Great to see more investment so every school can have a library. My first article for @thefabians.bsky.social Review in 2019(!) called for school libraries in every school. fabians.org.uk/the-never-fa...

England needs to ensure its homes are fit for an ageing population. Great to see @annadixonmp.bsky.social mention Forward Planning, my report for @thefabians.bsky.social, in her excellent @labourlist.bsky.social piece. labourlist.org/2025/11/anna...

Today I have started my new role as a Senior Researcher at @thefabians.bsky.social I’m excited to get started developing new ideas and to continue (my longtime passion of) thinking about the future of the Left.

Book your place now, or join the Fabian Society to receive your free ticket! 👇 fabians.org.uk/event/new-ye...

📢 New Year Conference: Renewing Britain We're pleased to announce that @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social, Minister for Housing and Planning will be joining us at the Fabian Society New Year Conference!

And here we also recommend a living standards task force, to report in to such a committee:

We recommended a cabinet committee to oversee economic policy - with PM and Chancellor, and other ministers attending as needed: fabians.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Great to see a new cabinet committee focused on growth and living standards - two vital cross-Whitehall agendas, and the right way to coordinate decision making (if done right!): www.gov.uk/government/p...

England is ageing As we build 1.5m new homes in this parliament, we need to ensure they are fit for this future And it needs to be easier for people to improve their properties as needs change Read my report for @thefabians.bsky.social + @ageingbetter.bsky.social fabians.org.uk/wp-content/u...

🔗 To find out more about how we can ensure older people live in good quality homes, follow the link below. fabians.org.uk/publication/...

Ben Cooper, Head of the Fabian House Centre, said:

🔧 Improve access to high-quality and trusted advice for housing repairs, improvements and adaptations.

🎯 Establish a national target for wheelchair accessible properties, in partnership with the housing sector.

🏗️ All new homes should meet the accessible and adaptable standard.

📝 With the government expected to release a housing strategy in the coming months, there’s an opportunity to deliver a bold vision of ageing better.

🌍 Regional inequality is stark: Yorkshire has half the proportion of homes with basic accessibility features compared to London.

🚫 Older homeowners are far more likely to live in poor quality and inaccessible housing than their younger counterparts. Only 8 per cent of older owner-occupied homes have four basic accessibility features.

📈 England’s population is ageing, with the number of people 55 and over in England set to grow by five million. This will reshape what people expect and need in a home. Right now, 1.9 million owner occupiers aged 55 or over living in a non-decent home.

🏡 How do we improve ageing at home? In “Forward Planning” @bencooper1995.bsky.social sets out how to ensure homes are decent and accessible for an ageing society.

And our work at @thefabians.bsky.social has long argued that the left needs to get on board with fiscal devolution - it empowers local places and makes for more regional equality...if done right fabians.org.uk/publication/...

I argued for this and other small-scale fiscal devolution here - see also business rate supplement and land value capture www.themj.co.uk/getting-fisc...

Great to see this! A visitor levy/tourism tax would be a small but really important step in the right direction for devolution - it would fund better public realm and other infrastructure tourists and residents use Let's hope the government follows through! www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Great to be in Number 10 with @lukeraikes.bsky.social today. We were talking about how to build more good quality homes in every part of the country - and the work of the Fabian Housing Centre. Get in touch if you want to hear more about our work.

Delighted that Primary Colours, my first ever report for @thefabians.bsky.social was referenced in the Curriculum and Assessment Review. The national curriculum needs to be strengthened to ensure every child has access to the arts. Read Primary Colours here: fabians.org.uk/publication/...

"With the next state pension age increase imminent, the government must act urgently to support those who struggle to make it to 67 and beyond.” The government must support older workers as the state pension age increases, argues @sasjkia.bsky.social. leftfootforward.org/2025/10/the-...

Cultured Communities, my report for @thefabians.bsky.social, argued for reform to spread the benefits of cultural titles Great to see Lisa Nandy echo our recommendations in Town/City of Culture announcements: 🎨 Funding to prepare bids 🎵 Guaranteed funding for winners 🎭 Smaller impact awards

The task of building 1.5m new homes in a parliament is immense. We need to 'build baby build' social and council housing to meet it. Read my latest column for @labourlist.bsky.social labourlist.org/2025/10/buil...

