Chris Ames
@christoframes.bsky.social
Freelance investigative journalist and writer of original fiction. Creator and one-time editor of the Iraq Inquiry Digest. Blogs @ transportinsights.blog
It’s quite something that the guardian has run this story without having any idea what will happen www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Home secretary to make some migrants wait 10 years or more for right to settle in UK
Shabana Mahmood’s new rules raise fears of staff shortages in health and social care and of second Windrush scandal
theguardian.com
Very telling that the state broadcaster is so desperate to keep this going www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Green Party at a "crossroads", says former co-leader Adrian Ramsay
Adrian Ramsay suggested the party needs to focus on its "core values", including environmental issues.
bbc.co.uk
“The home secretary was concerned about the number of people who would be eligible for permanent residency after a period of very high net migration under the previous government.” The state broadcaster tells the story from the state’s point of view. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Mahmood expected to announce changes to rules around indefinite leave to remain
The home secretary has faced opposition from within the government over plans to impose new rules on migrant workers already in the UK.
bbc.co.uk
What is it about the word parking that encourages ministers to put the issue of pavement parking in the slow lane? Ministers are again stalling on giving councils the powers they promised in January to crack down on pavement parking, despite being warned not to transportinsights.blog/2026/10/29/n...
Now Madders parks pavement parking ban
Ministers are again stalling on giving councils the powers they promised in January to crack down on pavement (footway) parking. As I reported at the time, after literally years of delay, in Januar…
transportinsights.blog
“It is shameful that Andy Burnham’s government is continuing the authoritarian overreach we saw under Keir Starmer” www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Climate academic Andreas Malm barred from entering UK
Swedish author was due to speak alongside Palestine Action co-founder at event discussing ban on the group
theguardian.com
“Use of our reserves can support and accelerate a clean energy future” War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Angry Labour MPs urge leadership not to overrule energy secretary on Rosebank
Exclusive: Backbenchers voice alarm over ‘intolerable position’ faced by Miatta Fahnbulleh over oilfield decision
theguardian.com
"The U-turns show Cooper is closely examining the legacy bequeathed to her by her predecessor, Wes Streeting, and tearing up elements of the bill she thinks are misguided." Oh, that explains it. www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Yvette Cooper drops plans to abolish NHS patient champion after outcry
Exclusive: Health secretary to extend role of watchdog, which backers say helps hold service in England to account
theguardian.com
The Guardian’s client journalists plumbing new depths of laundering climate destroying policies www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Rosebank oilfield would not breach UK emission targets, say government insiders
Emissions from exported oil would not count against carbon budget, insiders say – reasoning likely to draw dismay from climate campaigners
theguardian.com
Last week’s announcement from the Department for Transport about £220m more for pothole repairs doesn’t seem to have made any impact, possibly because it was obvious it wasn’t new money, but incentive funding that some councils didn't have to do anything to get transportinsights.blog/2026/10/26/e...
England expects…
Further to my post last week about the Department for Transport (DfT) spinning the so-called transparency reports on local authority highways maintenance, I have unpicked a bit more about what has …
transportinsights.blog
On BBC Breakfast we learn that allowing pensioners' personal tax allowances to rise over the parliament so that they do not pay tax on increased state pensions "will cost taxpayers around £200m". Saying taxpayers not paying more "will cost taxpayers" is about as mindless and small-minded as it gets🤦♂️
You would think the hacks looking at this would check the claim that funding is being doubled - rather than just extended. www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Burnham pledges £900m for homelessness amid drive to end rough sleeping
Downing Street to almost double funding with further £432m in this week’s budget
theguardian.com
More laundering of lame incrementalist policies, filled with scripted self serving quotes from people labelled as sources, who are in fact speaking *on behalf of* the government. www.theguardian.com/business/202...
UK government to make unprecedented intervention in setting of water bills
Exclusive: Angela Eagle tells utility bosses next price review ‘must focus on value for money for customers’
theguardian.com
Kudos to the bystander who simultaneously watched the rescue without taking part and joined in🤦♂️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
Moment man rescued from sinking car by Australian TV reporter
Journalist Will Murray describes how he and a bystander saved an SUV driver from his vehicle.
bbc.co.uk
I could have sworn that last month the PM was saying deregulation was one of the ways we'd gone wrong in the laat 40 years...
