I find it easy to imagine #farage behaving in the way described. He's that type. Cruel. Cocky. Not at all nice: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Today, Minister Steve Reed & @sadiqkhanlondon.bsky.social have confirmed London will be able to place a levy on overnight trips. A tourist levy would allow all those visiting, working & living in London to benefit from our thriving visitor economy. @antoniajennings.bsky.social comments below:

In the States, approval ratings for #Farage role model Trump are falling as his isolationist economic policies seem to be making matters worse and suspicions grow about dark stuff in his past: www.reuters.com/world/us/tru... Could be a lesson there for Good Old Nigel.

Christmas not banned in #London, shock.

Watch him squirm: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... #stopfarage

RIP: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjW5...

The UK is too dependent on the magnetism of #London but that won't be changed by trying to weaken or undermine the city. This story by @juliehamill.bsky.social illustrates the strengths and benefits that come with inflows of talent and energy from elsewhere: www.onlondon.co.uk/julie-hamill...

I like this very much, and not just because it is written by one of my sons: frankiethorogood.substack.com/p/if-youre-n...

Yes, there are spending multipliers etc - and yes, Kuenssberg spouted vacuous talking points. BUT. There is a bond market (or more generally a macro) constraint to borrowing, as there was in the 2010s - we just weren't near it then. Dodging the issue/pretending it doesn't exist isn't a policy.

I like this very much, and not just because it is written by one of my daughters: thechurnal.substack.com/p/churning-a...

Some further items from the Nigel Farage back catalogue: www.theguardian.com/politics/202....

Ryan Bridge - the driving force behind the 'Raise the Flags' campaign of a few months ago - is wanted by Spain, in connection with a holiday compensation fraud www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...

This week we celebrated: ⚡️ Bringing the first council homes to Battersea Power Station with LB Wandsworth and BPS Ltd 🏡 100 new affordable homes completed at Oval Village with Peabody and Berkeley 🏙️ Topping out 218 new homes (63 for social rent) on the Isle of Dogs with Riverside and Mount Anvil.

From the same neck of Hackney's political woods, a variation on the same theme. This is a poster which local shopkeepers are obligingly displaying. Of interest is that "initial sponsors" list doesn't include the Greens. #london

A free post open.substack.com/pub/davidaar...

A paradox of #london is that it educates brilliantly yet employers find specific skills they need in short supply. Muniya Barua, guest for my latest #truelondon podcast, has thoughts about that. And the budget. Read, watch, listen: www.onlondon.co.uk/true-london-... @acjsissons.bsky.social

If this analysis is correct, it won't only be London Tories who need to define themselves against their party's national identity and policies, it will be London Labour too: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... @cityhalllabour.bsky.social

Took this (rather hurried) pic on my West End outing last Sunday. Presumably, if Reform won control of Westminster City Council (which it won't) they would have such "woke", un-British dual language signage purged from London's Chinatown immediately. #london

My multi-contributor website OnLondon now funded in full by proceeds from my twice-weekly newsletter, OnLondon Extra. News, comment, deep analysis and challenges to all forms of populism. If you don't already subscribe, try the free trial: davehillonlondon.substack.com/p/on-london-... #london

Anyone attracted to Andy Burnham because they feel he is "authentic" (being from the north of England) and more Left than Starmer should ponder his low tax approach to property developers in Manchester (it actually makes sense, but more left wing...?): davehillonlondon.substack.com/p/manchester...

Much as I value the FT and don't want to be one of those punctuation obsessives, I wish it (and others) would desist from turning the Chancellor into a plural possessive. She is one individual, so it should be Reeves's gambit, not Reeves' gambit. I mean, no wonder the country's going to the dogs...

A vox pop exercise given a prominent position on the BBC News website. Why? Anything, it seems, to keep the "Andy Burnham leadership ambitions" story going: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This leaflet came through my east #London letterbox the other day. First impression: blimey, *another* one from the Greens. But it's not. It's the Hackney far Left trying to turn May's borough elections into a referendum on the Labour gov's approach to Gaza (note Stop The War Coalition logo).

