Robert Woolley 🇬🇧🇮🇪

Played on gravel and sand rather than grass surely?

I know statistics are poorly understood and are misused. But facts matter

Between the 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 Census *every* ethnic group in the UK has become *less* geographically segregated and *all* groups, majority and minorities, are more likely to interact with people not like them

I know this is uncomfortable to admit, but there is a small area in England's second city where people are just not integrated with the rest of society. Many of them hold views that arguably go against British values.

Yes, we need to talk about the Tory conference in Manchester.

Party donor Nick Candy says "I cherish the values we grew up with here in the West. But today you are more likely to find the values we grew up with in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.’

Via Sam Leith in the Spectator
www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-...

And He's a foreigner too. And a former asylum seekers.

*Julian Clary c. 1992 has entered the chat*.

Waiting for Jenrick to now claim the Bishop is woke...

The Bishop of Birmingham has written to the Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick about his comments about Handsworth

So only out by 100pc but still dirt cheap.

Avon also has the problem in that it didn't have a Passenger Transport Executive set up in 1974.

Richard Tice told The Times in March he had “never met Nathan Gill”
searchlightmagazine.com/2025/10/refo...

Ah yes, the fiasco of the Severn Beach branch.

Where are Portishead when you need them?

Stuck in traffic probably.

He's got sooo many nasty pieces of work to choose from.

If they have, then Leeds would like to know.

Yes, despite my London bias I think Leeds is very hard done-by in terms of light rail.

BR had a good property arm, BR Propery Board. TfL followed the approach of having an arm's length organisation recently. Its one reason why TfL has been able to push forward its residential development programme. See Cockfosters, Wembley Park, Bollo Lane, Acton.

One reason why the ability to raise funds locally and spend locally matters.

Thameslink facilitated it though.

That wasn't part of Thameslink. Came as part of a giant property deal. Close HV, build City Thameslink. Cash out on the air rights. BR did a lot of these deals in late 80s. See over station developments at Cannon St, Victoria (Central Side) and Marylebone (which has been problematic).

The failure of the Tyne and Wear Metro to drive economic change in the North East has resulted in the Treasury being difficult on capital projects of its type ever since. That's not the fault of either London or Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

I think the original civils and non-rolling stock bit was under £2m in 1987 money. (My brain says 500k but this can't be right). Biggest cost was new trains (the late Class 319) which could operate on the different electrical systems either side of the tunnel.

Paging
@garethdennis.uk

Added bit of dumb luck: passenger services ceased on Thameslink tunnel in 1916, freight in the 1960s.

Idea to use it again came from the GLC at various points. Lucky scheme built on the cheap in 1986-88.

He's Canadian. He'll do a deal which includes asking nicely. Trump will sign any old deal if flattered.

No need to seize anything.

Ukrainian Defenders from the 63rd Mechanized Brigade captured a 22-year-old Indian who fought on the Russian side.

Majothi shared that he came to Russia to study at a university, and at some point was sentenced to seven years in a Russian prison on drug-related charges.

(Mr Carney as Governor of the Bank of England will have regularly rubbed shoulders with senior people in HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office. I suspect he took notes.)

This is very good:

a man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a framed picture ALT: a man in a suit and tie is standing in front of a framed picture

"Mr President, your actions are courageous."

Running low on Debbies too.

That's not arse-kissing. That's a double entendre.

He could have described Trump as unbelievable and Trump would still have thought it a compliment.

Indifferent AM but could have a chance.

@davehillonlondon.bsky.social