Tag Archives: oligarchs

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Rightwing thinktanks run this government. But first, they had to capture the BBC

Broadcasting House in London. Photograph: Ian West/PA
Brōdcastñhǎs in Lundn. Foṭgraf: Iyn Wst/PA
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Rîtwñ ʈnctancs run ɖs guvnmnt. Bt frst, ɖe hd t capćr ɖ BBC

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 5 October 2022)

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Ẃ r repriznttivz v ɖz śêḍli fundd grūps trītd az imparśl obzrvrz on flagśp nyzprogramz?

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George Monbiot

Jorj Monbio, Wnzde 5 Octobr 2022

Sm v it z īzi t unḍstand. Liz Trus, a holo vesl fild wɖ secndhand îdīaz bî ɖ darc-muni ʈnctancs, b’livd ɖer aśuṛnsz ɖt ɖ majic v an unreğletd marcit n taxcuts fr ɖ vri rić wd trigr an ic̣nomic būm. Ɖ ʈnctancs mst scersli hv b’livd ɖer luc: ɖt smwn so małbl cd bcm prîm̦inistr.

On ɖ de v ɖ minibujit, ɖe croud abt tecñ ovr ɖ guvnmnt. Ɖ Cnsrṿtiv Hom fǎndr, Tim Montgoṃri, rmarct ɖt ɖs wz “a masiv momnt” fr ɖ Insttyt v Ic̣nomic Aferz (IIA), ẃć hd “inkbetd Trus n Qarteñ jrñ ɖer rli yirz az MPz. Britn z nǎ ɖer l’boṛtri.” Ɖ hed v ɖ insttyt, Marc Litlwŭd, ɖen rītwītd hiz coment wɖ a súnglasz emoji.

Abv a scrīnśot v a Gardịn hedlîn ascñ “Hz Liz Trus handd pǎr ovr t ɖ xtrim niolibṛl ʈnctancs?”, ɖ IIA’z hed v public poḷsi, Máʈy Leś, rout “Yes”. Ɖ ic̣nomic dzastr inflictd bî Trus n Qarteñ hz bn dubd ɖ Tuftn Strīt Maṣcr, az ɖ grūps ɖt dvîzd ɖer poḷsiz r hedqortrd in n arnd Tuftn Strīt in Wsminstr.

I si ɖz ʈnctancs, ẃć rfyz t rvil ɖ sorsz v ɖer fundñ, az lobiists fr hidn inṭrests. W nǒ fṛm līcs n YS rports ɖt ɖz includ, in sm cesz, tbacofrmz, ôlfrmz n foṛn oḷgarcs. Bt ɖr z wn qsćn t ẃć nwn hz pṛvîdd a cmplit n saṭsfactri ansr.

De aftr de, yir aftr yir, ɖ BBC hz pṛvîdd ɖz xtrimists wɖ a masiv platform on its nyz n cuṛnt-aferz programz. Mejr BBC programz includñ Tde, Qsćntîm, Nyznît n Eni Qsćnz? r popyletd bî spīcrz fṛm ɖ Insttyt v Ic̣nomic Aferz, ɖ Adm Smiʈ Insttyt, ɖ Taxpeyrz’ Alayns, ɖ Sntr fr Poḷsistudiz n Poḷsi Xćenj. Ɖz grūps olso hapn t hv bn retd bî ɖ campen Hu Fundz Y? az amñ ɖ most opec v ol ɖoz it invstgetd.

Ẃn ɖ IIA cmplend t Ofcm abt ɖ brōdcastr Jemz Obrayn’z dscripśn v ɖ insttyt az a “hard-rît lobigrūp fr vstd inṭrests v big biznis, fosilfylz, tbaco, juncfūd” on hiz LBC śo, Ofcm rjctd its cmplent, rūlñ ɖt h hd nt dstortd ɖ facts. Yt ɖ cmbînd platform v ɖz darc-muni grūps on ɖ BBC z śrli mni tîmz bigr ɖn ɖt v eni uɖr non-parti grūpñ.

Ɖ BBC rūtīnli torćz its edtorịl gîdlînz, ẃć stet ɖt “w śd mc ćecs t istabliś ɖ cṛdnślz v ǎr cntribytrz n t avôd biyñ hoxt”. Ẃn ɖ IIA wz set p, wn v its fǎndrz instructd ɖt it śd oṗret az a fruntgrūp: “w śd gv no indceśn in ǎr litṛćr ɖt w r wrcñ t edycet ɖ public alñ srtn lînz”. Its maṇfesto, h sd, hd bn ritn in “ceji trmz”. It wz a hox fṛm ɖ ǎtset.

At frst, I ʈt ɖ probḷm wz nîīvti. Bt ɖen I sw ɖ BBC’z rsponsz t cmplents abt its fełr t istabliś ɖ cṛdnślz v its cntribytrz. Ɖe wr dfnsiv, iraśnl n contṛdictri. At wn pônt, ɖ BBC sd it wz’nt nesṣri t tel ɖ ōdịns ɖt a MP argywñ agnst clîṃt ax́n wz ɖ d’rectr v an ôlcumṗni, on ɖ grǎndz ɖt h hd dclerd ɖs inṭrest elsẃr. Sn afṭwdz it clemd ɖt ẃn gvñ ɖ hed v ɖ IIA a platform t argy agnst ny tbacoreğleśn, it wz’nt nesṣri t stet ɖt hiz orġnîześn hd bn fundd bî tbacocumṗniz, on ɖ grǎndz ɖt ɖ IIA hd nt dclerd ɖs inṭrest. F mî xpirịns z enʈñ t g bî, ɖ onli ifct v rezñ ɖz iśuz z t gt dīplatformd bî ɖ programz y criṭsîz.

