similar to income tax, the case for reform is clear.

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A place-based government means economic growth where it matters: in the areas which were decimated during austerity and for the people who care about their community. The unique struggles faced by independent hospitality businesses must be considered under this approach.

Connor Naismith is Labour MP for Crewe and Nantwich

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Content warning: This article contains terms of misogynistic and racial abuse, alongside descriptions of sexual violence

The “protectors of women and children” are at it again, proving their credentials once more with a vile pro-rape message daubed on a wall in the loyalist Sandy Row area of Belfast.

The message reads:

Gisèle Pelicot
Salope
Free Dominique

‘Salope’ is a French misogynistic term of abuse that translates as ‘whore’ or ‘slut’.

The revolting vandalism targets Gisèle Pelicot, a French woman whose husband Dominique drugged and repeatedly raped her over a period of 10 years. He invited other men to the couple’s home, who also raped her while she was unconscious.

Gisèle bravely waived her right to anonymity as part of her husband’s trial. In December 2024, a French court sentenced Dominique Pelicot to 24 years in jail for his crimes.

Nearby, racist graffiti had also been sprayed. Without the asterixes, it read:

N*ggers out
P*kis fuck off

Alongside it there also appears to be a crudely drawn star and crescent with a stop sign drawn over it, indicating Islamophobic hate.

Belfast: French racists given VIP treatment in city

The racist and Islamophobic graffiti are sadly par for the course at this point, in a region where overt racism, bleeding into ethnic cleansing, is rapidly becoming the norm. In contrast, the attack on a heroic French feminist icon seems a little incongruous and inexplicable.

However, sources have told the Canary that a group of French racists have recently been given the VIP treatment by local loyalist bigots.

The Ainsworth Drive Facebook account are another group of frauds who tout their eagerness to “protect women and children”, merely as an excuse to vomit out racist, anti-migrant bile. On 9 July, they posted the following:

I have a group of French patriots/activists coming into the area over the 12th period, some are part of the Turning Point movement, the legacy Charlie Kirk left behind.

They wish to speak to local people/parents concerned about the mass enforced movement of immigration being forced into deprived working class areas like Ainsworth/Woodvale.

If anyone wishes to be interviewed, can be off camera and can academically speak well then please drop this page a private message, thank you.

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The Canary has previously covered the US-based Turning Point’s intention to make inroads in the north of Ireland. That French racists are now also drawn to the region proves a point we’ve previously made. That is, the extreme chauvinism of loyalism, like that of Zionism, is a huge lure to reactionaries the world over.

The capacity of these two twin settler-colonial ideologies to deploy violence as a means of achieving their supremacist goals also has obvious attraction to would-be ethnic cleansers.

An Ainsworth Drive post on 12 July describes the:

…good company of around 20 french [sic] patriots from Normandy and other surrounding towns in southern France.

Leaving aside the geographic impossibility of the northern French region of Normandy having surrounding towns situated in southern France, the post goes on to boast of a joint mural effort between the groups.

The weird ideology of ‘The Normal Ones’

Activists monitoring the far right identified the French group as attending the Sandy Row bonfire marking the 12 July Battle of the Boyne commemoration. They are believed to be linked to an outfit called Les Normaux, translating as ‘The Normals’ or ‘The Normal Ones’.

According to StreetPress, a French investigative team that track the far right, Les Normaux are:

…a small far-right identitarian group based in Rouen, established in the spring of 2021.

The group fixate on Norman identity specifically and hold a March of the Normans event each year, despite authorities banning it. Far-right actors from across Europe are known to attend.

StreetPress also report Les Normaux are active within “traditionalist Catholic circles”, so it would be interesting to know what they made of the torrent of sectarianism loyalists produced over the 12 July hate carnival.

The French group has previous in terms of hatred directed at women, with StreetPress saying in June 2021 the group:

…disrupted a lecture by elected official Alice Coffin, directing misogynistic remarks at her.

The foolishness of identitarian politics

Many of the group members have taken down their social media accounts since news of the Sandy Row graffiti emerged. However, sources who spoke to the Canary got a look at some of them beforehand.

