in the back

Top stories in the latest issue:

SKY FALL
A rocket company involved in the launch of satellites from SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland insists falling space junk will be beneficial and form artificial reefs.

DIRTY OLD RIVER
More than a year after London’s super sewer opened, a campaign group reported one of the highest E. coli readings ever recorded by its scientists.

DAVY’S SHOCKER
Despite a cryptosporidiosis outbreak affecting 17,000 households, South West Water’s outgoing CEO has had her £270,000 bonus for that year reinstated.

TRAINING WHEELS
The British Army’s 11th Brigade should soon take delivery of a fleet of 270 souped-up Toyota Hilux Invincible X vehicles.

BROTHER BEYOND
Four reports were made to three different police forces concerning five possible victims of sexual abuse over 16 years by one man, but not one was acted upon.

SINISTER NOTE
Some of the money raised by a children’s choir is sent back to its HQ in Uganda, where the charity’s church has backed the “Kill the Gays” movement.

BAHRAIN CHECK
Another British ambassador has accepted the “Bahrain medal, first class” from King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, despite the dictatorship’s repressive record.

STORE AFFRONT
The business end of the Co-op seems to have lost sight of its noble origins, with 700 “member pioneers” being told via Teams that their jobs were going.

PENNY TO HEAVEN
The death of Penelope Keith was a reminder of the ongoing furore at the Actors’ Benevolent Fund, which ousted her as president in 2022.

BEYOND CONTEMPT
University of Exeter bosses were condemned for “incompetence” after an “inexplicable” decision to ignore a court order to pass a document to local press.

To read all these stories in full, please buy issue 1679 of Private Eye - you can subscribe here and have the magazine delivered to your home every fortnight.

Next issue on sale: 23rd July 2026
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ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
ONLY IN THE MAGAZINE
Private Eye Issue 1679
In This Issue
How to tell whether you are at Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral or Taylor Swift’s wedding... Middle-aged man goes on social media and isn’t totally embarrassing... All-purpose reaction to latest maternity/abuse/care scandal... Return of prodigal son uncertain... Reform already delivering on election promises even though they’re not in power yet... Robert Jenrick’s guide to political bias... Ageing fleet of excuses to be replaced by more nimble excuses... 250 years of the USA, as told to Craig Brown

Retail therapy
What’s going on at the Co-op?

King’s ransom
The inside story of Brian and Buckingham Palace

Local trouble
The dangers of Burnham’s regional devolution

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Private Eye Issue 1678
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