In 2019, ɖ Obzrvr jrṇlist Cáṛl Cadwoḷdr spouc t ɖ ɖen BBC d’rectrjenṛl, Toni Hōl, abt ɖs bletnt disrigard v ɖ rūlz. In rspons, h ćenjd ɖ edtorịl gîdlînz t stet ɖt ʈnctancs’ afilieśnz n fundñ “śd b md aveḷbl t ɖ ōdịns, ẃn reḷvnt t ɖ contxt”. Ɖ poḷsi wz impḷmntd fr abt a fortnît, n hz bn disrigardd evr sins.

Nǎ ɖ sićueśn hz gn bynd satîr. Ɖz grūps r biyñ cōld upn bî ɖ BBC t coment on ɖ pformns v ɖs guvnmnt az f ɖe r imparśl obzrvrz, rɖr ɖn ɖ oʈrz v its poḷsiz.

I no longr b’liv ɖ BBC’z fełr t uphold its ǒn rūlz z an axidnt. I b’liv it’s a poḷsi. Bt ẃ? Apizmnt z olwz part v ɖ ansr: ɖ BBC constntli sīcs t pḷcet ɖ biłnerpres n Cnsrṿtiv guvnmnts. Mor importntli, it hz olwz bn a dfndr n pṛjectr v istabliśt pǎr.

Ɖ BBC’z ćer z Rićd Śarp. Mć hz bn md v Śarp’s dneśnz t ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti. Bt hiz rleśnśp wɖ ɖ darc-muni ʈnctancs cnsrnz m īvn mor. H wz a d’rectr v ɖ Sntr fr Poḷsistudiz (SPS), a darc-muni grūp fǎndd bî Marġrit Ʈaćr n Cīʈ Jozif. On ɖ de v Qarteñ’z minibujit, ɖ SPS clemd rsponsbiḷti fr sevṛl v hiz ci anǎnsmnts. Śarp’s faṃlifǎndeśn hz olso dnetd t ɖ Insttyt fr Poḷsi Rsrć, ẃć z mor trnspaṛnt abt its fundñ bt in trn sndz fundz t ɖ Sntr fr Poḷsistudiz n ɖ Taxpeyrz’ Alayns, anɖr opec lobigrūp ɖt hz trumṗtd its inflụns. Ɖ Taxpeyrz’ Alayns hz loñ campend t scrap ɖ BBC’z lîsnsfī. Ɖ BBC grants it, unlîc uɖr critics, a masiv amǎnt v ertîm.

I’m śr ɖr’z mor t ɖs stori ɖn w yt nǒ. It’s hard t b’liv hǎ frīli ɖ BBC brecs its ǒn rūlz t pṛmot n norṃlîz an xtrim niolibṛl cult. Niolibṛlizm z ɖ inṭlecćl justiḟceśn fr ɖ claswor wejd bî ɖ rić agnst ɖ pur. Ɖ BBC z part v ɖ tīm.

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Instroduction to Ñspel

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Fṛm Đ Gardịn: Has Liz Truss handed power over to the extreme neoliberal thinktanks?

‘To a greater extent than any previous leader, Liz Truss’s politics have been shaped by organisations that call themselves thinktanks, but would be better described as lobbyists who refuse to reveal who funds them.’ Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
‘T a gretr xtnt ɖn eni prīvịs līdr, Liz Trus’z poḷtics hv bn śept bî orġnîześnz ɖt cōl ɖmslvz ʈnctancs, bt wd b betr dscrîbd az lobiists hu rfyz t rvil hu fundz ɖm.’ Foṭgraf: Anadolu Ejnsi/Geti Iṃjz
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Hz Liz Trus handd pǎr ovr t ɖ xtrim niolibṛl ʈnctancs?

(Transcription of an article published in the Guardian on 23 September 2022)

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Ɖ prîm̦inistr z in hóc t a grūp v rîtwñ lobiists hu r ɖmslvz indétd t oḷgarcs n corṗreśnz

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George Monbiot

Jorj Monbio, Frîde 23 Sptmbr 2022

Hu ćouz Liz Trus? Cnsrṿtiv-parti membrz, v cors. Hu r ɖe? Dispṛporśṇtli rić, ẃît, oldr men livñ in ɖ sǎʈ v Ñgḷnd. Bt ɖr r sm membrz huz profîl w hv no mīnz v nwñ. Ɖe d’nt liv in ɖ YC, hv nvr bn rezidnts or sitiznz hir n hv no rît t vot in ǎr ilex́nz. Astoṇśñli, sins 2018 ɖz foṛn membrz hv bn pmitd t dtrmin hu ɖ YC prîm̦inistr śd b.

Ɖ Cnsrṿtiv parti’z rūlz v asośieśn r an opn invteśn t enwn hu wonts t mes wɖ ǎr poḷtics. Ɖr sīmz t b nʈñ t stop ejnts v anɖr guvnmnt fṛm rejisṭrñ az membrz wɖ Cnsrṿtivz Abrōd. Nr, it sīmz, z ɖr enʈñ t stop wn prsn (or wn bótsworm) aplayñ fr multipl membrśps. So mć fr ɖ parti v petrịtizm, sovṛnti n naśnl s’kṛti.

Ɖs opn invteśn, t juj fṛm ɖ litl inḟmeśn w cn glīn, hz yt t b fŭli xplôtd. Phps foṛn guvnmnts hv’nt yt riylîzd ẃt a goldn oṗtyṇti ɖ’v bn gvn. Phps ɖe simpli c’nt b’liv hǎ irisponsbl ɖ Tōriz r.