Currently wondering what message the UK govt thought it was sending by dressing up the Minister for Net Zero in a literal Shell logo.
Full marks to transport secretary Heidi Alexander for announcing an immediate start on detailed plans for a new Bradford rail station. Most people wouldn't start detailed plans before working out whether it will be a through station or a terminus, but not Heidi transportinsights.blog/2026/10/22/n...
Navel gazing to start immediately
The transport secretary has said that detailed design work on a replacement Bradford Interchange station “starts immediately”, despite the need to work out whether it will be a new station or a ter…
transportinsights.blog
Almost all the data in the latest Department for Transport announcement on "pothole" funding, which comes from so-called transparency reports on local authority road maintenance, seems to duplicate existing official data. And the extra cash isn't new at all... transportinsights.blog/2026/10/22/d...
DfT spins “transparency” reports
It might have been expected that the government would use so-called transparency reports on local authority highways maintenance for spin purposes but today’s announcement from the Department for T…
transportinsights.blog
The great thing about the 2050 net zero target is that it’s a long way in the future www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Andy Burnham vows UK will hit net zero target despite Jackdaw gasfield approval
PM pledges commitment to address climate crisis, saying in Guardian article that his ‘determination is unwavering’
theguardian.com
Almost all the data in the latest Department for Transport announcement on "pothole" funding, which comes from so-called transparency reports on local authority road maintenance, seems to duplicate existing official data. And the extra cash isn't new at all... transportinsights.blog/2026/10/22/d...
DfT spins “transparency” reports
It might have been expected that the government would use so-called transparency reports on local authority highways maintenance for spin purposes but today’s announcement from the Department for T…
transportinsights.blog
Modernising is such a Blairite word - no surprise from a Burnham government www.gov.uk/government/c...
Modernising corporate reporting
We are seeking views on how the corporate reporting framework in the UK could be modernised to better meet the needs of companies, investors and the wider economy.
gov.uk
“They” in this case is Andy Burnham. When will the press wake up to the fact that he’s as fond of privatisation as any other centrist/Tory?
We Own It@weownit.org.uk · 2mo agoWhat are they going to privatise next? The roads we drive on? YES, and the government pumps public money into it too After privatising the Lower Thames Crossing, the government is also privatising the Dartford Crossings Demand the National Audit Office investigate this: vist.ly/5hdn6
By all means argue that mayors should have powers over strategic roads in their area, but calling them “local” is like saying Heathrow is a local airport in Hounslow. transportinsights.blog/2026/10/21/i...
Infrastructure builder wants more infrastructure built – shock
A new report highlights the decades-long failure to build a tram network in Leeds as showing the case for more powers for mayors but also suggests that such powers could be used to progress major r…
transportinsights.blog
The IPCC is pretty clear that if we want a safe climate there can be no new oil and gas. But every country thinks it has some special reason for why it should be the exception
absolutely hate framing like this it's not a blow to "climate campaigners" in the way that a loss by a football team is a blow to their fans it's a blow to everyone who relies on a stable climate, breathable air and drinkable water climate chaos is a physical fact, it's not an issue of opinion
Trump didn’t need to kidnap our prime minister and put a stooge in charge. He already had a stooge in charge. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cw...
UK government approves Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea - follow live
Activists say approving the gas field would raise carbon emissions - while the developers argue it is important for the UK’s energy security.
bbc.co.uk
Since confirming an investigation into the Lower Thames Crossing in July, there has been no movement by the National Audit Office. They haven’t even confirmed a start date, let alone started investigating! We need your help to move this investigation along. actionnetwork.org/letters/urge...
Urge the NAO to fast track their Lower Thames Crossing investigation
The National Audit Office (NAO) finally agreed with TAN’s demand to investigate the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) in July. However, they still haven’t even confirmed a start date, let alone started inve...
actionnetwork.org
Is this government capable of making a straightforward announcement about a new rail station without totally over-hyping it? transportinsights.blog/2026/10/20/w...
Will the new station be same as the old station?
Another day, another overblown announcement from the new-ish government – this time that a new rail station for Bradford “will improve connections, support economic growth and set the foundations f…
transportinsights.blog
