Jules Birch
@julesbirch.bsky.social
Journalist interested in anything connected with housing. Which means just about everything. Doctorate in housing since the financial crisis
This is a curious argument, at least as far as housing is concerned. Treats the Renters Rights Act as though it’s a return to rent control rather than an extension of consumer rights 1/n
on.ft.com/4p2K1jM The disturbing victory of Old Labour over New Labour
on.ft.com/4p2K1jM The disturbing victory of Old Labour over New Labour
The disturbing victory of Old Labour over New Labour
In education, labour and housing we risk going back towards what we know will not work
on.ft.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:36 AM
This is a curious argument, at least as far as housing is concerned. Treats the Renters Rights Act as though it’s a return to rent control rather than an extension of consumer rights 1/n
on.ft.com/4p2K1jM The disturbing victory of Old Labour over New Labour
on.ft.com/4p2K1jM The disturbing victory of Old Labour over New Labour
Reposted by Jules Birch
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
November 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Glad that someone has finally taken responsibility for the appalling assault on democracy that was the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Slightly confused that it's the Director-General of the BBC, but what do I know?
Reposted by Jules Birch
Since we’re in the mood for strict accuracy in broadcast news, worth noting that a rival channel had a pundit - unchallenged - say asylum seekers in hotels committed 44% of sexual offences in one county, seemingly because she cannot understand basic maths.
A national newspaper journalist went on a British TV channel to claim police stats showed asylum-seekers committed 44% of sex crimes in Dorset.
This shocking claim was treated as fact by the channel which promoted the clip on social media where it was amplified by AI.
Except... it's bollocks.
This shocking claim was treated as fact by the channel which promoted the clip on social media where it was amplified by AI.
Except... it's bollocks.
November 9, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Since we’re in the mood for strict accuracy in broadcast news, worth noting that a rival channel had a pundit - unchallenged - say asylum seekers in hotels committed 44% of sexual offences in one county, seemingly because she cannot understand basic maths.
Reposted by Jules Birch
This Labour government is tackling England’s housing crisis by delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.
Today we’re launching the full details of our new £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme 👇🏻
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Today we’re launching the full details of our new £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme 👇🏻
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026-2036: MHCLG policy statement to accompany guidance to bidders from Homes England and the Greater London Authority
www.gov.uk
November 7, 2025 at 9:34 AM
This Labour government is tackling England’s housing crisis by delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.
Today we’re launching the full details of our new £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme 👇🏻
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Today we’re launching the full details of our new £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme 👇🏻
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Reposted by Jules Birch
“It broke my heart, that was my savings towards a new car,” one woman who paid Milne tens of thousands of pounds told us. “He has just wiped me out.”
Who is Andrew Milne - the solicitor sending "very aggressive" letters to Sheffield homeowners?
www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk/a-london-law...
Who is Andrew Milne - the solicitor sending "very aggressive" letters to Sheffield homeowners?
www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk/a-london-law...
A London lawyer bought hundreds of Sheffield freeholds. Then the ‘very aggressive’ letters arrived
Exclusive: The Tribune can reveal that Andrew Milne has threatened leaseholders with high court action. It ‘broke my heart’ one woman says
www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 3:20 PM
“It broke my heart, that was my savings towards a new car,” one woman who paid Milne tens of thousands of pounds told us. “He has just wiped me out.”
Who is Andrew Milne - the solicitor sending "very aggressive" letters to Sheffield homeowners?
www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk/a-london-law...
Who is Andrew Milne - the solicitor sending "very aggressive" letters to Sheffield homeowners?
www.sheffieldtribune.co.uk/a-london-law...
Reposted by Jules Birch
This is not good
www.constructionenquirer.com/2025/11/04/b...
www.constructionenquirer.com/2025/11/04/b...
Building control giant Assent ceases trading
Shockwaves to hit Building Safety Regulator approval process
www.constructionenquirer.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:26 PM
This is not good
www.constructionenquirer.com/2025/11/04/b...
www.constructionenquirer.com/2025/11/04/b...