Bt w d’nt nīd t sjst a campen bî anɖr stet t si Trus az a cnd v Manćŭrịn Canddet, sbvrtñ ẃt rmenz v ǎr dmocṛsi on bhaf v undeṃcratic inṭrests. Az a rūl, ɖ mor lǎdli a poḷtiśn pṛclemz ɖer petrịtizm, ɖ mor lîcli ɖe r t act on bhaf v foṛn muni. Evri rīsnt Cnsrṿtiv prîm̦inistr hz plest ɖ inṭrests v trnznaśnl capitl abv ɖ inṭrests v ɖ neśn. Bt, t a gretr xtnt ɖn eni prīvịs līdr, Trus’z poḷtics hv bn śept bî orġnîześnz ɖt cōl ɖmslvz ʈnctancs, bt wd b betr dscrîbd az lobiists hu rfyz t rvil hu fundz ɖm. Nǎ ś hz bròt ɖm intu ɖ hart v guvnmnt.

Hr sīńr speśl advîzr, Ruʈ Portr, wz cḿṇceśnz d’rectr at ɖ Insttyt v Ic̣nomic Aferz (IIA), an xtrim niolibṛl lobigrūp. An invstgeśn bî ɖ dmocṛsi campen Trnzpaṛfî listd ɖ IIA az “hîli opec” abt its fundñsorsz. W nǒ fṛm a comḅneśn v līcs n YS fîlñz ɖt it hz a hisṭri v tecñ muni fṛm tbacocumṗniz n sins 1967 fṛm ɖ ôlcumṗni BP, n hz olso rsivd larj dsbrsmnts fṛm fǎndeśnz fundd bî YS biłnerz, sm v ẃć hv bn amñ ɖ mejr sponsrz v clîṃtsayns dnayl. Ẃn ś wrct at ɖ IIA, Portr cōld fr rdysñ hǎzñbeṇfit n ćîldbeṇfit, ćarjñ peśnts t yz ɖ NHS, cutñ oṿsìz ed n scrapñ grīn fundz.

Ś ɖen bcem hed v ic̣nomic n sośl poḷsi at Poḷsi Xćenj, ẃć wz olso listd bî Trnzpaṛfî az “hîli opec”. Poḷsi Xćenj z ɖ grūp ɖt (aftr Portr left) cōld fr a ny lw agnst Xtñśn Rbełn, ẃć bcem, in formr homsecṛtri Priti Ptél’z handz, ɖ P’līs, Crîm, Sntnsñ n Corts Act. W lêtr dscuvrd it hd rsivd $30,000 fṛm ɖ YS ôlcumṗni Xón.

Liz Trus, acordñ t ɖ hed v ɖ IIA, hz spocn at mor v its ivnts ɖn “eni uɖr poḷtiśn ovr ɖ past 12 yirz”. Tū v Trus’z mītñz wɖ ɖ orġnîześn wr dlitd fṛm ɖ ofiśl record, ɖen riinstetd aftr ɖ dliśnz cōzd a scandl.

Mor importntli, Trus wz ɖ ostnsbl fǎndr, in 2011, v ɖ fri-enṭprîz grūp v Cnsrṿtiv MPz. Ɖ grūp’s webpej wz rejistrd bî Ruʈ Portr, hu at ɖ tîm wrct fr ɖ IIA. Ɖ IIA orġnîzd ivnts fr ɖ grūp n s’plaid it wɖ mīdịbrīfñz. Twelv membrz v ɖ cuṛnt cabiṇt, includñ sevṛl v its most sīńr figrz, b’loñd t ɖ grūp. Tde, f y trî t opn its webpej, y r rīdirectd t ɖ Fri-Marcit Foṛm, ẃć cōlz itslf “a project v ɖ Insttyt v Ic̣nomic Aferz”.

Trus’z ćīf ic̣nomic advîzr z Máʈy Sncler, formrli ćīf xektiv v a similr lobiyñgrūp, ɖ Taxpeyrz’ Alayns. It z olso fundd obskrli bî foṛn donrz. Sncler rout a bc cōld Let Ɖm Īt Carbn, argywñ agnst ax́n t privnt clîṃt brecdǎn. It clemd ɖt: “Eqtorịl rījnz mt sufr, bt it z intîrli poṣbl ɖt ɖs wl b baḷnst ǎt bî eriaz lîc Grīnḷnd.” In uɖr wrdz, w cn tred ɖ livz v biłnz v ppl agnst ɖ prospects v sm v ɖ līst inhaḅtd plesz on Rʈ. It’s amñ ɖ most caḷs n ignṛnt stetmnts I’v evr sìn.

Trus’z inṭrim preșecṛtri, Alix Wîld, wz rsrć d’rectr at ɖ sem orġnîześn. Hr hlʈ advîzr, Caṛlîn Elsm, wz sīńr rsrćr at ɖ Sntr fr Poḷsistudiz, ẃć wz listd bî Trnzpaṛfî az – y gest it – “hîli opec”. Hr p’liticl secṛtri, Sofi Jarvis, wz hed v guvnmnt’ferz at ɖ Adm Smiʈ Insttyt (olso “hîli opec”), n fundd, amñ uɖrz, bî tbacocumṗniz n YS fǎndeśnz.

Ɖz grūps repriznt ɖ xtrim frinj v niolibṛlism. Ɖs mntenz ɖt hymn rleśnśps r intîrli trnzax́nl: w’r motvetd abv ol bî ɖ psyt v muni, ẃć śeps ǎr bhevyr. Yt, hlerịsli, ẃn y ćalinj ɖm abt ɖer fundñ, ɖe dnî ɖt ɖ muni ɖe rsiv inflụnsz ɖ pziśnz ɖe tec.

