THE BIG RETORT

In recent news, the spotlight has fallen on Conservative Party donor Frank Hester, with accusations of racism swirling around his rather bloated publicly-funded wallet. While calls intensify for the Prime Minister to return Hester’s £10 million donation, we take a peek back in time and discover that this may not be the first time in what is now termed an isolated incident. TheBigRetort... The refusal to acknowledge the racist nature of Hester's comments until pressured to do so speaks volumes about the lack of accountability within the Tory Party where big bucks are concerned. The failure to address racism head-on further erodes public trust. However, what truly sheds light on Hester's character are the revelations from various sources via Reddit and Glassdoor. Unearthed by TheBigRetort, these posts, some four years old, paint a damning picture of Hester's leadership at The Phoenix Partnership, depicting a toxic and bullying culture, and a man who likes to play games ...

On January 12, 2024, we submitted a detailed Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Lewisham Council concerning its legal department and planning enforcement officers’ aggressive prosecutions of ordinary citizens. The FOI aimed to uncover the council's expenditure on criminal legal advice and prosecutions, with a focus on cases involving external legal firms like Browne Jacobson, exacerbating costs for taxpayers. The goal was to ensure transparency and accountability in the council's actions and unchecked legal spending. Little did we realise, there's more to this story than meets the eye. TheBigRetort... Lewisham Council's response to our Freedom of Information Act request was unsurprising. Its position was to invoke Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, citing excessive costs as grounds for refusal.  A familiar retort. However, this type of refusal from the team headed by Jeremy Chambers, Director of Law & Corporate Governance, underscores a...

Kevin Bottomley, the former proprietor of KJ Building Supplies in Brockley, dragged out of retirement, still finds himself ensnared in an unrelenting kafkaesque legal battle with Lewisham Council. His alleged crime? Storing basic construction materials on land and in a container adjacent to his shop. However, beneath the thin veneer of law enforcement lurks a profit-driven agenda. Lewisham Council, under the guise of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), stands to gain a significant portion, 37.5%, of what it claims is £167,000 of the proceeds from successful prosecution. A crime indeed. Bottomley's plight illuminates the unjust practices of a local authority operating as modern-day bounty hunters, all under the guise of democracy. This article exposes the unjust treatment of a senior citizen and the dubious tactics employed by Lewisham Council's enforcement officers who place discretion aside in the pursuit of an easily forged shilling The prosecution Lewisham Council'...