Reposted by Jules Birch
Striking Economist chart in the latest Tooze newsletter. Presumably NY's vertiginous rents would make NY's _real_ real wages (i.e. real wages post housing costs) look even worse by comparison. New mayor really has got a challenge on his hands
November 6, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Striking Economist chart in the latest Tooze newsletter. Presumably NY's vertiginous rents would make NY's _real_ real wages (i.e. real wages post housing costs) look even worse by comparison. New mayor really has got a challenge on his hands
Reposted by Jules Birch
Say what you like about Rachel Reeves, she has done wonderful things for tenants' rights awareness
November 4, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Say what you like about Rachel Reeves, she has done wonderful things for tenants' rights awareness
Reposted by Jules Birch
We'd all like to think we'd act like this in a moment of crisis, but Samir Zitouni did - and he's a hero
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Train hero who saved passengers during attack named
The rail worker credited with saving multiple lives is named as Samir Zitouni.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 4, 2025 at 11:58 AM
We'd all like to think we'd act like this in a moment of crisis, but Samir Zitouni did - and he's a hero
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
I don’t remember it being a thing at all growing up in the 60s - bobbing for apples maybe but we were all just waiting for bonfire night
October 31, 2025 at 11:10 AM
I don’t remember it being a thing at all growing up in the 60s - bobbing for apples maybe but we were all just waiting for bonfire night
Too much to hope that he can be stripped of the surname Windsor too? Step forward Andrew Saxe-Coburg-Gotha?
October 30, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Too much to hope that he can be stripped of the surname Windsor too? Step forward Andrew Saxe-Coburg-Gotha?
Reposted by Jules Birch
Badenoch is quite right. It is not the same. The possible criminal sentence for the website hack is much higher than that for a failure to obtain a licence for a letting.
Badenoch says hacking into Harriet Harman's website 17 years ago 'not the same' as Reeves breaking law
Badenoch says hacking into Harriet Harman's website 17 years ago 'not the same' as Reeves breaking law
Kemi Badenoch has said hacking into Harriet Harman's website when she was younger is "not the same" as Rachel Reeves failing to get a £900 rental licence for her home.
news.sky.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Badenoch is quite right. It is not the same. The possible criminal sentence for the website hack is much higher than that for a failure to obtain a licence for a letting.
Freeholders still lobbying the Treasury to stop cap on ground rents
www.ft.com/content/4ce5...
www.ft.com/content/4ce5...
Plan to cap ground rents causes concern among UK landlords
Labour government has promised to apply limits to ‘fleeceholds’ on existing properties
www.ft.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Freeholders still lobbying the Treasury to stop cap on ground rents
www.ft.com/content/4ce5...
www.ft.com/content/4ce5...
'Planning does need reform, but the reason why not enough homes are being built is because not enough homes are being bought'
@resi-analyst.bsky.social on what conventional wisdom about supply and demand gets wrong
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
@resi-analyst.bsky.social on what conventional wisdom about supply and demand gets wrong
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
New homes: even if you build them, there’s no one to buy them
We’re often told housing demand exceeds supply — so why are new homes struggling to be built and bought?
giftarticle.ft.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:38 AM
'Planning does need reform, but the reason why not enough homes are being built is because not enough homes are being bought'
@resi-analyst.bsky.social on what conventional wisdom about supply and demand gets wrong
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
@resi-analyst.bsky.social on what conventional wisdom about supply and demand gets wrong
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Reposted by Jules Birch
Under Trump, the draconian future of homelessness policy is coming into focus: mass internment. Utah is building a 16-acre site to detain up to 1,300 homeless people inside locked "accountability centers." This is profoundly alarming.
Vital reporting from @ellenbarry.bsky.social and Jason DeParle:
Vital reporting from @ellenbarry.bsky.social and Jason DeParle:
In Utah, Trump’s Vision for Homelessness Begins to Take Shape
www.nytimes.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Under Trump, the draconian future of homelessness policy is coming into focus: mass internment. Utah is building a 16-acre site to detain up to 1,300 homeless people inside locked "accountability centers." This is profoundly alarming.