It's awful the way the ruling class keeps picking on Nigel Farage's party. I know this because Matt Goodwin said so on X/Twitter: news.sky.com/story/former...

My latest True London podcast, with guest Muniya Barua from BusinessLDN who talks about skills shortages & how to end them, along with the Thamesmead DLR good news, the "tourism tax" & local gov Fair Funding: www.youtube.com/watch?v=T91z... #london @businessldn.bsky.social @howarddawber.bsky.social

Trying not to sink into despair: nickcohen.substack.com/p/what-if-tr...

At #London City Hall, Mayor's Question Time is about to begin: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBB0...

Response to Thamesmead news from @cityhalllabour.bsky.social

The Met. Speechless. news.sky.com/story/former...

Government to give go-ahead for Docklands Light Railway extension to Thamesmead: www.onlondon.co.uk/government-t... It had to happen. And it has. #london

Some good news for #London coming up after midnight, if I can stay awake until then.

Enfield is going to be one of many #London boroughs where next year's election campaigns will be closely and fiercely fought. Labour has a small majority at present. This man's behaviour isn't making hanging on to it any easier: enfielddispatch.co.uk/disgraced-ex... #enfield

New for OnLondon by Brent Council leader, Muhammed Butt. Yes to "tourist tax" power for London government: www.onlondon.co.uk/muhammed-but... #london

I've had some lovely messages from readers about this piece.

Good, sustainable development in #london is vital to national economic growth. Here's the second chapter in my telling of the Earls Court re-wondering story: earlscourt.com/earls-court-...

www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-... #stopfarage

Today's On London Extra asks if #Labour has made a migration policy miscalculation where the capital is concerned, wonders whether Londoners will have to pay the tourist tax (there's precedent) & contains latest borough defection news. Go on, try it: davehillonlondon.substack.com/p/on-london-....

It's even more fun going to the West End these days, as I can top up my library of Vibrant Central London Photos To Post On X And Annoy The Trolls. On Sunday, I even hung out with some film stars in Chinatown: www.onlondon.co.uk/hollyshorts-.... #london #truelondon

Are Londoners warming to more congestion charging? It's not impossible, as @charleswright57.bsky.social reports: www.onlondon.co.uk/charles-wrig.... #london

One to bookmark for when Labour collapse in London next May

Why London (and other big cities) should get a tourist levy (tax) power and how it should work www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-...

It's been a long wait, but at last: www.standard.co.uk/news/politic...

How have the lives of Jewish Londoners changed since 7/10/23? I asked some and added some reflections of my own from my non-Jewish perspective: www.onlondon.co.uk/dave-hill-je... #truelondon #london

Went to a posh Park Lane lunch yesterday where Kim Darroch, ex-UK ambassador to US, said diplomat colleagues loved postings to #london. Only people in US who who deride it are MAGA types who think it's all knife crime & Sharia law. "All of us know that this is ridiculous," he said. #truelondon

Reform UK's policy chief claimed that "the majority" of soical housing in #London "goes to foreign nationals". Not true. Now read on: www.onlondon.co.uk/reforms-zia-... #housing #truelondon

On broken prisons, a besieged BBC and the problem of collective politics in a climate of mistrust www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

By @pollytoynbee.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/commentisfre... #BBC

Today's On London Extra looks at a new & different report about - & for - the Met about embedded racism in the organisation & how to end it. Plus updates on London Trumpism, another newly-Green councillor, a Blitz movie clip and more: davehillonlondon.substack.com/p/on-london-... #london #truelondon

TfL contractors who remove unauthorised flags from lampposts and other infrastructure face threats and abuse, TfL boss says: www.onlondon.co.uk/transport-fo... #london @hinabokharild.bsky.social @londonassembly.bsky.social @hopenothate.org.uk

A few things I want to do this week with the website. First, I have about 15 posts to put up from new homes in Thamesmead to transport plans in London. Loads to stories/events but as ever not enough time. Also start up mailing list again and/or a free Substack Let's get cracking