I eagerly await the Telegraph article on the effect of anti trade union laws and public sector pay caps on average earnings over the last decade to complement this tendacious piece. Migration costing British workers outside London £1,000 a year share.google/WSqDnigTYefz...

This may shock you, but crime levels on London's public transport network are very, very low. Plus why Jeffrey Archer didn't become Mayor, state of Tory candidate race, early repercussions for Greens of "zionism is racism" vote and more in my latest On London Extra: davehillonlondon.substack.com

Dave Hill On London: Politics, Places, People | Substack

The politics, development and culture of the UK capital. Click to read Dave Hill On London: Politics, Places, People, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

davehillonlondon.substack.com

Abu Dhabi want you all to know that they absolutely don't own Manchester City but if Manchester City are sanctioned for their industrial scale cheating, then the UAE could pull all investment from Britain.

My long read about the by-election and its various battlegrounds: www.onlondon.co.uk/holborn-st-p... Mentions @profjanegreen.bsky.social, @lewisbaston.bsky.social a bunch of politicians and one of my sons. Might also interest @robfordmancs.bsky.social

Holborn & St Pancras: Something for everyone, not much for some

Labour expects to win, the Greens are hoping for the best and the right-wing parties have a ruck all of their own

onlondon.co.uk

God, the Today programme is unbearable. "Minister, I demand you tell me now what will be in your next manifesto and the budget in 5 years time". Self important presenters and pompous political commentators.

What is wrong with these people!

Jonn Elledge@jonnelledge.bsky.social · 2w ago

I guess we're still not ready to acknowledge that Breaking Bad was the dramatic equivalent of junkfood, huh

Have to wonder what exactly in his life experience has brought Andrew Bailey to the conclusion that, when people's cost of living increases, jacking up their mortgage costs as well will make them less likely to seek a wage increase?

Et tu Gabby ? The same nonsense that accepts pensioners poverty exists and is going to get worse, but demands we should abandon the effective way of dealing with it. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Britain needs cash and everyone knows we should break the pensions triple lock. Where is the courage? | Gaby Hinsliff

The issue cannot be avoided any longer. Andy Burnham and his chancellor must face the fear of a pensioner backlash, and find a fair solution, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff

theguardian.com

No bar is too low.https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/sep/18/former-labour-deputy-leader-tom-watson-joins-palantir?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Fixed that for you, BBC.

No. It won't

The Economist@economist.com · last mo.

Could it help the country escape its middle-income trap?

One man - Christopher Harborne - has given over £15m to Reform UK and Farage since August 2025. In that time, the three largest unions in the UK - Unison, Unite and GMB - gave a combined £2,282,516 to Labour. They represent millions of people. And they cover 15% of one billionaire's total.

London's homicide rate hit its lowest level since records began. Yet 40% of the public thought that murders had risen since 2019. That’s the danger of disinformation. We cannot accept it, and to defeat it, we’ve got to put pressure on the social media companies who profit from it.

With over 870 school streets in London, 66% of kids are now getting to school by active travel. Every day there are 73,915 fewer cars doing the school run than when we started in 2016 - that’s the equivalent of a traffic jam from London to Newcastle.

I stand 100% with the #RNLI, not all heroes wear capes.

Hey @virginmedianews.bsky.social @virginmediatv.bsky.social any at work today free to restore by broadband service? Hate to trouble you and all that !

This is such nonsense. If Ukraine (a backward, mid level country) can hold of Russia for years, of course major powers like Germany,The UK and France could. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

Europe would not be able to sustain war of attrition with Russia, defence officials say

Security experts fear Putin may be winning hybrid war with the west amid rise of pro-Kremlin, far-right parties

theguardian.com

Don't tell jokes in Turkey

RTÉ News@news.rte.ie · last mo.

Turkish prosecutors said they had charged a popular comedian with insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other offences during a stand-up performance in June that, if proven, could see him jailed for years

"It's an industry where the shareholders never lose, and the billpayers never win" On Monday 14th September, Parliament is debating giving us a say on whether our water should be owned by shareholders or billpayers Ask your MP to attend. Send them our email now: vist.ly/5gw8q

As for The Shadow of the Object, this was a great short story that was unwisley turned into a novel. A really interesting start that went nowhere and told me nothing I didn't already know. Apart from a nice trip along the Thames which had sod all to do with the rest of the book.

I'm pretty much of the view that everyone speaks (US) English so there is no need for translation on the railway, but I have to admit this n is a fair point.

Andrew Cherry@kolektiv.xyncro.com · last mo.

Even on train announcements - I don't think I've ever heard "alight" used in another context in the real world. They're certainly not optimised for simple English usage, which would be quite helpful for non-English-as-first-language folk.

I have never seen any evidence to support this statement.

Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · last mo.

I hate being right

On the subject of thebookerprizes.com. Helen of Nowhere. Don't. Just don't. If you have been reading books, you have read this already. At least twice. At least two times better.

The Booker Prizes

Welcome to the home of the Booker Prize, the Bukhman International Booker Prize and the Children’s Booker Prize, the leading literary awards for single works of fiction published in the UK in English

thebookerprizes.com

I think it may be time for a thread on the Booker Prize long list. I can be candid, as, with one exception no one I know actually reads posts on Bluesky. So Black Bag is definitely the right place to start.

If the PM is going to achieve this, then he needs to have some serious words with the Home Office. Kicking refugees out of Home Office accommodation with only a few weeks' notice and no support leaves thousands facing homelessness after a positive asylum decision www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I won’t abandon anyone to sleep rough on our streets. That’s my £442m promise | Andy Burnham

Today we begin our drive to get everyone in for Christmas. And it will be for local communities up and down the land to decide how best to do it, says prime minister Andy Burnham

theguardian.com

Ulez has delivered remarkable public health gains in a short period. Sadiq deserves more credit than he’s had for defying Labour pressure to U-turn after Uxbridge. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Ulez led to better lung size and function among London children, study finds

Researchers find capacity stunted by pollution restored after introduction of ultra-low emission zone

theguardian.com

At risk of upsetting conventional wisdom, but Ireland is not actually expensive for visitors from the UK. Or at least for those accustomed to London or Brighton prices.

In a shock development, people who have no intention of voting Labour, profess to be disappointed with a Labour PM.

Adam Bienkov@adambienkov.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Downing Street's press release for Burnham's "emergency" Cobra meeting on the drought didn't even mention climate, with the Prime Minister blaming the growing numbers of wildfires on disposable barbecues. He's since appeared on GB News this afternoon to talk about migrant camps

Oh look. Two completely unconnected news stories!

Thats kind of the point!