They told us many previously displayed an enthusiasm for Irish republicanism, presumably mistakenly believing it would embrace the prejudices often found in nationalist ideologies elsewhere. That is rarely the case in republican circles, so the racists seemingly switched to loyalism.

That absurd trajectory, of stumbling hopelessly around for some purist notion of identity, underscores the folly of identitarian politics more broadly.

All human culture, and the movement of peoples that form it, is a process of constant transition. Chauvinists insist on freezing time at an arbitrary point, around an arbitrary group of people, and rule that all who exist outside those bounds must be excluded.

To see the degeneracy that mode of thought produces, one need only look at what was scrawled on the walls of Sandy Row.

Featured image via the Canary

By Robert Freeman

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The pace of settlement advancement in the occupied West Bank is unprecedented. Bezalel Smotrich – finance minister and illegal settler – has long opposed the creation of a Palestinian state. He has now not only called for the complete conquest of the Gaza Strip, but is also promising a settlement “revolution”.

Expansion of settlements will further tighten the occupation’s control

The occupation is actively advancing major settlement and infrastructure projects across the occupied Palestinian territory. According to Peace Now, most of these new settlements are deep inside the West Bank, where there is very little or no Israeli occupation presence. This is how “Israel” tightens its grip on these areas, and how any chance of Palestinian development is prevented.

On 14 July 2026, Israeli occupation ministers celebrated a major new government investment, which they described as a “historic” moment for the settlement movement. It is aimed at accelerating the establishment and expansion of illegal “Israeli” settlements across the occupied West Bank.

The government announced the Security Cabinet had allocated 1.3 billion Shekels – approximately £324 million – in June to advance the establishment of 34 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. This had been approved during the previous three and a half years.

Smotrich and Settlements Minister Orit Strock described it as a landmark step for the settlement movement. In statements, Strock said:

There has never been a Zionist-settlement decision of this size in the whole history of Zionism since it was founded.

Smotrich declared:

We are strengthening the security of the State of Israel, killing the idea of establishing a terrorist state in the heart of the country, and strengthening our hold on the homeland in Judea and Samaria.

Killing the idea of establishing a Palestinian state

Nine of these 34 settlements are planned for the Northern West Bank, seven in the Central region, four in the Hebron area, seven in the Jordan Valley, one in the Jericho region, and six in the Gush Etzion area – a settlement bloc located just south of Jerusalem.

The announcement also mentioned additional funding of 1.075 billion shekels for infrastructure projects, especially roads to connect the settlements. This decision is another step toward permanent “Israeli” control over occupied territory. And it is intended to destroy what is left of a future Palestinian state. This brings the number of settlements in the occupied West Bank, initiated under Smotrich’s four-year period in office, to 103.

The “Israeli” government has also signed a deal worth around 8.5 billion Shekels, or £2 billion. This includes plans for around 12,000 new housing units, plus related infrastructure, in the northern West Bank. The agreement was signed between the “Israeli” government and the so-called “Samaria Regional Council.” It also requires additional legal challenges if a new government wishes to stop settlement construction.

According to Peace Now, this agreement will result in “unbridled construction in the settlements”. It will also:

shackle the next government to commitments that will make it difficult to roll back this terrible government’s reckless policy.

Changing the face of the region

The Israeli occupation says it is aimed at “changing the face of the region.”

Israel has approved a $2.3 billion plan to expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, including 12,000 new housing units and major infrastructure projects pic.twitter.com/8ETmnT58D1

— TRT World (@trtworld) July 14, 2026

Earlier in July, the occupation’s Security Cabinet approved plans for 13 new settlements in the central West Bank.

The proposed locations for these settlements are along the vital Route 60 north-south main road, and will make up one of the largest settlement blocks in the territory. Palestinian officials warn they will sever East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank.

The Jerusalem governorate condemned the move, saying it marks “a dangerous escalation”, and aims to create “new geographical realities on the ground.”