Fr decedz, poḷsidveḷpmnt on ɖ rît wz śept az foloz. Oḷgarcs n corṗreśnz fundd ɖ ʈnctancs. Ɖ ʈnctancs pṛpozd poḷsiz ɖt, bî śir cǒinsidns, sūtd ɖ inṭrests v oḷgarcs n corṗreśnz. Ɖ biłnerpres – olso ǒnd bî oḷgarcs – rportd ɖz poḷsipṛpozlz az briłnt insîts bî indipndnt orġnîześnz. Cnsrṿtiv fruntbnćrz ɖen sáitd ɖ prescuṿrij az evidns v public dmand: ɖ vôs v ɖ oḷgarcs wz trītd az ɖ vôs v ɖ ppl.

In hiz ōṭbîogṛfi Ʈnctanc, Madsn Piri, fǎndr v ɖ Adm Smiʈ Insttyt, xplend hǎ it wrct. Evri Saṭde, in a wînbar in Lstr Sqer, stāf fṛm ɖ Adm Smiʈ Insttyt n ɖ Insttyt v Ic̣nomic Aferz wd sit dǎn wɖ Cnsrṿtiv rsrćrz n līdŗaitrz n coḷmnists fṛm ɖ Tîmz n Teḷgraf t plan “straṭji fr ɖ wīc ahd” n “co-orḍnet ǎr activtiz t mc s mor ifctiv c’lectivli”. Ɖ Dêli Meil weid in t hlp ɖ lobiists rfîn ɖer arğmnts n enśur ɖr wz a s’portiv articl on its līdrpej evri tîm ɖe publiśt a rport.

Bt nǎ ɖ ʈnctancs d’nt nīd a rnd’bt rùt. Ɖe r no longr lobiyñ guvnmnt. Ɖe r ɖ guvnmnt. Liz Trus z ɖer canddet. T dfnd ɖ inṭrests v globl capitl, ś wl wej wor agnst eni comn indevr t impruv ǎr livz or pṛtct ɖ livñ planit. F Lebr z lcñ fr a ʈri-wrd slogn wɖ ẃć t fît ɖ nxt ilex́n, it cd d wrs ɖn “Mnd Ɖs Cuntri”.

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Instroduction to Ñspel

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In Ñspel │ The Observer view on Carole Cadwalladr and a victory for public interest journalism

Ñspel, From the Guardian, , ,
Carole Cadwalladr outside the Royal Courts of Justice with her supporters in January 2022. Photograph: Tayfun Salcı/Zuma Press Wire/Rex/Shutterstock
Cáṛl Cadwoḷdr ǎtsd ɖ Royl Corts v Justis wɖ hr s’portrz in Jańri 2022. Foṭgraf: Tayfun Salcı/Zuma Pres Wîr/Rex/Śuṭstoc

Ɖ Obzrvr vy on Cáṛl Cadwoḷdr n a vicṭri fr public-inṭrest jrṇlizm

(Transcription of an editorial published in the Observer on Sunday 19 June 2022)

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Ɖ jrṇlist’s s’xesfl dfns z a tsṭmnt t hr curij n a wornñ t ɖ vri wlʈi ɖt ɖe c’nt rlî on ɖ corts t iscep criṭsizm

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Súnde, 19 Jūn 2022

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Ɖ  rzolv dspleid bî Cáṛl Cadwoḷdr in hr s’xesfl dfns agnst a lîbl ax́n bròt bî Aṛn Bancs cōlz t mînd Hemñwe’z deḟniśn v curij az “gres undr preśr”. Fr yirz, ɖs aword-winñ jrṇlist hd bn invstgetñ ɖ rǒl v sośl mīdia in ǎr dmocṛsi n ɖ rǒl ɖt Fes-bc in ptiklr hd pleid in ɖ Brexit reḟrendm. Sins Bancs wz a līdñ figr in – n a sbstanśl donr t – ɖ līvcampen, ś hd inevitbli bcm inṭrestd in hiz fînansz, n in a Ted Tōc in Epril 2019 rfŕd brīfli t him in 24 wrdz n lêtr sd smʈñ similr in a twīt.

Ɖ contxt fr ɖ rmarc wz ɖt ɖ Tîmz, ɖ Obzrvr n uɖr nyz ǎtlets hd bn rportñ hǎ Mr Bancs hd, az wn loyr pt it, “msléd evrwn abt ɖ numbr, n nećr, v hiz covrt mītñz wɖ Ruśn ofiślz”.

A juj hld ɖt Cadwoḷdr’z wrdz cnveid a mīnñ ɖt ś sd ś hd nt intndd n indd dd’nt b’liv t b tru. Ś dropt hr dfns v truʈ n rlaid on wn v public inṭrest. Bancs cd hv sùd ɖ publiśr v ɖ Ted Tōc fr deḟmeśn, bt it wz Cadwoḷdr prsṇli ɖt h ćouz t su.

Ɖ sgnificns v ɖs wl nt b lost on enwn wɖ xpirịns v lîbl ax́nz in Britiś corts. Ɖ sveṛti v ɖs cuntri’s deḟmeśnlwz n ɖ cost v fîtñ a ces mc ɖ hî cort a csīno in ẃć tù ofn onli ɖ vri wlʈi cn aford t ple. Ɖ ptnśl costs v dfndñ a ces cn run intu miłnz v pǎndz n cn b inuf t pswed mni publiśrz, let alon indivijl jrṇlists, t bac dǎn n setl wɖt gwñ t cort. Ẃn Caʈrin Bltn, oʈr v Pūtin’z Ppl, n HarprColinz, hr publiśr, wr sùd fr lîbl in 2021 bî sevṛl oḷgarcs, includñ Roman Abramović n a Ruśn ôlcumṗni, ś tld MPz ɖt hr ces hd cost ɖ publiśr £1.5m in līgl fiz t dfnd n cd hv cost £5m f ɖ ces hd gn t trîl. (In ɖ end, ɖ cesz wr setld or wɖdrwn.)

