I’m deeply saddened at the tragic loss of Giles Peaker. Giles was not only an exceptionally talented housing lawyer but a real force for good in the world who played an integral role in the development of the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act. My heartfelt condolences to all who loved him.
Happy Vaisakhi to everyone celebrating in Greenwich and Woolwich and beyond.
As ever, my thanks to Gurdwara Sahib Woolwich, Ramgarhia Sikh Association, GND Street Seva and other local Sikh organisations for all they do to support our community.
Vaisakhi di lakh lakh vidai!
This excellent @redbrickblog.bsky.social post by @rosegrayston.bsky.social is well worth a read 👇🏻
redbrickblog.co.uk/2026/04/why-...
In an increasingly volatile world, an even closer partnership with our European allies is in Britain’s long-term national interest.
Closer alignment provides an opportunity to strengthen our security and cut the cost of living.
This morning, a new, free breakfast club opened its doors at Christ Church C of E Primary School in East Greenwich.
It joins existing clubs at Fossdene, Saint Mary Magdalene and St Peter’s in Woolwich providing nutritious meals to children and saving families hundreds of pounds.
Illustration of people looking at balloons and a sign saying 450,000 children lifted out of poverty.
Today is a good day for children!
450,000 will be lifted out of poverty thanks to the end of the two-child limit.
We're celebrating this along with 17 other orgs with an advert in The Times.
The advert has been funded by hundreds of small donations from people supporting @38degrees.bsky.social.
Too right it does.
In 26 days' time we will:
✅Abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.
✅Introduce periodic tenancies.
✅Limit rent increases to once a year.
✅Ban rental bidding and rent in advance.
✅Make discrimination against renters who have children or receive benefits illegal.
Representation: Edmund Burke, Speech to the Electors of Bristol share.google/Nw7tmmyKJ7tw...
Feels like an appropriate time to re-read this, in light of recent controversies
Wishing a joyous Easter Sunday to everyone celebrating today.
Thanking all our local churches for all they do to support families and combat poverty and isolation in our communities.
The police have already made three arrests and their investigation continues.
An increased police presence will remain in the area.
I urge anyone with any information to share it with the police on 101 quoting CAD 4848/2APR or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
The murder of 14-year-old Eghosa Ogbebor on the streets of Woolwich yesterday sees the promise of another life senselessly extinguished.
It leaves yet another family grief-stricken and a community further traumatised.
We cannot allow serious youth violence to be normalised.
On Good Friday, we are reminded of the values of sacrifice, selflessness, love and hope.
Wishing Christians observing in Greenwich and Woolwich and beyond a blessed day.
Devastated to learn of Eamonn Boylan's untimely passing. He was a giant in the world of housing, regeneration and local government. As interim Chief Exec of Homes England, I deeply valued his good judgement and calm temperament. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Wishing all those celebrating in Greenwich and Woolwich and beyond a very happy Passover.
Chag Sameach!
"With several other European nations reeling from the fresh surge in oil and gas costs, the UK's wind-heavy power system may act as a blueprint for other countries also seeking to reduce fossil fuel exposure".
www.reuters.com/business/ene...
As a result of decisions made by this Labour government, today sees:
🌹A 6.6% reduction in the energy price cap.
🌹A Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rise.
🌹NHS prescription charges frozen.
We're delivering for working people.
I appreciate fully the frustration Gidi. Your building has a unique set of challenges which you are well aware of and that I will not detail here, but progress is being made with the Gateway 2 application now being progressed. I'll continue to fight your corner as I have done over many years.
I continue to do everything in my power to resolve the situation at Wick Tower @gidim.bsky.social and remain in close contact with the Residents Association (via James and Valentina) to that end.
🚨 OUT NOW 🚨 New towns on the horizon
🏘️ Housing minister @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social, MP @seanlwoodcock.bsky.social, @susanparham.bsky.social, Rico Wojtulewicz, and @vickyspratt.bsky.social join @alaintolhurst.bsky.social to discuss the plan for new towns in England
🎧 Listen: pod.fo/e/3c3869
Despite what the naysayers and bad faith commentators assert, this Labour government is progressing the most ambitious overhaul of property law in over a century, if not longer. We can't end the leasehold system overnight, but we will finish the job in this Parliament.
By end we instead mean preventing the system from perpetuating itself by making commonhold the default tenure and reducing the prevalence of existing leasehold by making it easier for leaseholders to enfranchise; to control the buildings they live in; and to covert to commonhold.
We obviously do not mean outright abolition, which would be an incredibly disruptive, costly, and complex undertaking that would undoubtedly have a detrimental impact on enfranchised and RTM buildings.
Lastly, I provided a bit more detail as to what we mean by bringing the leasehold system to an end in this Parliament.
Pressed on our approach to legal challenge, I made clear that we would robustly defend any appeals in respect of the challenges brought to the 2024 Act by freehold claimants that were comprehensively dismissed by the High Court in October last year.
I stressed our determination to bring the injustice of fleecehold to an end and made clear that we're working through the responses to our two freehold estates consultations and awaiting the Law Commission’s work on a new right for residential freeholders to manage their estates.
I reiterated our commitment to strengthen regulation of managing agents to drive up the standard of their service, and set out the broad options open to us when it comes to working through the recommendations in Lord Best’s 2019 report on regulating the property agent sector.
I set out clearly and unambiguously that the government is committed to enacting remaining Law Commission recommendations relating to leasehold enfranchisement and right to manage in this Parliament.
I was at pains to stress that the draft Bill being scrutinised would not be the last word on leasehold reform before the next general election. We were always going to need more than a single piece of legislation to bring the leasehold system as we know it to an end.
The 2024 Act’s enfranchisement provisions cannot be commenced until we have rectified a small number of specific flaws contained in the previous government's legislation. I set out my intention to include these fixes in a substantive Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill.
We've already switched on a number of the measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, but I made clear that we're working through the extensive secondary legislation needed to bring remaining provisions into force as early as we possibly can.