Want to know how we can deliver 1.5 million new homes this Parliament? Read ‘Breaking ground’ here 👇 fabians.org.uk/publication/...

Great to see @bencooper1995.bsky.social's report ‘Breaking ground’ featured in @insidehousing.bsky.social www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/late...

Excited to be joining @labourlist.bsky.social as a monthly columnist I'll be writing on housing, early years and a range of other topics I may even write about the Sea Wall and coastal areas - if I can sneak it past @emmaburnell.bsky.social labourlist.org/2025/09/meet...

Brilliant to see my upcoming report on sick pay for the self employed covered in the Mirror today. Self-employed workers currently stand to lose 81 per cent of their income if they fall sick, leaving many in precarious situations. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

Take a look at our full conference programme here 👇 fabians.org.uk/labour-party...

We will struggle to deliver 1.5 million new homes if we do not unleash the potential of SME builders across the country. This session will explore how we can remove the barriers faced by small housebuilders.

From The Ground Up: Expanding the Role of SMEs to Deliver the 1.5 Million New Homes Monday 29 | 16.15 | Bluecoat | @nationwidefdtn.bsky.social

Should we reform inheritance tax?
 💰 @bencooper1995.bsky.social makes the case for a cap on lifetime tax-free gifts on Times Radio.

"The country risks serious political consequences from successive generations being locked out of the benefits of homeownership in a country perceived to be failing them" I'm in @labourlist.bsky.social on why Labour must help 1st time buyers onto the property ladder labourlist.org/2025/08/home...

I'm in the Times arguing why there should be a lifetime cap on tax-free gifts. Income gained through luck or crafty financial planning shouldn't always be tax-free. If we believe in equality of opportunity, a cap is necessary. www.thetimes.com/business-mon...

Take a look at all our partners below 👇

Introducing the Festival of Ideas This September we're bringing our biggest and boldest Labour Party Conference programme EVER to Liverpool. 📢 40+ events ⚡ A new home at @theBluecoat 💬 The sharpest voices, the biggest questions, and the boldest ideas shaping the future of the left.

You can read ‘Repair, Reuse, Recycle - Making The Circular Economy in England Work At Scale’ here ⬇️ fabians.org.uk/publication/...

🔁 Invest in infrastructure for large scale critical mineral recycling, stimulating further private sector investment 🥫Mandate all large businesses to sign up to the food waste roadmap, rather than relying on voluntary commitments

🔧 Introduce a cap on repair prices within ‘right to repair’ legislation   🏗️ Abolish VAT for building refurbishments and repairs to level the playing field with new build.

The report sets out several policies that would help turn the tide and should be included in the upcoming circular economy strategy. The government could: 🎯 Introduce a target for England to reduce raw material use to under eight tonnes per person by 2050

But several factors have held back progression to a more circular economy, including a lack of political prioritisation by successive governments, a lack of clear targets, and a lack of financial incentives 💵

Developing a more circular economy, where waste is reduced and materials stay in circulation for longer, has numerous benefits - from increased resource security and reduced emissions, to benefits to the economy and consumers.

England produced 191m tonnes of waste in the last year data was recorded, and our material footprint has risen to 20.1 tonnes per capita in a year. That's the same as the weight of 4 African elephants.  🐘🐘🐘🐘

Delighted to launch this @thefabians.bsky.social report today on how England can reduce waste and make the circular economy work at scale.  We are currently going in the wrong direction on resource use, but there are several practical steps the government can take to turn this around. 🧵

Building 1.5m new homes is a stretching target It will require starts to nearly double, compared to previous parliament But the Gov will be judged on delivery so further reform is needed That is why @thefabians.bsky.social have established a Housing Centre www.insidehousing.co.uk/comment/buil...

Great to see the North East Mayor commit to trialling a Health in Pregnancy Grant and Baby Boxes. First Steps, my report for @thefabians.bsky.social, recommended implementing both nationally. Let's hope where the North East leads, the forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy follows.

🚨WE’RE HIRING!🚨 Want to work on high-impact research and be at the heart of policy development? We’re recruiting: ✅ Senior Researcher / Researcher ✅ Research Assistant 🔗 Learn more: fabians.org.uk/about-us/rec...