Illegal settlement of Giv’at Ze’ev has become the fifth “Israeli” city in the occupied West Bank

Alongside the approval of these 13 settlements is a $350 million initiative that includes legalising and accelerating the development of dozens of previously unauthorized outposts. “Israeli “settler outposts now control nearly a fifth of the territory, and this is now set to increase even more.

In yet another move to strengthen and expand its illegal settlements, “Israel” has also just declared the Giv’at Ze’ev settlement a city. The settlement, which is northwest of Jerusalem, is home to more than 35,000 illegal settlers. It becomes the fifth recognised “Israeli” city inside the occupied West Bank.

The move follows an order signed by Israeli occupation forces (IOF) Central Command chief and war criminal Avi Bluth, whose actions in al-Mughayyir in August 2025 amounted to collective punishment.

The recent surge in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank has been driven by a combination of factors. Since the return of Netanyahu’s government in late 2022, a coalition of pro-settler and religious-nationalist parties has expanded funding for settlements. It has also accelerated planning approvals, legalised previously unauthorized outposts, and invested heavily in roads and infrastructure linking settlements.

Historically, only the occupation’s military chain of command held authority over Area C. But now, Smotrich is the one in charge of the Settlement Administration and the Civil Administration. This structural shift transfers vast civilian, zoning, and construction oversight from the military to his direct ministerial control.

Settlement expansion will bring more violence and forcible displacement of Palestinians

Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits an occupying power from transferring parts of its civilian population into occupied territory.

In July 2024, a landmark opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories was illegal. It demanded the evacuation of all settlements and called on states not to support any situations that violate international law in occupied territory.

Expansion of settlements not only violates international law; it also reshapes the landscape, the politics, and the prospect of peace for generations of Palestinians.

Settlements entrench the occupation and fragment Palestinian territory. They also undermine the prospects of a future Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

A new illegal settlement for “Israeli” colonists requires not only roads, but electricity and water systems – and, of course, the occupation’s security and military. Over time, these settlements fragment Palestinian communities and entrench the occupation, while prospects of a future Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital are undermined. In addition, an increase in the number of “Israeli” colonists also increases the systematic violence faced by Palestinians every single day in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Unprecedented levels of settler brutality

According to the UN:

settler brutality has reached unprecedented levels.

In 2026:

both fatalities and injuries are outpacing figures from previous years.

The sole purpose of this brutality is to forcibly displace Palestinians from their land and ethnically cleanse the occupied Palestinian territory.

As of 10 July, ”Israel” has forcibly displaced over 3,200 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank so far in 2026. That is an average of 17 people per day – double the daily rate over the previous three years. Settler attacks have been responsible for about 75 percent of these displacements.

More than 750,000 Jewish settlers live in these illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Featured image via the Canary

By Charlie Jaay

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Graham Stuart CON Matt Turmaine LAB David Chadwick LIB Alistair Carmichael LIB Danny Kruger REF Alison Bennett LIB Jerome Mayhew CON Helen Morgan LIB Melanie Onn LAB Will Forster LIB Rachael Maskell LAB Julia Buckley LAB Lola McEvoy LAB Lloyd Hatton LAB Susan Murray LIB

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Further to Monday’s letter from the Deputy Chief Constable, we’ve submitted the following Freedom Of Information request to Police Scotland.

———————————————————————-

To: FOI

15 July 2026

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This week I received a letter from DCC Stuart Houston. It notes in part:

“During this time, Police Scotland utilised financial investigators, financial analysts and a forensic accountant to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding reported irregularities. Consideration was given to other crime types, such as, but not limited to, those listed in your letter. 

These matters were also fully investigated, and all of the circumstances were reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for advice and guidance.”

As Police Scotland announced that Operation Branchform was closed on 26 May 2026 and is no longer a live investigation requiring confidentiality, and as the matter is of such great public interest – involving as it does the extremely grave matters of public confidence in the Scottish Government and the integrity and independence of Police Scotland and COPFS when investigating potential crimes committed by members of that government – the information I request is therefore as follows:

(1) What advice and guidance was received from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service specifically regarding the initial complaint about the Scottish National Party’s suspected misappropriation of “ringfenced” fundraiser money (rather than the subsequent offence of embezzlement against the Party for which Peter Murrell was prosecuted and convicted)?

