Postal vote weekend in Junction Ward done! ✉️

Great talking to voters and get lots of votes for Labour already banked ahead of polling day! 🗳️

18 days to go! 🌹

Weekly canvassing round up 🗳️

We’ve spoken to hundreds of people in Junction Ward in the last few weeks & we’re not going to stop until the end of polling day! Great to see lots of support for Labour🌹

Plus not pictured but I’ve helped out in two other wards too! We keep going!

Thank you @tonyvaughanmp.bsky.social for making the time in your busy schedule and joining us here in Laycock to speak with residents for @islingtonlabour.bsky.social
It was a very positive evening with many good conversations around the @unionchapeluk.bsky.social

A great north London pub could reopen after two years’ closure It’s allegedly named after a fortune teller – but what does its future hold?

Delighted that TimeOut have also covered my campaign on reopening The Mother Red Cap in Junction Ward and even better that it will reopen in the next month! 🍺

www.timeout.com/london/news/...

Empty north London pub 'could reopen after two years' North London pub The Mother Red Cap could be getting a new lease of life as it looks set to reopen after two years.

Thanks to the Ham & High for covering my campaign to get The Mother Red Cap reopened. 🍺

I’m hoping the works going on inside mean that it will be back in business soon and I look forward to popping back in to have a pint! 👍🏻

www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/2600129...

Mayor allocates £30m for a youth club in every London borough The mayor says the late-night clubs would offer activities, mental health support, mentorship and food.

NEW: Today I’m announcing plans to deliver at least one new late-night youth club in every London borough - the biggest investment in youth clubs ever made by a Mayor.

We’re bringing youth clubs back.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Why Earthrise is Humanity’s Most Important Photo Christmas Eve 1968. After a tumultuous year for the world, and especially in America, three astronauts became the first humans to orbit the Moon. Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders were aboar…

I'm staying up to watch #ArtemisII fly around the moon. Can't wait to see the photos from the far side!🌕

It reminds me of a piece I wrote in 2020 about Earthrise, the famous photo from Apollo 8 and why I think it's the most important photo ever taken:

jamespottsblog.wordpress.com/2021/06/11/w...

Birthday trip to Boscobel House to see The Royal Oak (yes, where Charles II hid and why many pubs are named after it)

Which reminds me, last chance to buy your copy of ‘What’s in a London Pub Name?’ Only 25 left and when they’re gone, they’re gone! 📚

www.capitaltransport.com/whats-in-a-l...

Weekly canvassing round up 🌹

Door knocking in Junction, Hillrise and Tollington wards. Lots of positive conversations, lots more to come!

My Favourite Parkruns I love Parkrun, regular readers will know through my other blogs on the subject such as when I started doing Parkrun in 2023 and when I hit the 100-milestone in 2025. In the winter, I tend to keep …

New blog.
What are my favourite #Parkruns? 🏃🏻
Find out below ⬇️

jamespottsblog.wordpress.com/2026/04/03/m...

Looks like the grey barriers have been removed from the Mother Red Cap on Holloway Road.

I’ll be asking for an update on what is happening and will let residents know when I hear back.

Let’s hope this means the pub will reopen soon!

@camraofficial.bsky.social
@londonpubmap.bsky.social

Brilliant day launching our @islingtonlabour.bsky.social manifesto in Mildmay Ward with @emilythornberry.bsky.social.

We’re proud of our record and our manifesto is packed with great policies for the next 4 years. 🌹

@islingtonnlabour.bsky.social
@islingtonsouth.bsky.social

🌹🚪👍🏻

@islingtonlabour.bsky.social
@islingtonnlabour.bsky.social

Really pleased to see resurfacing works completed on Vorley Road in Archway!

In our recent Budget @islingtonlabour.bsky.social pledged an additional £4 million into fixing our roads. #OnYourSide

Sunny day speaking to residents in Junction Ward this lunchtime. Lovely blossom trees signalling that spring is on the way! 🌹🌸

Junction Ward Labour doing what it does best. Speaking to voters, picking up casework, getting stuff done. ✅

Really great to be out on the doors yesterday and today! 🌹

Given yesterday’s Children & Young People’s Scrutiny Committee coincided with World Book Day in the National Year of Reading, I had to ask a question about it as @islington-council.bsky.social’s Reading Champion. 📚

You can watch it below.

#WorldBookDay

How To Reduce Your Screen Time These days, we’re spending quite a lot of time on our phones. And when I say a lot, From the notifications that constantly ping during the day to checking your social media just before you go…

New blog. ✍🏻

This one I’d say is quite important given the amount of time we’re spending on our phones these days!📱

Find out more below ⬇️

jamespottsblog.wordpress.com/2026/03/01/h...

Always great to be out speaking to voters in Junction Ward this morning 🌹

Budget Full Council tonight 💷

Proud to vote in favour of a balanced budget that invests in our borough. This includes our £5m Making it Happen fund.

Very sad it’s Cllr Janet Burgess’ last meeting after 25 years of service. The best of us!

#IslingtonFC
@islingtonlabour.bsky.social

It reflects badly on Archway and we want our borough to feel safe for everybody, and not to feel intimidated by the actions of others.

We encourage anybody with information regarding this incident to contact the police."

Cllr James Potts
Cllr Sheila Chapman
Cllr Janet Burgess MBE

Destroying shopfronts does nothing to bring peace and will only harm local people who witness the damage. This also has a negative impact on local businesses who are upset that this has happened.

This is also awful for the staff work are just doing their job.

We understand the strong feelings that many have on events in the Middle East, and we fully support peaceful protest in all its forms. However, targeting this particular store and damaging the site goes far beyond what is acceptable.

Statement from Junction Ward Labour Councillors on Gail's Bakery, Archway:

“We are appalled by the damage caused to Gail's on Junction Road. This is the second occasion the store has been targeted with graffiti and vandalism this month, and it is totally wrong.

'This is how we get to actively love our neighbours' - another busy few days in Laycock Ward with @islington-labour.bsky.social for @nuturan.bsky.social, Maia Hamilton and I. Rain or shine we will always be there for you 🌹

Some really welcome news from the Government today!

✅ Powers to speed up implementation of children’s wellbeing consultation outcome

✅ Preserving online data in tragic events of children’s deaths

✅ Powers to close loopholes to keep AI chatbots safe from illegal content

My Favourite Pubs in Covent Garden Covent Garden is one of my favourite areas of Central London. During the medieval period, it was used as gardens by the Abbot of Westminster Abbey, which is where it takes its name from. Before bec…

I’m back blogging about pubs again 📝

Join me on a crawl around My Favourite Pubs in Covent Garden 🍺

jamespottsblog.wordpress.com/2026/02/15/m...

Another excellent sunny Saturday on the doorstep this morning in Junction Ward. ☀️

Lots of good conversations with residents, casework picked up and lots of Labour voters too! 🌹

Loving the new playground that we’ve put in place thanks to our Thriving Neighbourhoods Programme! 🛝

The rain doesn’t stop us canvassing in Junction Ward! 🌧️

Great to speak to resident on the doorstep this morning 🌹

@islingtonlabour.bsky.social
@islingtonnlabour.bsky.social

Last week at Children & Young People’s Scrutiny Committee, we had Dinah Bornat from ZCD Architects speak to us about her work in designing play spaces. 🛝

My questions to her focussed on how to engage communities, which you can watch below ⬇️