Ɖz ćilñ riaḷtiz, ẃn cmbînd wɖ ɖ cmplex̣ti v dfndñ a ces undr YC lîbļwz, xplen ẃ Britiś jrṇlists r rluctnt t publiś inḟmeśn abt wlʈi or pǎrfl indivijlz. It tecs curij t tec riscs – az Cadwoḷdr dd – ɖt cd rzult in prsnl bancrupsi. Az ś hrslf sz, ɖ prsnl, fizicl, sîc̣lojicl n pṛfeśnl tol fr hr v fîtñ ɖ ces hz bn pṛfǎnd. Ɖt z ẃ Roḅt Maxwél, a c’rupt n l’tijs mīdịtîcūn, cd iscep criticl mīdia xaṃneśn untl h drǎnd aftr lūtñ ɖ pnśnfund v hiz pubḷśñ empîr. Untl rīsntli, mni Lundn-best Ruśn oḷgarcs yzd ɖ sem straṭji t intiṃdet jrṇlists n oʈrz.

Ɖ most poẓtiv ǎtcm v ɖ Bancs ces z ɖ īvluśn v jdiśl ʈncñ on ẃt consttyts a public-inṭrest dfns. Ɖ juj dsîdd ɖt, in lît v Cadwoḷdr’z formiḍbl invstgtiv psistns, ol ɖ ʈñz ś hd unrʈt abt Bancs, hiz fînansz n hiz mītñz wɖ Ruśn ofiślz, it wz rīzṇbl t b’liv ɖt it wz in ɖ public inṭrest t hv sd ẃt ś dd. Ɖs jujmnt z a trîumfnt vindceśn v a formiḍbl jrṇlist hu indyrd unconśṇbl prsnl stres n msoɉnistic abys t gt hr storiz ǎt. N it līvz ɖ rest v s in hr dét.

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Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm Đ Gardịn: We were leaked the Panama Papers. Here’s how to bring down Putin’s cronies

Ñspel, From the Guardian, , , ,
The Russian cellist Sergej Roldugin, godfather of Putin’s eldest daughter, has been described as the key to tracing Putin’s hidden fortune. Photograph: Valentin Antonov/EPA
Ɖ Ruśn ćelist Serge Roldūgin, godfaɖr v Pūtin’z eldist dōtr, hz bn dscrîbd az ɖ ci t tresñ Pūtin’z hidn fortyn. Foṭgraf: Valentin Antonov/YPA

W wr līct ɖ Paṇmā Peprz. Hir’z hǎ t brñ dǎn Pūtin’z croniz

(Transcription of an article published in the Observer on 27 March 2022)

Ɖ jṛsdix́nz ɖt hlp clepṭcrats liv in lux̣́ri on stoḷn asets mst stop śīldñ c’rupt ilīts

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Frederik Obermaier n Bastian Obermayer, Tyzde 29 Marć 2022

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Sevn yirz ago, an anoniṃs sors hu wnt bî ɖ nem “Jon Do” pṛvîdd s wɖ ɖ deta ɖt bcem ɖ Paṇmā Peprz – 2.6 teṛbaits v līct dokmnts fṛm ɖ Paṇmeńn lwfrm Mosac Fonseca. Ɖ līc trnd ǎt t hv qt an impresiv Ruśn cmponnt. W faund śelcumṗniz cnctd t Vḷdīmir Pūtin’z jūdofrendz, Boris n Arcādi Rotenberg, t ɖ oḷgarc Aliśer Ŭzmanov n ɖ wîf v ɖ Cremlin spocsmn Dmītri Pescov. Bt, most sgnificntli, w stumbld acrs Serge Roldūgin, a pṛfeśnl ćelist n godfaɖr v Pūtin’z eldist dōtr, hu hd a sntṛl rǒl in a netwrc v sīcrit ofśordīlz n vast lounz wrʈ $2bn, dscrîbd at ɖ tîm az ɖ ci t tresñ Pūtin’z hidn fortyn.

Ol ɖs hidn wlʈ matrd ẃn w publiśt ɖ Paṇmā Peprz in 2016, tū yirz aftr Ruśa hd anxt ɖ Crîmiyn pninsyla. Nǎ, aftr ɖ fl-scel inveźn v Ycren, it matrz mor ɖn evr. Lwmecrz in ɖ YC, ɖ YY, ɖ YS n Caṇda hv sañśnd Ruśn bancs, Ruśn cumṗniz n indivijlz clos t Pūtin. Ɖs includz Ruśn oḷgarcs, az wel az Pūtin’z frendz, s’portrz n admîrrz hu hv hlpt fsiḷtet hiz cleptocṛsi bî hîdñ hiz wlʈ in acǎnts undr ɖer ǒn nemz or jst ćampịnñ hiz cleptocṛsi fr ɖer ǒn ilisit inrićmnt. Indivijlz lîc ɖ ćelist Serge Roldūgin, ɖ Rotenberg bruɖrz n Ŭzmanov.

Nǎ, ɖ wstn wrld hz dsîdd ɖt ɖe wont Pūtin’z frendz t b sañśnd fr ɖ cleptocṛsi n harm ɖe hv fsiḷtetd n fṛm ẃć ɖe hv beṇfitd. Proṣktrz n invstgetrz az wel az speśl p’līs ynits r nǎ huntñ fr ɖ rićz v Pūtin’z frendz. Ɖe r sizñ yots, grǎndñ pleinz n conḟscetñ laviś vilaz. Yt ẃt ɖe wl fînd z probbli onli ɖ tip v ɖ îsbrg. T riyli hit Pūtin n hiz frendz ẃr it hrts, wn mst g t Switṣḷnd, t Paṇmā, Sîpṛs n ɖ Britiś Vrjin Îḷndz. Unforćṇtli, invstgetrz wl probbli nt gt mć hlp ɖr – az sīcṛsi z ẃt ɖoz cuntriz sel.