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(2) On which date/s was this advice and guidance received?

(3) On which date (an approximate one, eg “August 2023” or “Spring 2022”, will suffice if a more precise one cannot be identified) did Police Scotland cease investigations into the original complaint of misappropriation of funds by the SNP (again as opposed to Peter Murrell’s subsequent embezzlement from the Party)?

(4) Did they do so on the grounds that (a) no crime was identified, or that (b) there had been a crime but the perpetrator/s could not be identified, or that (c) there had likely been a crime but evidence was insufficient for a prosecution, or for some other reason?

In the interests of transparency I can see no justifiable reason for these facts being withheld from the public.

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The integrity of the government, police and prosecution service is not a matter of mere curiosity or prurience. It is vital to public faith in national institutions and I will pursue this matter with the Information Commissioner if necessary.

———————————————————————-

We’ll be sending a similar one to the Crown Office, and our solicitor will also be writing to Police Scotland separately. We’ll continue to keep you posted.

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Spain are into the World Cup final after a controlled, clinical 2-0 win over France in Dallas.

The semi-final was billed as a meeting of the tournament’s two standout sides, but one which never caught fire for Didier Deschamps’ team. Goals in each half from Mikel Oyarzabal and Pedro Porro settled it, sending the European champions through to Sunday’s showpiece against either England or Argentina.

France arrived with the joint-top scorer Kylian Mbappé and the World Cup’s top assist-maker Michael Olise, but neither could influence a game Spain managed from the opening whistle.

Luis de la Fuente’s side, unbeaten in 37 matches across all competitions, were simply sharper, cleaner and more cohesive. France, by contrast, produced one of their poorest displays of the tournament at the worst possible moment.

Spain took control

The semi-final had been hyped as a heavyweight clash, but Spain settled quicker and imposed their rhythm. Their first breakthrough came at 22 minutes. Lucas Digne, attempting to clear inside his own box, caught Lamine Yamal. The contact was clear, the penalty awarded, and Oyarzabal stepped up to slam his finish past Mike Maignan.

It was a moment that underlined Spain’s composure. Even with France’s frontline on the pitch, Mbappé, Ousmane Dembele, Olise could not trouble Spain. Their midfield combinations were crisp, their press well-timed, and their wide players constantly stretching the game.

France’s response was minimal. William Saliba’s injury on the half-hour, forcing Maxence Lacroix into action, added to their problems.

Spain continued to create the cleaner chances. A slick move on 38 minutes saw Dani Olmo backheel into Yamal, whose cross found Fabian Ruiz. His effort was blocked just wide – another warning for France.

Porro doubles the lead

Spain’s second goal arrived at 58 minutes and reflected the fluency they carried throughout. Porro exchanged passes with Olmo, broke into space, and finished low for 2-0. It was a simple, well-executed move, and it effectively ended the contest.

Three minutes later, Yamal thought he had added a third, bursting through and finishing, but he was narrowly offside. It didn’t matter. Spain were in complete control, and France had still not registered a shot on target.

Olise, who came into the match with five assists in the tournament, was substituted at 72 minutes. His output summed up France’s night. Just two chances created, no completed dribbles, and little influence.

Ferran Torres then headed wide for Spain as they hunted a third, while Unai Simon’s misjudged header gifted Désiré Doué a chance, but the France substitute shot straight at the scrambling keeper.

France’s first meaningful efforts on target didn’t arrive until stoppage time. By then, Spain were already cruising into the final.

Biggest test ends in defeat

Across this World Cup, France had looked complete. Their four-man frontline had been slick and decisive. Their defence had been solid, with clean sheets in all three knockout games before this one. Their depth was the envy of most nations.

Yet in Dallas, they were a shadow of that side. The first half was blunt, lacking tempo and invention.

Usually, France finds a second-half surge, but it never came. The air-conditioned stadium offered no lift, and Spain’s organisation denied them any rhythm.

