Jules Birch

1. From long-term savings in local housing allowance on much higher private rents and costs of temporary accommodation
2. Could be on new sites or regeneration of existing estates
3. Council tax does not pay for social housing but one of main financial pressures on councils is homelessness, see 1.

To tackle the housing crisis, the Treasury must rethink how it values social housing investment - LabourList If Labour wants a step change in social housing, the Treasury must change how it appraises investment. Building social rented homes cuts welfare costs, improves health and delivers long-term returns.

'If we really want to get a sea change in social housing delivery, the way HM Treasury views investment in housing must shift'

labourlist.org/2026/03/hous...

The freeholders’ argument - dismissed by Gove and Rayner but partly backed by treasury - is that retrospective legislation on ground rents will damage investor confidence in uk economy as a whole

Nice line from @liamspender.bsky.social earlier about freeholders being 'dinosaurs looking at the asteroid'

Cross-party consensus on leasehold reform just now between double act of Michael Gove and Angela Rayner at HCLG committee - message to govt to stick to its guns and resist lobbying from freeholders, financial interests and Treasury and maybe move faster

So it’s unlawful to take part in or do anything to support an illegal war… but if the target of that illegal war retaliates then said war becomes legal 🤔

As the laid off Middle East News Editor, I concur. Management eliminated the positions of every single staff correspondent and bureau chief in the Middle East.

Finally, a column to get on board with

The bot is much better than the real thing

In honour of the Sunday Telegraph's editor and offical maddest columnist, we have created the Allister Heath headline generator...
stirring-fox-7e1fab.netlify.app

John Lewis ditches plan to build 10,000 homes Retail group pulls plug on venture due to changes in UK economic conditions and property market slowdown

This sounds like it has more to do with interest rates and construction costs than the property market as such - but if John Lewis can’t make plans for 10,000 homes stack up on land it already owns what does that say about rest of market?

giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

Who's the billionaire behind London’s biggest mass eviction? He's the London philanthropist who says he's committed to solving homelessness. So why is Asif Aziz's Criterion Capital rushing to make hundreds of Londoners homeless in the coming weeks?

London’s “worst mass eviction in recent history” is underway; hundreds of households across London told to get out of their homes this week by the same landlord, ahead of the renters rights act. The landlord? Billionaire Asif Aziz’s Criterion Capital. www.londoncentric.media/p/asif-aziz-...

The Secret Agent more than lived up to its ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews or maybe I’m just a soft touch for Brazilian films set in the 1970s

‘Freak of nature’: how James Milner closed in on Premier League record People who have worked with the midfielder at his six clubs reflect on his career as he prepares to make a 654th top-flight appearance

With all the respect in the world to James Milner, football was not invented by Rupert Murdoch

www.theguardian.com/football/202...

‘Don’t go to the US – not with Trump in charge’: the UK tourist with a valid visa detained by ICE for six weeks Karen Newton was in America on the trip of a lifetime when she was shackled, transported and held for weeks on end. With tourism to the US under increasing strain, she says, ‘If it can happen to me, i...

Anyone up for the World Cup?

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Reform UK would bring back two-child benefit cap, says Robert Jenrick Party’s new ‘shadow chancellor’ is seeking to present a more conservative economic policy platform

First they want to penalise women for not having children, now they want to penalise them for having more than two

www.ft.com/content/8cc5...

Australia out of T20 World Cup after Zimbabwe’s match against Ireland rained off Former champions eliminated before final group match as Zimbabwe go through to knockout stages

As if The Ashes weren't bad enough, the Aussies are even outdoing us for cricket comedy now

www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/f...

This made me think of a friend who has family in Finland. When they visit Britain they laugh at our houses because they're so badly insulated

Chickenpox is the one I remember least fondly...

If I'm remembering correctly the irony is that the people most at risk could be anti-vaxer adults who weren't vaccinated themselves?

Could be wrong but I think it's worst for babies but better for children than for adults? Risk of hospitalisation higher etc? I don't think having had chickenpox as a child necessarily stops you getting shingles though as just been offered vaccine for that

North London measles outbreak: Unvaccinated pupils could be excluded from school Children identified as close contacts of people with the disease could be excluded for three weeks

Growing up in the 60s before vaccines, I remember my parents sending me to play with other kids who had measles and mumps (and them with me). Maybe with chickenpox too? Think the idea was to catch them young as they are much more serious when you're older

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This is very good - and the focus on pub names and what they signify is brilliant

Yes I remember meeting district councillors in the 80s (from areas just like this) who were vehemently opposed to the right to buy. Think this will become a big issue as HAs face up to new Decent Homes Standard etc and business logic doesn’t fit with local need

Social housing providers in Dorset urged to stop selling former council properties Social housing providers in Dorset are facing criticism for selling older...

'It’s about keeping community housing in the hands of the community'
Quite a turn-up for Conservative councillors to criticise sales of former council homes by housing associations

www.hellorayo.co.uk/greatest-hit...

After a mad week, Labour is hopefully seeing sense: Starmer needs to stay | Simon Jenkins The only winners from a political coup in Westminster would be Labour’s enemies on the left and right, says Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins

Just when Keir Starmer thought things can’t get any worse

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

🏡 The APPG for Council and Social Housing has launched!

With 72 parliamentarians already on board, we’ll soon be sharing evidence, insights and parliamentary activity focused on delivering council and social housing nationwide.

Stay tuned — and get in touch if you'd like to get involved!

Simon Dudley, the Tory council leader appointed to chair Homes England, defects to Reform

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02...

Depressing that so few cabinet members are active enough here to dutifully bloot their full support - even more depressing that so many use the fascist site to do it

Anyway, enjoy the World Cup!