Icoṇmists lîc t cōl ɖm taxhêvnz or sīcṛsi jṛsdix́nz. Bt “blac houlz” wd b mor aproprịt fr ɖz plesz ẃr grīdi loyrz, tax advîzrz, cnsultnts n uɖr crŭcs hlp ɖ rić n pǎrfl t hîd or, az ɖe pt it, “fns” ɖer asets. Ɖz wilñ hlprz asist ɖ oḷgarcs t mc ɖer fortynz vaniś fṛm ɖ vy v lw inforsmnt.

Ẃn w rsivd ɖ līc ɖt bcem ɖ Paṇmā Peprz, w faund – apart fṛm Roldūgin – duznz v filʈi rić Ruśnz. Ẃn w rsivd ɖ Paṛdîs Peprz, anɖr ofśor deṭlīc, ɖ nemz v oḷgarcs Romān Abramović, Aliśer Ŭzmanov n Oleg Deripasca apird in ɖ deta, az dd Olga Śŭvalova, ɖ wîf v Ruśa’z frst depyti prîm̦inistr. Mor ɖn a yir ago w got hold v ɖ Suisse Sīcrits, yt anɖr līc, n ɖr wz ɖ sistr v Aliśer Ŭzmanov n a fortyn v abt 2bn Swis francs.

Sañśnz r a pǎrfl tūl in foṛn poḷsi. Sm īvn cōl ɖm a “tūl v modn wor”. W unḍstand ɖ îdīa t pt preśr on Pūtin’z inr srcl n Ruśa’z icoṇmi. Bt ẃ stop ɖr? Let’s adres ɖ probḷm n nt onli its simtmz. Let’s ćenj ɖ sistm so guvnmnts d nt hv t rlî on sañśnz t privnt Pūtin n uɖr cleptocṛsiz fṛm genñ mor pǎr.

Frst n fōrmost, sīcṛsi jṛsdix́nz ɖmslvz nīd t b tarġtd. It z nt inuf t g aftr ɖ proḟtirz v ɖz cuntriz, bt ɖ jṛsdix́nz ɖmslvz. F nesṣri, ɖ blac houlz ɖmslvz nīd t b sañśnd – t brñ ćenj nt onli t ɖ wor in Ycren, bt wrldwîd.

Ruśa’z oḷgarcs r nt ɖ onli wnz hu injô a lux̣́ri lîfstîl fînanst wɖ stoḷn muni. Cleptocṛsi n c’rupśn r far fṛm a ynīcli Ruśn fnominn.

Ʈnc Veṇzwela. Ʈnc Ćîna. Ʈnc Angola.

Adresñ ɖ sstemic cōzz v cleptocṛsi n c’rupśn wl inevitbli mīn tarġtñ bʈ ɖ līgl strucćrz n pṛfeśnlz in ɖ wst ɖt fsiḷtet cleptocṛsi: lwfrmz, cnsultnts n asetmanijrz in Zŭrih, Lundn n Ny Yorc hu reğlrli lend a hlpñ hand t clepṭcrats. Ɖe profit fṛm jṛsdix́nz lîc ɖ Cemn Îḷndz n Switṣḷnd – n yes, ɖ YS – ẃć stl ofr sīcṛsi on a grand scel. Ɖe profit fṛm jṛsdix́nz wɖt public reɉstriz v hu ǒnz riyl istet n cumṗniz.

Dfndrz v sīcṛsi clem ɖer rîts t priṿsi matr most. Bt let s fes ɖ facts: fnanśl sīcṛsi z ɖ enjin v globl c’rupśn n cleptocṛsi. It mcs it tù īzi fr c’rupt ilīts t plundr hol continnts, fr traficrz v drugz n ppl t lōndr ɖer muni, n it hlps t fînans brūtl worz. It hlps Pūtin n hiz frendz.

Forćṇtli, in lêt 2020, ɖ Ynîtd Stets guvnmnt fîṇli pást lejsleśn ɖt rqîrz a beṇfiśl-ǒnrśp reɉstri fr YS cumṗniz. Similr reɉstriz xist in duznz v cuntriz, bcz forsñ cumṗniz t rvil hu ultiṃtli beṇfits fṛm ɖm mcs it far mor dificlt fr clepṭcrats n ɖer croniz t hîd ɖer ilisit muni. Bt ɖ YS lejsleśn, ɖ Corpṛt Trnspaṛnsi Act, dz nt g far inuf. It forsz ɖ ultiṃt beṇfiśl ǒnrz t b rvild onli t ɖ oʈoṛtiz n onli undr srtn srcmstansz.

Bt nt t ɖ public. N ɖs z a hyj mstec.

Az loñ az w rlî on oʈoṛtiz n lw inforsmnt alon, clepṭcrats, ōṭcrats n Pūtin’z frendz wl hv an īzịr tîm ivedñ sañśnz n cntinywñ t hîd ɖer il-gotn genz. Ḿćl līgl asistns btwn naśnl lw-inforsmnt ejnsiz tecs yirz, n dz nt peṇtret ɖ ńmṛs leyrz v sīcṛsi yzd bî īṿlduwrz arnd ɖ glob. Jrṇlists n sivl ssayti grūps hv prūvn t b far mor ifctiv. Ɖe cn c’laḅret qcli n ifctivli acrs bordrz, ɖe cn wrc wɖ līct deta (smʈñ lw inforsmnt stl hz t lrn) n cnct it wɖ pubḷcli aveḷbl deta. Ny guvnmnt tascforsz set p lêt in ɖ de t ćes Pūtin’z croniz’ caś wl b inṣfiśnt. Guvnmnts śd opn p ɖ reɉstriz: cumṗnireɉstriz, śipreɉstriz, pleinreɉstriz, riyl-istet reɉstriz. Gv ɖ invstgtiv pǎr t ɖ ppl – n w bet: y wl nt b dis’pôntd.