The performance left France fans dejected. Bastille Day celebrations back home will have felt flat as supporters watched a team unable to produce their usual intensity. Spain were excellent, but this semi-final was defined just as much by France’s failure to fire.

France falls short

Didier Deschamps admitted his side were below their usual level. He pointed to technical errors, misplaced passes, and a lack of danger in attack. For a squad with such talent, it was a disappointing end and a subdued conclusion to his 14-year tenure.

France now head to Saturday’s third-place play-off, a fixture that will feel like a comedown after their ambitions of lifting the trophy.

Spain’s run continues

Spain’s consistency is remarkable. They beat France in the semi-finals of Euro 2024, and again in the Nations League semi-finals in 2025. This win makes it three straight knockout victories over Les Bleus. More importantly, it extends their unbeaten run to 37 matches – a joint-record for a European nation.

Huge praise must be given to Luis de la Fuente and his players, for their commitment, solidarity, talent, and how they make difficult tasks look simple.

This Spain side began this cycle with a clear idea and have stuck to it. The result is a team primed to repeat the Euros–World Cup double they achieved in 2010.

They will take some stopping in New York.

Key moments

• 22 mins – goal: Oyarzabal converts from the spot after Digne kicks Yamal.
• 30 mins – injury: Saliba forced off; Lacroix replaces him.
• 38 mins – close: Olmo’s backheel releases Yamal; Ruiz’s shot blocked wide.
• 58 mins – goal: Porro finishes after linking with Olmo.
• 61 mins – no goal: Yamal scores but is offside.
• 72 mins – sub: Olise withdrawn after ineffective display.
• 79 mins – miss: Torres heads wide.
• 81 mins – error: Simon’s poor header gives Doue a chance; he shoots at the keeper.

Spain sharper, France subdued

Spain’s control was total. Their midfield dictated, their wide players stretched France, and their defensive structure kept Mbappé quiet. Dembélé, Olise and the rest of France’s attack were blunted, unable to find space or combine with any fluency.

France’s technical errors were costly. Passes went astray, transitions broke down, and their usual second-half lift never materialised. Spain didn’t need to be spectacular either; they simply needed to maintain their level. They did exactly that.

What’s next

Spain move on to Sunday’s final, where they will face either England or Argentina. Both opponents present different challenges, but Spain’s form, cohesion and unbeaten run make them formidable.

France, meanwhile, must regroup for the third-place play-off. It is not the stage they expected to be on, and the performance in Dallas will linger.

Featured image via NBC News

By Faz Ali

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Maine Democrats want to hold onto Graham Platner’s progressive base — but they can’t agree on who is best positioned to carry the torch.

That indecision is creating a fractured field heading into an unpredictable late July nominating convention for one of the most important Senate races on the 2026 map. Now, various candidates are rushing to prove they are the most aligned with Platner’s policies, without tying themselves too closely to the disgraced oysterman.

Labor organizations and the national progressive organizing group Our Revolution are backing former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, who campaigned with Platner during the primary and got the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for his unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign earlier this year. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a former Platner surrogate, is also behind Jackson, as are dozens of current and former state lawmakers.

But some state legislators and local activists who had backed Platner are flocking to Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who similarly ran as a progressive in the gubernatorial primary. And former public health official Nirav Shah is touting more progressive policy positions than he did when he ran for governor in an attempt to break off some Platner supporters. Behind the scenes, he is also working to recruit former organizers from Platner’s campaign, according to two people familiar with the strategy and granted anonymity to discuss it.

The trio of former gubernatorial candidates are the leading figures in a crowded field aiming to win over a yet-to-be-selected group of 600 Democratic delegates. Part of that task is convincing Platner’s former supporters that they will carry on the progressive advocacy and fighting spirit that made his candidacy so popular — before he was forced to resign after POLITICO reported a woman said he had sexually assaulted her. Platner has denied the allegation.

Many of the candidates will make that pitch directly during a debate scheduled for Thursday night. And the stakes couldn’t be higher for national Democrats watching anxiously: Unseating Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is an essential part of the party’s plan to take back control of the Senate this fall.

