Daniel Reast

Galactic

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

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/...

This makes me mourn my local kebab shop which closed before Christmas. Very sad times for pitta and chips everywhere.

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

Here's Panic! at the Disco with their No. 1 platinum hit, 'Sustainable Nuclear Waste management solutions'

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.

It's amazing that there's so many examples in central where pavement widening has made the experience of London so much better, and yet we've still got cramped and cluttered spaces in the West End, K&C, Camden... Good that (most) councils are more responsive to it.

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

Delighted to see our work spotlighted by @inclusionlondon.bsky.social.

Data is critical for assessing the housing needs of Londoners - especially for those with accessibily requirements.

See our research officer @danreast.bsky.social speak to this below ⬇️

Centre for London are right: There’s no clear picture of accessible housing across London. We need @mayoroflondon.bsky.social + councils to improve data standards across London so we can identify the demand and supply of accessible housing. Thank you @ellybakeram.bsky.social for raising this issue.

Going hard on the 'London is crime-ridden and awful' line didn't work for the past few mayoral elections and it won't work for Laila Cunningham and Reform. The politics of decline don't work in the capital. www.itv.com/news/london/...

Maduro being charged with conspiracy to possess machine guns against the United States is quite the irony.

Two months ago.

Turns out standing up on a stupidly overcrowded, congested and overheating Boxing Day train for well over two and a half hours means you walk like Quasimodo the next day.

If councils are to upgrade their Local Plans to an even more strategic document, they must get better at communicating the process. This happens far too often in London where site allocations for privately owned land are flipped into an avoidable culture war.

Rowans bowling alley is loved by all. Why does the council want to tear it down? The fight to save a busy, profitable and beloved bowling alley from becoming flats is not about nostalgia, says Jack Burke. It is about how culture has become expendable – and why that should worry an...

Yes I know it's Christmas but the reaction to Haringey Council including the Rowans Bowling Alley site in their list of allocations has been atrociously communicated. There's literally no plans for redevelopment being proposed.
www.independent.co.uk/voices/rowan...

Post-budget drama appears to have settled on a pretty muddy exchange of what ifs and who dids, instead of policy and its effects. Bit tired of it honestly.

Fantastic combination of words and vibes.

Tax raid on solicitors and GPs as Rachel Reeves targets wealthy The chancellor considers the national insurance exemptions offered by limited liability partnerships to be unfair, and will use her budget to change the rules

Did somebody say mansion tax?? www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Both sides to the argument are correct: we need affordable housing but it's also very expensive to build.

Both valid viewpoints.

Instead of having a culture war, let's be honest about the situation, the trade-offs, the possible solutions, the compromises - however simple or radical they may be.

If London meets targets, cutting to 20% would mean losing 13k affordable homes.

But it's failing to meet targets. London is the most expensive place to build in Britain. There's many reasons for this.

But a dose of realism is needed while recognising the desperate need for affordable homes.

Thames Water removes 100-tonne fatberg from west London sewer Toxic mass chiselled out of Feltham pipes amid campaign to stop people tipping harmful substances down drains

Planning reforms should make bidets compulsory in new builds so we're not filling with wet wipes and causing millions of pounds worth of damage & disruption. Health and sanitary benefits to bidets also obvious. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

An unexpected benefit of Brexit, to be sure.

Cosy and skilled af.

I will never forget going in 2023 and the shared experience of hearing a familiar dating app sound in the queue, prompted everyone waiting to reach for their phones.

The sly giggles broke into open laughter as someone said 'That was mine, stand down all.'
Really quite lovely, warm moment.

G-A-Y Bar to close as Old Compton Street 'has lost LGBT identity' - BBC News Owner Jeremy Joseph says it is "time to say goodbye" as he hopes to keep his other venue open.

Devastating to lose such a pivotal queer nightlife venue in Soho. G-A-Y was often the first queer bar visited after coming out, like a rite of passage for so many. Old Compton Street will struggle to replace it. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

YouTube video by MoonlightMusic Remasters Danny La Rue - The Royal Variety Performance 1969

Will never miss the opportunity to share this performance from Danny la Rue at the Royal Variety Performance in 1969. Drag at its most vintage, outrageous, camp and authentic. youtu.be/dGXslU0H4qY?...

I don't know if I'm comfortable with the memeification of our party politics. Embarrassing for all involved, especially Bell.

*whisper* I don't think Thamesmead should count as a New Town when it's already (and historically been) a site of significant regeneration...

But good news nonetheless. Extend that DLR out to Belvedere and Erith and then we're golden.