There is a lot of chat (as there has been for a while) about whether or not thinktanks with overtly political positions should declare where their 💰💰💰 comes from.
This story gives some insight into why that's important 👇
The basic issue is *not* that these organisations lobby for market deregulation. It is *not* that they push a supposedly libertarian ideology. They're 'free market thinktanks'; of course that's what they do. And there's nothing inherently wrong with that.
Feb 5, 2019 • 8 tweets • 4 min read
A nice bit of analysis this...
Only @lorddeben can defend himself from these allegations. But make no mistake, what this story really shows is the climate science denial media apparatus in operation THREAD
The 'revelations' were first published in the Mail on Sunday by David Rose. A journalist somewhat over-familiar with IPSO corrections and with a history of publishing climate science denial desmog.co.uk/david-rose
Jan 16, 2019 • 12 tweets • 8 min read
10 years on from launching climate science denial campaign group @thegwpfcom, Nigel Lawson is stepping down as its Chair. Seems like a good moment to revisit some of his greatest hits... 🗒🔍
THREAD
There was that time Ofcom upheld a complaint from none other than Brian Cox after Lawson said "average world temperature has slightly declined". This was a lie ❌
THREAD
First, to give benefit of the doubt, the police have said "one line of enquiry" is that this is the work of someone involved in environmental activism. The police have also said it is one of "several lines of enquiry".
Fine, report those two bits of information.
Dec 14, 2018 • 7 tweets • 6 min read
Negotiatiobs are still goint, but im just getting home from #Cop24 now...
So proud of @DeSmogUK@DeSmogBlog at this one. We went with a solid idea of what we wanted to do and delivered.
Some highlights ->
In week 1, @ChloeFarand highlighted how a Just Transition was finally at the heart of the discussions. The backdrop of a coal town and the #gilletjaune really focused minds, For what felt like the first time in 24 attempts...
@MikeSmall2018 has an astonishing story of yet more US money coming in to UK politics at an incredibly volatile point in the nation's history.
This story outlines hows Charles Koch has been pumping 💲💲💲 into a network based around @spikedonline .
These 'free speech advocates' regularly call for environmental deregulation, and blame 'green crap' for a multitude of weird sins.
Nov 23, 2018 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
So, US donors gave the UK's main climate science denial campaign group, the GWPF, $177k in 2017... Why?
THREAD
That's the year after the Brexit referendum, and during the same period that the GWPF and eight other organisations have been accused of colluding to push for a hard Brexit desmog.co.uk/2018/07/23/map…
Nov 19, 2018 • 18 tweets • 11 min read
Get your brain into gear this morning with this long read from @ChloeFarand and myself for @DeSmogUK on how US libertarians and fossil fuel interests are infiltrating the UK's #Brexit debate and pushing for environmental deregulation desmog.co.uk/2018/11/18/mat…
Here's a tldr THREAD
The story centres around a power couple in Brexit politics, Matthew and Sarah Elliott. Matthew was chief of Vote Leave and still has fingers in lots of Brexit pies. Sarah is chair of Republicans overseas, and used to work for fossil fuel magnates the Koch brothers.
Thank you all so so much for your support of the @DeSmogUK crowdfunder. When the gavel came down and we'd managed to reach our goal, I had a few tears welling, I won't lie.
I'm incredibly aware that there are lots of great projects to support right now, and that cash is tight and getting tighter for lots of people. To know people are willing to put their hands in their pocket to keep @DeSmogUK going really does mean a lot.
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