Platner convincingly won the Democratic Senate primary last month with nearly three quarters of the vote, and had a zealous base of support during the primary. But where his voters and core volunteers go next is unclear.

“People who were vocal supporters of Platner’s have moved to other candidates, and it doesn’t look to me like they moved in a block, that everyone agrees who’s the best next candidate from that movement,” said David Farmer, a Maine Democratic political strategist not involved with the Senate campaign. “And I think that in a truncated process like this, that’s to be expected.”

In just 11 days, Democrats will replace their nominee at a convention in Bangor. This weekend, they will select the delegates who will pick that candidate — a process playing out across all of the state’s 16 counties, with campaigns seeking to recruit and organize delegates who will vote in their favor.

Unions, who were a key Platner booster in his primary against Gov. Janet Mills, have largely gone to Jackson, a logger and longtime union member. The Maine AFL-CIO endorsed Jackson over the weekend, citing his support of workers’ issues in the Maine legislature, along with his track record of winning over rural and working-class voters.

Some of Platner’s biggest supporters in the state House are beginning to coalesce around Bellows, however. That includes state Rep. Valli Geiger, who had been floated by Platner as a potential replacement before she passed on a run. In a Facebook post, Geiger cited Bellows’ track record of standing up to President Donald Trump as secretary of state, along with the fact that she “did not declare as a candidate until after Graham Platner announced he was withdrawing from the race unlike the unseemly rush of so many ambitious men.”

Reached via text, Geiger declined to be interviewed about her support for Bellows.

State Rep. Gary Friedmann, who also previously endorsed Platner, said he is all-in for Bellows. While he agrees with Jackson’s stances and called his association with Sanders and Our Revolution “very compelling,” Friedmann hinted at something Democrats have voiced worry about behind the scenes: That Jackson struggles as a compelling public speaker.

“When it comes to standing up, if there’s a debate with Susan Collins, or the messaging that comes from both candidates, I think Shenna is extremely articulate and compelling,” Friedmann said.

He added: “I think that having a woman to voice that platform is gonna be very important.”

All of the candidates are still figuring out exactly how to capture Platner’s support without tying themselves too closely to him as an individual. A letter circulated by former Platner campaign volunteers that racked up hundreds of signatures as of Tuesday called for the candidate replacing him to adopt a string of progressive commitments on issues including health care, housing and ending “forever wars.” Both Jackson and Bellows signed onto the letter.

During a virtual rally hosted by Our Revolution on Monday, Jackson took time to “acknowledge what everyone on this call has been through” while asking Platner’s supporters to rally behind him, though he never mentioned the oysterman by name.

“I know that there’s real pain, anger, disappointment, and I’m not going to try and to minimize that,” Jackson said. “But look, this movement has always been bigger than one person. It’s about taking on a system rigged against working people.”

Joseph Geevarghese, who runs Our Revolution, called on the movement Platner emboldened to get involved in the delegate process outlined by the Maine Democratic Party.

“This is the perfect opportunity for us to show the establishment that we can organize and win within the system that they created, the Democratic Party process,” he said on the call.

A person close to Bellows, granted anonymity to discuss internal strategy, also acknowledged this dilemma for candidates, calling it “a really delicate dance to walk.”

“It’s not like she’s trying to be Graham Platner or be someone she’s not,” the person said. “She is able to be herself, and I think she, ideologically, is a great bridge for people who were very disheartened by what happened with Platner, but still extremely pissed off about Susan Collins and the Senate majority, and what’s happening in Washington, D.C.”

While Shah’s campaign is recruiting former Platner supporters behind the scenes, the former public health official is also making the pitch explicit in public comments.

“I want all former Platner supporters to know: you have a place in this campaign,” Shah wrote on social media shortly after he launched his candidacy last week.

Maine politics was rocked on Monday by ICE agents’ shooting of a 26-year-old man in Biddeford, with potential Senate candidates rallying around getting the federal agency out of Maine. For many Democrats, it was also a reminder of the importance of supporting the party’s eventual nominee, regardless of who it is.