Abv ol, let’s fîṇli gt rid v ɖoz blac houlz.

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Frederik Obermaier n Bastian Obermayer r invstgtiv jrṇlists wɖ ɖ Jrmn pepr Süddeutsche Zeitung. Ɖe iniśietd ɖ 2016 Paṇmā Peprz az wel az ɖ 2017 Paṛdîs Peprz reṿleśnz n ɖ 2022 Suisse Sīcrits. Obermaier z cofǎndr v ɖ Anti-C’rupśn Deṭc’lectiv (https://acdatacollective.org), Obermayer on ɖ bōrd v Fbidn Storiz (https://forbiddenstories.org).

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Instroduction to Ñspel

Fṛm ɖ Gardịn │ We claim Britain is an ethical democracy – but oligarchs know that’s not true

Ñspel, From the Guardian, , , , ,
‘The spectacle is depressing, not because Baron Lebedev of Hampton and Siberia is Russian, but because of the absurd title and the corrupt process that created it.’ Evgeny Lebedev and Boris Johnson in 2009. Photograph: Ian West/PA
‘Ɖ specṭcl z dpresñ, nt bcz Báṛn Lebedev v Hamtn n Sîbiria z Ruśn, bt bcz v ɖ absrd tîtl n ɖ c’rupt proses ɖt crietd it.’ Evgeni Lebedev n Boris Jonsn in 2009. Foṭgraf: Iyn Wst/PA
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W clem Britn z an eʈicl dmocṛsi – bt oligarcs nǒ ɖt’s nt tru

(Transcription of a Guardian article of 16 March 2022)

Ɖ îdīa ɖt poḷtics cn b sbvrtd bî wlʈ z pvesiv in Ruśa. Ɖt’s ẃ its biłnerz fīl at hom in ɖ YC

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Raphael Behr

Rafel Behr, Wnzde 16 Marć 2022

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“So let m gt ɖs stret. F sm gai livz longr ɖn y pridict, I hv t cīp on peyñ?” Ɖ qsćn cem fṛm ɖ manijr v ɖ pnśnfund fr a stet-ǒnd Ruśn cumṗni. H wz in Lundn on a fact-fîndñ miśn t lrn abt prîṿt pnśnz. H hd jst hŕd an acć̣ri xplen hǎ it wrct. Ɖ Ruśn manijr wz sspiśs v a sistm wɖ sć opn-endd laybiḷtiz. I wz intrpṛtñ n pást on hiz qsćn.

Ɖ acć̣ri cnfrmd ɖt ɖ longr a pnśnr livd, ɖ mor h got peid. Ɖ Ruśn claynt foldd hiz hand intu haf a fist, wɖ tū fngrz xtndd t iṃtet ɖ baṛl v a gun, ẃć h pôntd t ɖ grǎnd. “Cd’nt y jst, y nǒ, tec cer v ɖ gai?”

I trnzletd. Ɖ acć̣ri lct at m fr conḟmeśn ɖt it wz a joc. Yes n no. Ɖs wz ɖ mid-1990z. Hir wz smwn hu hd mnūvrd himslf ʈru ɖ ruinz v ɖ formr Sovịt Yńn intu cntrol v a vast pot v uɖr ppl’z muni. H wz’nt a big-tîm oligarc, bt h wz wn v ɖ winrz fṛm a trnziśn ɖt hd left most Ruśnz fīlñ lîc luzrz. Ɖ pônt wz nt abt pnśnz bt pǎr. Ẃ pe f y d’nt hv t? Ẃt’s in it fr ɖ bos?

Ɖ Britiś advîzrz smîld ōcẉdli n ćenjd ɖ subjict.

A lot hz ćenjd sins ɖen. Ruśa stopt trayñ t b a dmocṛsi, ɖen stopt pritndñ t trî. Britn stopt advîzñ Ruśnz on hǎ t run a marcit icoṇmi wɖn ɖ rūl v lw, ɖen stopt pritndñ t cer hǎ ɖe md ɖer muni. F ɖ qsćn evr cem p ẃn ɖ sūpŗić cem śopñ fr manśnz in Blgrevia, or premịr-līg ftbōl clubz ɖr wz a lot v smîlñ ōcẉdli n ćenjñ ɖ subjict.

A comn wstn miscnspśn in ɖoz rli yirz v Ruśa’z post-Sovịt trnziśn wz ɖt ppl hu hd groun p undr coḿnizm dd’nt unḍstand capiṭlizm. Ɖt oṿlct ɖ importns v marcitforsz t Sovịt ssayti, oṗretñ on mni levlz. Ɖr wz ɖ ʈrîvñ tred in ilisit gdz, cntrold bî criminl gañz hu olso bòt pṛtx́n fṛm oʈoṛtiz. P’līs indifṛns cmz at a prîs.

Ɖr wz ɖ comrs in fevrz, îɖr az bartr or caś in hand, ẃrvr a byṛcratic dor nīdd oṗnñ. Ppl hu gemd ɖt sistm in ɖ dez ẃn mcñ a profit wz îdịlojicli tbu dd’nt nīd lésnz in marcitforsz ẃn gtñ filʈi rić trnd l’jit. CGB ofisrz n parti aṗraćics hu bcem miłnerz dd nt strugl t śec of ɖ prīsepts v Marxizm-Leninizm.