Vital reporting from @ellenbarry.bsky.social and Jason DeParle:
Vital reporting from @ellenbarry.bsky.social and Jason DeParle:
Reposted by Jules Birch
Long thread on house building... Clearly, the government's 1.5 million new homes in England in the 5-year parliament isn’t going to happen, & everyone in the industry knows it, even if the new Secretary of State keeps repeating it. (1/n)
#ukhousing #ukconstruction
#ukhousing #ukconstruction
October 29, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Long thread on house building... Clearly, the government's 1.5 million new homes in England in the 5-year parliament isn’t going to happen, & everyone in the industry knows it, even if the new Secretary of State keeps repeating it. (1/n)
#ukhousing #ukconstruction
#ukhousing #ukconstruction
In other news, The Times subs have confirmed the death of civilisation with this standfirst
October 29, 2025 at 9:19 AM
In other news, The Times subs have confirmed the death of civilisation with this standfirst
Home Builders Federation tells OBR its housebuilding forecasts are too optimistic - and it doesn't take long for the lobbying point to come through
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
October 29, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Home Builders Federation tells OBR its housebuilding forecasts are too optimistic - and it doesn't take long for the lobbying point to come through
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Reposted by Jules Birch
Really enjoyed chairing this afternoon's launch of the UKHR Autumn Briefing Paper. We heard from a fantastic panel on issues spanning the economy, retrofit, hg insecurity, London and FTBs.
Check it out - open to all 👇
#ukhousing
Check it out - open to all 👇
#ukhousing
Great to hear from some of the 2025 UK Housing Review Autumn Briefing Paper authors this afternoon for the launch of the latest edition of the UK housing ‘bible’ series 🏘️
Find out more about the event, authors, sponsors and get your copy of the Autumn Briefing Paper 🔗➡️ www.cih.org/news/uk-hous...
Find out more about the event, authors, sponsors and get your copy of the Autumn Briefing Paper 🔗➡️ www.cih.org/news/uk-hous...
October 28, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Really enjoyed chairing this afternoon's launch of the UKHR Autumn Briefing Paper. We heard from a fantastic panel on issues spanning the economy, retrofit, hg insecurity, London and FTBs.
Check it out - open to all 👇
#ukhousing
Check it out - open to all 👇
#ukhousing
Reposted by Jules Birch
Quite a world when a federal judge has to call in a federal official to specifically tell him he can't use tear gas on children in Halloween costumes
October 28, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Quite a world when a federal judge has to call in a federal official to specifically tell him he can't use tear gas on children in Halloween costumes
'If European democracies cannot deliver on the basic promise of shelter, they invite not just economic dysfunction but political catastrophe'
www.socialeurope.eu/europes-hous...
www.socialeurope.eu/europes-hous...
Europe's Housing Crisis Threatens the Foundations of Democracy
Affordable homes built the post-war social contract—their absence today fuels political extremism.
www.socialeurope.eu
October 28, 2025 at 9:08 AM
'If European democracies cannot deliver on the basic promise of shelter, they invite not just economic dysfunction but political catastrophe'
www.socialeurope.eu/europes-hous...
www.socialeurope.eu/europes-hous...
Housing select committee report on land value capture published with shot across government's bows on cuts to affordable housing and community infrastructure in London
committees.parliament.uk/committee/17...
committees.parliament.uk/committee/17...
The Government must reform developer levies to deliver investment in the New Towns programme, local services, and affordable housing, say MPs - Committees - UK Parliament
The current system of land value capture, a public finance mechanism that captures developer contributions to fund public amenities such as a new GP surgery or a school, fails to deliver the full pote...
committees.parliament.uk
October 28, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Housing select committee report on land value capture published with shot across government's bows on cuts to affordable housing and community infrastructure in London
committees.parliament.uk/committee/17...
committees.parliament.uk/committee/17...
Pre-Budget propaganda-scaremongering-clickbait machine in full swing
www.telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/ne...
www.telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/ne...
October 28, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Pre-Budget propaganda-scaremongering-clickbait machine in full swing
www.telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/ne...
www.telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/ne...