Democratic State Rep. Morgan Rielly, a former supporter of Platner’s, said he told Jackson that he would support him in the primary. But more important, he said, was the goal of defeating Collins this fall.

“[The Democratic nominee] will have my full support and I will be working hard to get them elected,” Rielly said in a text message. “It’s absolutely crucial we are united and Senator Collins loses on election day.”

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Tech giant and genocide enabler Meta is accused of using AI software to target disabled people for layoffs in a new court case.

In May, Meta announced they would be sacking around 8,000 people. But a new lawsuit claims the company used a combination of AI tools which gathered data on employees’ performance. These include productivity and activity monitoring. Crucially, the scores of those who took more medical leave were reduced because they were at work less.

Meta uses AI to target disabled employees

Twenty-six employees filed the complaint anonymously on Monday, 13 July, in Oakland, California. The complaint explained:

Those tools draw on inputs… that, by design, cannot be accumulated by an employee who is on protected medical or family leave, or whose output is reduced by a disability.

Whilst Meta could’ve excluded those who took more leave on medical grounds from this, they chose not to:

Meta did not neutralize those inputs for protected leave; did not exclude protected-leave-takers or accommodation-seekers from the selection cohort; and did not pause the system for the individualized, leave- and accommodation-neutral review that the law requires.

This means that not only did Meta fail to protect those on protected leave from an AI that doesn’t understand, but they used that system to disproportionately target disabled people.

As the complaint explains:

The result was that employees who took protected leaves were disproportionately selected for layoff, based on scoring that not only failed to account for their protected leaves, but in effect penalized the employees for exercising their legal rights to these leaves.

The plaintiffs are understandably accusing Meta of violating federal and state laws that ban discrimination or retaliation against workers who have disabilities, take medical leave, or are pregnant. They also say Meta’s AI systems weren’t tested for bias, which would be in violation of recently adopted California and New York City laws.

Employees spied on

The lawsuit explains that Meta quietly launched the monitoring program, and naturally, employees had no option to consent:

The program was announced through a low-visibility internal post—made by an engineer rather than a senior leader, in a secondary group rather than Meta’s official employee-notice channel—with little notice and no consent or click-through acknowledgment; on at least some teams, employees received no consent or acknowledgment prompt at all, and, at least initially, there was no way to opt out.

As the Guardian reports, the twenty-six plaintiffs include a scientist who was on pregnancy leave and then parental leave. She found out she’d lost her job two days before she gave birth. Others include a manager who was let go 16 days into medical leave and an engineer who was given a lower score because of time off due to a work-related injury.

The complaint states:

Meta did not assemble the termination list through the considered judgment of managers who knew the work. Instead, Meta used a constellation of internal artificial-intelligence systems …. to score, rank, and select employees for inclusion on the list.

The thousands of layoffs are supposed to start happening on 22 July, but the plaintiffs are seeking a preliminary ruling from the court, which would block Meta from sacking them all while the case is active. They are also applying for relief that could include back pay and reinstatement of their jobs.

Featured image via the Canary

By Rachel Charlton-Dailey

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Rupert Lowe has branded Manchester city centre and diverse cities across the UK, “third world shithole[s]”.

While this sort of talk is common from Restore, you’d think the party would have the sense to tone it down a bit while running for the Greater Manchester mayor position.

Go and look at that video of Restore Britain’s Greater Manchester mayoral candidate, Marlon West, walking around Piccadilly Gardens late at night. It’s just disgusting, honestly. What a vile place.

Let’s call it what it is.

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A shithole.

A third world shithole.

And it’s not…

— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) July 14, 2026

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Rupert Lowe: Who is he?

If you’re unfamiliar with Lowe, he’s the leader of Restore Britain. This breakaway party exists because Reform wasn’t far right enough and it’s had some success in taking voters away from Nigel Farage.

Lowe recently attracted controversy for lying about the victims of the Dunblane massacre, seemingly to curry favour with the Yanks.

