Very funny that the social media reaction has been more angry towards the emergency alert rather than the cause of wildfires.

A few observations on Clacton byelection. One, Lee Anderson et al openly saying they trust private security over police with telling truth about safety should overshadow the result. Pretty outrageous. Two, it didn't deserve the level of attention it had in media. Deprivation in seaside towns does.

Great day all round for fans of vertical drinking. Personally I'm a fan of parallel drinking where I have two pints from two different pubs.

Does make me think that the reported concerns in Lib Dem world about lacklustre campaigning are ultimately meaningless when the Tories are pushing right and the Greens are going left. Davey will snag more seats from simply just *being there*.

Jessica Elgot@jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 2w ago

That Joshua Bonehill-Paine is a suitable Tory candidate but Grant Shapps and Gavin Barwell have been excluded is quite a good indicator of how many seats the Tories will realistically regain at the next election.

Reading the big Burnham Cabinet statement on devolution and I'm thinking: what about London? 4 in 10 tax pounds come from London, so will the same fiscal devo powers apply for the capital? A cynical person (me) is expecting London to have less local control as a result of this tax base...

I've not yet read the draft London Plan and will be writing a full response. But as basic courtesy, it would be really good if some stakeholder voices were constructive instead of being toxic and inflammatory. It's literally years of work by dedicated officials - be a critical friend, not a bully.

There's a few challenges for Burnham's new vocational education push. But for me, the political language for these announcements falls at the first hurdle by trying to pit technical education against university. If the offer is valid and strong on its own, you shouldn't need to punch HE down.

Replacing stamp duty and council tax with a single flat rate without any regional control or variation could plunge thousands of households in London and the South East into poverty after housing costs. That's not what equalisation should mean.

Seen a few lefties calling out Burnham for being 'unprofessional' by making social content instead of solving problems. "Mince is £5, why is he on TikTok" etc etc. It's a fair challenge. But every PM since Harold Wilson has dabbled in popular culture. Social media is now part of the profession.

Data and issue aside, surely you can present these stats and get the point across without looking like you're on uppers.

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 4w ago

Enten on the 67 point swing (!!!) against Israel among Americans: "We're not just talking about the Democratic base anymore. The general electorate has turned against Israel. This is not just a left issue. It's an American issue. The trend line is unbelievable."

I'm going to fight against the establishment.* *Excess, painful and exhausting heatwaves

The simplicity of a flat rate, no-nonsense levy of 1% on property values collected by the Treasury may be politically palatable but result in pretty vast imbalances between regions. Far from reducing the cash cow status which London & SE has from SDLT, a flat rate could deepen it.

Lots of speculation about how Burnham would implement a PPT. There's several ways to do it but one obstacle: London. As such, designing a PPT needs to be nuanced, costed and flexible. In @centreforlondon.bsky.social's latest report we did just that. centreforlondon.org/publication/...

Delivering the Homes London Needs: what will it take?

London’s housing crisis is arguably the greatest challenge facing the capital. It touches the lives of almost every Londoner. Yet, our housing system is failing to meet need – destabilising...

centreforlondon.org

Labour has previously told resigning Tory PMs to hold a general election. Tories have previously told resigning Labour PMs to hold a general election. Every party does this. Is it wrong not to? Maybe. Is it how our parliamentary system works? Nope. Change it or complain about something else.

Not often I read opinion pieces with such contempt, vitriol and misogyny as this one regarding the proposed reforms to cohabitation rights. Critique the changes, sure, but this is just pure, sexist polemic - a terrible choice for commission. conservativehome.com/2026/06/23/c...

Charles Amos: Your ex-girlfriend may soon be allowed to legally steal your furniture | Conservative Home

Lammy’s proposed reforms simply amount to legalising theft by long-term girlfriends from their long-term property-owning boyfriends. Every argument in favour of it, from fairness as household contribu...

conservativehome.com

What do you need to know about London housing? www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/what...

What you need to know about… London housing

What you need to know about housing in London – from development to homelessness and what the changing politics might mean. Jess McCabe reports ahead of Housing 2026

insidehousing.co.uk

Objections to a licensing application for Popeyes Chicken on Tottenham Court Road to stay open until 2am are very... questionable. www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...

Extending Liz Line to Abbey Wood rapidly accelerated growth and development in Greenwich & Bexley, far exceeding TfL's expectations. SE London is very under-connected and cutting services is a surefire way to endorse decline. Places like Erith, Welling, Thamesmead, Bexleyheath: left high and dry.

Murky Depths@murkydepths.bsky.social · 3mo ago

A raft of cuts coming up on Thameslink weeks after the Dept For Transport take over. Greenwich line services dropping for much of the day to one train per hour over the summer www.fromthemurkydepths.co.uk/2026/05/24/t...

New report from @centreforlondon.bsky.social - Delivering the Homes London Needs: What will it take? 👇 A bold response to London's housing crisis. Radically expand social housing. Tackle demand & distribution inequality. Make it easier to build viable housing. centreforlondon.org/publication/...

Delivering the Homes London Needs: what will it take?

London’s housing crisis is arguably the greatest challenge facing the capital. It touches the lives of almost every Londoner. Yet, our housing system is failing to meet need – destabilising...

centreforlondon.org

Well that's six months of government work effectively neutered by one by-election and a (if successful) subsequent leadership election. Maybe it's a good thing the King's Speech was a bit boring.

The rhetoric about £10 pints in London is complete ragebait. Of course it's a tenner for an Amstel at the Connaught Hotel in Mayfair, have you been to a normal pub? Maybe outside central London? www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consum...

realistic people: period products should be free for students men in their 50s: if girls get free tampons, my 21 year old son Brandon shouldn't have to pay for nunchuck lessons

Us Brits are experts in the art of foot shooting, but even this would be a remarkable (and painful) act of self-harm.

Politico@politico.com · 4mo ago

BREAKING: Kamala Harris just gave the clearest signal yet she’ll run for president again in 2028. “Listen, I might, I might. I’m thinking about it,” Harris told the Rev. Al Sharpton at the National Action Network convention.

Fiscal devolution klaxon!

a man in a suit and tie with his arms in the air and the words it 's happening

ALT: a man in a suit and tie with his arms in the air and the words it 's happening

media.tenor.com

I'd like to thank the Bank of England for its unintended, probably well meaning but ultimately futile, dead cat. Or badger. Saves reading about Epstein for the umpteenth time.

This is real pithy criticism of local government finances. Southwark council spent £6,000 since 2022 on takeaways for households facing hunger and destitution. Their spending in 2025-26 is £1.2bn. Read the room... www.standard.co.uk/news/london/...

South London council slammed for spending 'insulting' £6,000 on takeaways

The council has claimed some of the money was needed for emergency situations, despite harsh criticism from opposition

standard.co.uk

Dysfunction in Westminster making it very difficult for us think tankers, wonks and experts to avoid politics. Very happy to be with my spreadsheets.

Huge week for housing policy: Planning & Infrastructure Act now law, Leasehold Reform draft out, New Homes Accelerator 2 live, big social housing updates, construction regulator, Section 106 changes and new design guidance. A real flurry of new (and nerdy) changes - and dare I say a bit of optimism?

Of course Burnham should be allowed to stand. Any opponents should be be content that if allowed he has several contests to win if his ambitions are to be realised: by-election, leadership contest, general election, and the general contest of being a backbench critic. Hardly smooth sailing.

Grima Wormtongue of evil advisor in Lord of the Rings fame has defected to Reform UK.