Ɖr z a tndnsi t sīqns Ruśn hisṭri ovr ɖ past jeṇreśn in lrćz: ɖ c’laps v Sovịt pǎr intu ɖ anarcic Boris Yeltsin ira, ɖen ɖ slump bac t oʈoṛterịnizm undr Vladīmir Pūtin. Bt runñ ol ɖ we ʈru hz bn a comn īʈos ɖt siz ol poḷtics az a ngośieśn btwn ɖ ppl hu hv faund a we t gt rić n ɖ ofiślz hu cn îɖr hlp or obstruct ɖm, n set ɖ prîs. It z olwz a trnzax́n btwn muni n stetpǎr. Îdioḷji hardli entrz intu it.

Ɖt siṇsizm z dīpli intrenćt n pṛjctd ǎtwdz on t ol cuntriz n ol juṛsdix́nz. I spent yirz in Ruśa n cuntriz v ɖ formr Sovịt Yńn, az a stydnt, dwñ intrpṛtñgigz, ɖen az a corispondnt, fṛm ɖ mid-1990z onẉdz. I yst t gt intu ɖs arğmnt ol ɖ tîm. I wd xplen ɖt ʈñz wrct difṛntli in ɖ wst – ɖt dmocṛsi involvz a difṛnt cnd v rleśnśp btwn wlʈ, parḷmnts n pǎr. Ɖt clem wz rūtīnli met wɖ p’lît scepṭsizm or ǎtrît d’riźn. Az f onli a ćîld wd b’liv sć p’liticl fẹritêlz. A dspiṛtñ trend in rīsnt yirz hz bn hírñ ɖ sem cōstic siṇsizm in ɖ YC.

N ɖ mor Ruśn muni muvd intu Britn, ɖ mor inmeśt rić Ruśnz bcem wɖ Lundn’z sośl, p’liticl n ic̣nomic ilīt, ɖ hardr it got t argy ɖt dmocṛsi oṗretd t a hayr standd; ɖt its rūlz wr’nt sołbl in muni; ɖt ɖ sistm dd’nt olwz yīld fr rić frendz v ɖ bos.

Ɖt z ẃ Evgeni Lebedev’z apôntmnt t ɖ Hǎs v Lordz wz so daṃjñ īvn bfr it wz rvild ɖt YC intelijns ejnsiz hd a cnsrn ɖt ɖ noṃneśn pozd a risc t naśnl s’kṛti.

Ẃn Boris Jonsn noṃnetd hiz frend fr a pirij in Jlî 2020 ɖ brezņis v ɖ fevr atractd mor coment ɖn ɖ Ruṣ́ņis. Ɖen ɖ fus daid dǎn. It wz hardli ɖ frst tîm ɖt a sīt in ɖ Lordz hz bn gvn t ɖ frend v a prîm̦inistr. Ɖr r beṇfiṣ́riz wɖ ʈinr recordz v ćaritbl bnevḷns ɖn ɖ wn Lebedev’z frendz sáit t jusṭfî hiz eņoblmnt. H z nt a Tori donr. (Uɖr Ruśnz wɖ dyl Britiś naṣ́naḷti hv funld miłnz intu Cnsrṿtiv cofrz.) It c’nt b a ces v caś fr onrz ẃn ɖr wz no caś.

Ɖ Hǎs v Lordz apôntmntscmiti dd’nt lîc ɖ Lebedev pirij, bt ɖ prîm̦inistr wz unmuvd. H ʈt ɖ objx́n xprest anti-Ruśn preɉdis. Ɖ intelijnșrṿsz ćenjd ɖer asesmnt v ɖ risc. Spūcs gt stuf roñ. Dd ɖe jst smîl ōcẉdli n ćenj ɖ subjict ẃn ɖ prîm̦inistr insistd on mcñ hiz pal a pir?

Aḷxandr Lebedev, Evgeni’z faɖr n ɖ sors v hiz wlʈ, wz wns a CGB ejnt. Bt ɖt z’nt a hreditri cndiśn. Hiz attyd t ɖ Cremlin mt b dscrîbd az tmpṛt. In a 2016 articl fr ɖ Standd, Aḷxandr cnsidd ɖt oligarcs hd plundrd Ruśa n olso “sad t se, sm v ɖm r clos t Pūtin”. Bt h insistd ɖt ɖ prezidnt himslf wz “nt bhnd ɖ lūtñ”.

Lebedev Jr hz sd ʈñz in ɖ past alînñ wɖ Cremlin vyz on ɖ 2014 anxeśn v Crîmīa n castñ dǎt on ɖ ofiśl YC acǎnt v ɖ Sōlzḅri pôẓnñ, bt ɖt z’nt sdiśn. Ɖ nyzpeprz h cntrolz hv cm ǎt agnst ɖ inveźn v Ycren. Hiz atrax́n t a sīt in ɖ Lordz me b motvetd bî nʈñ mor ɖn vaṇti in c’lectñ a liṃtd idiśn ŕmin rǒb. (H hz’nt votd or spocn in a dbet sins hiz meidnspīć.) Hiz frendśp wɖ Jonsn z probbli in ɖ sem caṭgri – a prîm̦inistr az hî-end c’lectbl.

Bt f ɖt z ɖ ces, n ɖ s’kṛtisrṿsz wr mcñ a fus ovr nʈñ, ɖr z stl harm dn. Ɖ specṭcl z dpresñ, nt bcz Báṛn Lebedev v Hamtn in ɖ Lundn Bura v Rićmnd upn Tmz n v Sîbiria in ɖ Ruśn Feḍreśn z Ruśn, bt bcz ɖ absrd tîtl n ɖ c’rupt proses ɖt crietd it bolstr ɖ most cōstic, sinicl vy v ɖ we Britiś poḷtics wrcs. N at a tîm ẃn w nīd t spred confidns ɖt dmocṛsiz d ʈñz betr.

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• Rafel Behr z a Gardịn coḷmnist

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