16 children and a teacher died in Dunblane. But daddy's gun being taken away is more serious. Fuck rupert lowe https://t.co/WboflCqtHX

— BatesyBhoy (@BatesyBhoy1967) July 9, 2026

As the commenter alluded to, Lowe’s dad had his gun taken away, which must have been harrowing for him. Lowe still has some firearms, though, including the shotgun he had his groundskeeper execute his pet dog with.

Lowe didn’t just attack Manchester; he also said:

And it’s not just in the middle of Manchester.

It’s everywhere, absolutely everywhere.

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London, Birmingham, Glasgow. Even places like Norwich, Exeter, Cardiff, Nottingham, Rochdale, Bristol, Reading, Newcastle. It is everywhere.

It’s become a common refrain for far-right politicians to say “Britain is broken”. We don’t disagree with this statement; we just differ on what the cause is.

In our opinion, Britain is in a sorry state of affairs because 40 years of neoliberalism stripped everything to the bone. This is the political ideology of flogging everything that isn’t nailed down and then renting it back from the greedy, no-good c*nts who fund Reform UK, the Tories, and yes, even Labour.

If you leave everything to the whims of the market, towns and cities will deteriorate because there’s no profit in maintaining them. When you’ve got worn down towns filled with worn down people, of course, the vibes won’t be uniformly pleasant.

Lowe then added, with casual xenophobia:

Nowhere is safe from the third worldification of Britain – absolutely nowhere.

It’s the same feel, the same scene. Young foreign men just loitering around. Deliveroo bikes skimming about, it stinks of weed, foreign languages fill the air.

Gig work

On top of neoliberalism, we’ve had the slow death of organised labour. With that comes the gig economy and the Deliveroo bikes Lowe complained about.

In Lowe’s mind, these foreign men brought the poverty, destitution and Deliveroo bikes with them. He thinks this because it’s politically beneficial for him to do so.

The reality is the private sector hollowed Britain out, and the people Lowe complains about are plugging the gaps. If we deported every gig economy worker who wasn’t born in the UK, Britain wouldn’t become a workers’ utopia; the poorest white people would just take their place.

Now, we’re not saying we need to encourage migration for the sake of Deliver-f*cking-roo. We think all work should be well paid and rewarding. What we are saying is Lowe and others like him are selling their voters a fairytale and they’re doing it for the benefit of the people who profit from Britain breaking.

Lowest of the Lowe

Lowe ended his hate screed as follows:

A Restore Britain Government will deport millions. We will make Britain safe again.

We will not allow our country to remain a third world shithole.

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That I promise you.

Migration increased under the Tories despite the constant fear mongering against migrants. This happened because it was beneficial for everyone at the top. The migrants plugged employment gaps and protected the pension pot against our ageing population while also serving as a political target for constant scapegoating.

This situation couldn’t last, of course, because eventually voters started to ask: ‘If they’re so bad, why are the Tories letting them in?‘ This is why we now have politicians like Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe.

Potentially, these men will pull the same trick as the Tories if they take power. Regardless, if we continue down this path, we will eventually end up with someone who’s deadly serious about following through on this violent ideology. And it never ends with deportations.

Featured image via the Canary

By Willem Moore

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German police have violently arrested Greta Thunberg and more than 30 other activists for blocking the road to a German arms factory.

The Rheinmetall works produces ammunition for Israel’s military. Thunberg was also arrested in the UK for protesting against the Starmer regime’s proscription of anti-genocide group, Palestine Action.

The German state and police have been among the most brutal collaborators in Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Peaceful anti-genocide activists have been beaten, imprisoned and in some cases subjected to ‘civil death’, depriving them of employment, banking and official existence.

The Peacefully Against Genocide group is holding a series of demonstrations in Berlin in early July against “Germany’s complicity” in Israel’s genocide. The group will call for Rheinmetall to stop all deliveries to Israel and close the Berlin factory.

Greta Thunberg unbowed

In October 2025, Thunberg was among a group of humanitarian flotilla volunteers beaten and abused by Israeli guards. Clearly she is unbowed and unafraid of the genocide-enabling state thugs.

Featured image via the Canary

By Skwawkbox

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