Alex Turner

The party now managing the homes, some of which are housing asylum seekers & families fleeing domestic abuse has close to zero online presence, refused to say anything about their activities/services and is registered to a London address that 20k other companies also call ‘home’.

Nothing illegal here btw – just an illustration of the power landlords have in a city where the rental market has been out of control for years.

Temporary accommodation now providing an even more lucrative option for some.

🔍 How did Bristol City Council end up spending thousands a month to house homeless ppl in properties belonging to a rogue landlord it had put time, effort & money into getting banned just a couple of years earlier?

Great to work with @daisysteinhardt.bsky.social on reporting this👇🏼

How two Bristol men revealed a union's race discrimination failures A Unison race discrimination inquiry has found 'compelling evidence' the union failed to support members facing discrimination at work.

Have a read and please get in touch in confidence if you would like to discuss these or linked issues: alex.turner@tutamail.com

thebristolcable.org/2025/05/how-...

Soon after that, the inquiry was set up which has now concluded there has been widespread inadequate practice around how members are represented.

This story only scratches the surface of that – & am hearing that other unions are similarly failing to represent members in discrimination cases.

They also attended a meeting in 2022 at which a senior Black union activist confronted solicitors saying their practices were offering a 'get out of jail card' to employers in race cases by steering members towards accepting settlements.

'Evidence is swept under the carpet & never comes out.'

A complaint not looked into for months.

A promise to file paperwork to a deadline that was not kept.

A solicitor who pushed back on claims based on an interview that didn't happen & said an opposing white witness was 'well-versed in racism' cos a person of colour had married into their family.

The men in Bristol represented themselves in court after their relationship with the union & its solicitors completely broke down.

While it's clear some reps put time, energy & skill into their claims, at other times they were let down having already been comprehensively failed by their employer.

The inquiry heard from members who had been told their cases lacked merit – yet went on to 'win and/or settle their claim for a significant amount, having had to go through the tribunal process without legal or union support'.

'In some cases it appeared solicitors assessing the merit of cases did not have sufficient or appropriate expertise and/or an understanding of race discrimination claims & the issues facing Black members in the workplace,' the report said.

A national Unison inquiry, being discussed this weekend, has found ‘compelling evidence’ Black members facing race discrimination have been ‘inadequately’ represented by the union and its solicitors.

'In some cases, this had a serious, long-lasting impact on members’ mental health and wellbeing.'

How two Bristol men revealed a union's race discrimination failures A Unison race discrimination inquiry has found 'compelling evidence' the union failed to support members facing discrimination at work.

A year ago I met two men at an employment tribunal in Bristol, which found they had been constructively dismissed.

They were adamant they had a bigger story: that their union & its solicitors were failing to support members through race discrimination claims 👇🏼

thebristolcable.org/2025/05/how-...

How a 19th century journalist shone on a light on poverty in Bristol Homes of the Bristol Poor was one of the first pieces of investigative journalism revealed the poverty of much of the population

Journalists in Victorian Bristol didn't do investigative reporting until James Crosby - "Gentleman James" - decided to have a go. thebristolcable.org/2025/03/how-...

Self-swab test kits: do they help rape & sexual violence survivors? Thousands of self-swab rape test kits have been distributed across Bristol. Are they helping survivors of sexual violence get justice?

Big day for me - my first article with @thebristolcable.bsky.social on self swab rape kits at Bristol uni from a company called Enough. I’m hoping it will help to quell the misinformation and show users the limitations, ultimately helping survivors of rape.

thebristolcable.org/2025/01/self...

Dried mango or berries usually

📦 Our first starter pack! Fed up with clickbaity local news sites? Here's a list of independent locals doing it differently:

You can find out more about the Thriving Avon Charter that Becca & friends at Conham Bathing have put together here www.conhambathing.co.uk/thriving-avo...

Was bit stunned by the flooding on the Avon near me last week – and pretty queasy thinking about what was floating down it.

In this new piece for @thebristolcable.bsky.social, Becca Blease argues that it’s high time to formally recognise the rights of the river thebristolcable.org/2024/12/rece...

Bristol Unpacked: Samira Musse on youth services & people power Neil Maggs and Samira Musse discuss how people in power can work better with communities, and the crucial impact youth services can have.

Great to be taking a hands-on role with new series of Bristol Unpacked – new ep out, Neil Maggs & Barton Hill Activity Club's Samira Musse on…

🚘 the liveable neighbourhood controversy
🏛️ how authorities fail when speaking to ppl
🚸 vital role of youth services

thebristolcable.org/2024/12/list...

👆🏼if you're in either of those two camps, do give us a shout here
membership.thebristolcable.org/callouts/how...

East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood opposition mounts A campaign to halt the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood has intensified before the scheme is complete – but the council is urging patience

And speaking of that controversy over the first scheme, my colleague Matty Edwards has been speaking to residents seriously pissed off by traffic jams the new restrictions have caused – and others who say they're already having a positive impact

thebristolcable.org/2024/11/traf...

Liveable neighbourhoods: how will Bristol's second scheme work? The council is consulting on 'liveable neighbourhoods' to make south Bristol easier for pedestrians and cyclists. What do residents think?

New from me for @thebristolcable.bsky.social – with the council facing major ongoing blowback over its first 'liveable neighbourhood' not far from where I'm writing this, has it learned lessons as it plans a much bigger scheme south of the river?

thebristolcable.org/2024/11/live...

Here goes then out into the new place