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

With all the respect in the world to James Milner, football was not invented by Rupert Murdoch www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Anyone up for the World Cup? www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

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...

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

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

'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...

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!

Even the bond vigilantes don’t like the fiscal rules.

British values

"the data tells us what is valuable and where to focus" is killing half of the journalism industry

Just occurred to me that you have to go through a pre-appointment hearing in front of a Commons committee to become housing ombudsman - but not to become UK ambassador to the United States

The case for moving parliament and government out of London, demolishing houses of parliament and building affordable housing is becoming more compelling by the day www.ft.com/content/7fca...

If we want older people to downsize why do we let retirement housing companies get away with this? Why would anyone buy one of their flats? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Home Office knows that the 28-day move on period for newly recognised refugees causes homelessness yet it still went back to it www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A reminder.

Mandelson should not be allowed to resign from the Lords until he’s been ceremonially stripped of his ermine and left outside in his pants

Very late to this but it’s very good on the history of an estate and a regeneration project that tells a housing story of the last 60 years

The One Hyde Park judgment is against a subsidiary of the contractor that has gone into liquidation. 'Despite the court order, it is unclear when — or even whether — the claimants will recover the sum' www.ft.com/content/2757...

We're recruiting 2 PhD candidates in human geography here in Uppsala, one position focused on urban/housing issues and one in political ecology. Please spread the word/repost etc. Being a PhD student in Sweden is a good gig.

Plus why was the name redacted?

The second correction here is incredible, a bit like declaring that 95% of the population is currently wearing nappies.

Singapore's housing model combines public housing and home ownership but are the cracks starting to show? www.ft.com/content/2333...

Peak Telegraph: ‘I have two stately homes, but you should never be under the illusion that you own* them’ www.telegraph.co.uk/money/consum... * 'I’m not talking about the practical side, that it’s in trust, but that you literally don’t take anything with you when it’s the next generation’s time'

In the wake of the publication of our draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill on Tuesday, lots of existing leaseholders have been in touch seeking clarity as to when the government plans to make it cheaper and easier to extend a lease or buy a freehold 🧵

Superb self-important word mangling here. "I feel it is my noble duty not to allow my chains of office to be put through a process.” www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Interesting comments from @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social that hint at housing strategy due 'in the coming weeks': - Hitting 1.5m target would lead to 'levelling out' of prices - Sustaining that over longer term would lead to 'gradual reduction' 1/n www.ft.com/content/9dae...

Says it all about this version of the champions league that the main prize you win in the league stage is to play fewer games in it

New substack: the Tories can have a viable economic policy, or they can cultivate the traditional class base of conservatism, but they cannot do both. chrisdillow.substack.com/p/the-death-...

Currently in 10th circle of hell aka disk is full on my mac and seems no way to free up space

No red fez but getting strong Tommy Cooper vibes here

Not much detail yet but major package of housing announcements here: www.gov.uk/government/n... 1) Reintroduction of rent convergence (will boost social landlords' finance: looks like will be +£2 a week. Landlords wanted more but that would cost tenants and DWP more) 1/n

Good news but slightly odd manner and timing of announcement? - in a video on tik tok, not made overnight to maximise press coverage, no supportive quotes www.gov.uk/government/n...

The Winter issue of WHQ is out now. Ahead of the Senedd election we ask the six main parties about their priorities and leading housing organisations about what they want from the next Welsh Government. whq.org.uk/2026/01/26/n... Plus... 1/n

Feels like there is a real opportunity for the Conservatives to win back defectors to the Lib Dems now that Jenrick, Braverman and the like have left. They'll probably just try to compete with Jenrick, Braverman and the like on who is nastiest www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Please share. 💔

My brother fought in the infantry and lost soldiers in Afghanistan. The press used to report deaths before families had been told and I would check my phone over and over, scared it would ring. I went to the inquest of one of his killed men. I saw his red-eyed parents, girlfriend and baby daughter.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 this new agency will be created exactly 20 years after the Scottish Government, under Salmond, axed Communities Scotland, an agency that did EXACTLY THIS www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I went to Minneapolis last week. What I saw was horrifying and inspiring in equal measure. Gift link to my latest column: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/o...

Just realised I’ve been naively missing a pro trick as a columnist - next week’s will be a rewrite of today’s arguing the complete opposite

Just got offered my first OAP discount in the barbers 🤦‍♂️

Definite vibes of when Labour MPs joined the SDP in 1981 except that however many more Tories follow Jenrick, Dorries, Kruger, Zahawi etc they’ll still add up to about 1% of Shirley Williams or Roy Jenkins. They’re joining someone else’s party not founding one and seem to have no ideas of their own

Watching the Jenrick Press Conference: Really hoping a journalist asks him in the manner of Mrs Merton: "What was it about losing the Tory leadership contest that helped you realise that the Tories had broken Britain?"

Fraud investigation of for-profit social housing investment trust searches homes in Altrincham, Maidenhead, London - and Venice www.gov.uk/government/n...