Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
@duncanstott.bsky.social
Geeky YIMBY liberal
Housing, politics, liberalism and growth
Oxford UK
Housing, politics, liberalism and growth
Oxford UK
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
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 Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
It was Helen Lewis: 'nutpicking'.
September 11, 2025 at 12:00 PM
It was Helen Lewis: 'nutpicking'.
IIRC @stephenkb.bsky.social gave a snappy name to the act of mining for the most idiotic takes you can find - what was it? Because it's in overdrive today.
September 11, 2025 at 11:59 AM
IIRC @stephenkb.bsky.social gave a snappy name to the act of mining for the most idiotic takes you can find - what was it? Because it's in overdrive today.
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
As @duncanstott.bsky.social points out in The Other Place, West Oxfordshire District Council declared a Climate Change and Ecological Emergency in 2019.
A solar farm that could have powered “all the households in Witney” has been refused permission by West Oxfordshire District Council. Councillors were concerned about the risk of fire, one drawing parallels to the 1966 Aberfan disaster: “Until someone can guarantee it is safe, I can’t support it.”
September 9, 2025 at 11:14 AM
As @duncanstott.bsky.social points out in The Other Place, West Oxfordshire District Council declared a Climate Change and Ecological Emergency in 2019.
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
Had not expected to have to verify my age to send a message about rail subsidies on Bluesky! The camera took one look at me and decided immediately I was over 18...
August 4, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Had not expected to have to verify my age to send a message about rail subsidies on Bluesky! The camera took one look at me and decided immediately I was over 18...
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
Bizarre discussion on the radio likening air condition to passive smoking because it accounts for 3% of CO2 emissions.
But: we don’t moralise turning heating on in winter, and heating accounts for 15% of emissions. If aircon is intrinsically immoral, so are radiators.
But: we don’t moralise turning heating on in winter, and heating accounts for 15% of emissions. If aircon is intrinsically immoral, so are radiators.
July 11, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Bizarre discussion on the radio likening air condition to passive smoking because it accounts for 3% of CO2 emissions.
But: we don’t moralise turning heating on in winter, and heating accounts for 15% of emissions. If aircon is intrinsically immoral, so are radiators.
But: we don’t moralise turning heating on in winter, and heating accounts for 15% of emissions. If aircon is intrinsically immoral, so are radiators.
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
"This is what we believe"
July 2, 2025 at 7:39 AM
"This is what we believe"
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
"It noted a surge in withdrawal charges, with almost double the amount of people making an unauthorised withdrawal (99,650) compared to the number of people who used their LISA to buy a home (56,900) in 2023-24"
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Lifetime ISAs leave some with less money than they put in, MPs warn
MPs call for reform to the savings account which aims to help people save towards retirement or a first home.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 30, 2025 at 11:25 AM
"It noted a surge in withdrawal charges, with almost double the amount of people making an unauthorised withdrawal (99,650) compared to the number of people who used their LISA to buy a home (56,900) in 2023-24"
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
Will be interesting to see if certain media outlets just ignore the report from the Spanish government confirming the key role of thermal power plants in the Iberian power outage or still try to erroneously spin it as a failure of renewables. www.businessgreen.com/news/4515109...
'Solar PV was not the cause of the blackout': Report on Spain's power outage reveals failure of thermal plants a key factor
Renewable energy advocates accuse commentators who blamed renewables for black out of 'jumping the gun and oversimplifying the cause'
www.businessgreen.com
June 18, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Will be interesting to see if certain media outlets just ignore the report from the Spanish government confirming the key role of thermal power plants in the Iberian power outage or still try to erroneously spin it as a failure of renewables. www.businessgreen.com/news/4515109...
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
I’m convinced this is how a bay leaf would talk
![Cartoon by Stephen Collins for the Guardian, here's the script:
[Scene is the inside of a SOUP. Some CARROTS and BITS OF BROCCOLI are floating around and a STOCK CUBE and a BAY LEAF have just been dropped in.]
1
STOCK CUBE:
Alright lads - this is Bay Leaf.
My colleague from the spice rack.
2
BROCCOLI:
Hi Bay Leaf
BAY LEAF:
Yuh yuh hi
3
CARROTS:
You up for getting proper blended with us later, Bay Leaf?
BAY LEAF:
Nuh mate, getting scooped out before soup stage.
4
CARROTS:
Oh! So… you’re not being eaten then?
BAY LEAF:
Eaten! Haha
5
BAY LEAF:
Not allowed mate.
I’m afraid I’m a lil’ bit *toooo intense*...
6
BAY LEAF:
Just here for the flavour hit.
Special forces, y’know.
That’s why there’s just one of me.
7
BAY LEAF:
Over-deploy and you’d have this whole soup stiiinking of bay leaf…
8
BAY LEAF:
You might wanna stand back actually.
This place is about to get preeetty bay leafy...
9
[Silent pause]
10
CARROTS:
Are you doing something
BAY LEAF:
Sure am mate.
11
BAY LEAF:
Suuuuure am.
12
BAY LEAF [Getting scooped out by chef’s spoon]:
You need training to perceive it.
CARROTS:
OK](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreibguu2d74i7v7yrkx2z5vsiluhrnkp2uayri2gmcm4gpl4d3dvlgq@jpeg)
June 17, 2025 at 4:02 PM
I’m convinced this is how a bay leaf would talk
Fab local reporting. Oxford should be getting congestion charging as soon as this autumn! 💪
It’s Oxfordshire County Council’s first Cabinet meeting since the May elections, and the decision on whether to proceed with a congestion charge is due to be taken today. We’ll be live-tweeting proceedings.
June 17, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Fab local reporting. Oxford should be getting congestion charging as soon as this autumn! 💪
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
The question remains .. if they're not guarding town centres what ARE the police actually doing these days?
Gen Z, a much maligned and panicked-about generation, are behind a remarkable collapse in weekend violence. Great reporting from @fransham.bsky.social
www.economist.com/britain/2025...
www.economist.com/britain/2025...
May 18, 2025 at 9:47 PM
The question remains .. if they're not guarding town centres what ARE the police actually doing these days?
This country is going mad.
Did you go to a shop at all in the New Labour years? Then claim some free money www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
May 20, 2025 at 10:38 PM
This country is going mad.
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
You wouldn't know it from today's newspaper front pages screaming "betrayal", but new YouGov polling finds that 66% of British people now want the Government to deliver a closer relationship with the EU, compared to just 14% who don't
May 20, 2025 at 10:31 AM
You wouldn't know it from today's newspaper front pages screaming "betrayal", but new YouGov polling finds that 66% of British people now want the Government to deliver a closer relationship with the EU, compared to just 14% who don't
How long before the Tory defections start? Braverman will surely be a Reform MP before too long.
💪🏻Won 60 seats off the Conservatives last July
🗳️Overtaken the Conservatives in local Government
📈Ahead of the Conservatives in today's YouGov poll
🔶We're on track to overtake Conservatives at next General Election.
🗳️Overtaken the Conservatives in local Government
📈Ahead of the Conservatives in today's YouGov poll
🔶We're on track to overtake Conservatives at next General Election.
May 20, 2025 at 10:33 AM
How long before the Tory defections start? Braverman will surely be a Reform MP before too long.
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
Bad housing is devastating for our mental health.
New ONS data finds people with moderate to severe symptoms of depression are about 3x more likely to be worrying about their housing/living conditions than those with no or mild symptoms
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...
New ONS data finds people with moderate to severe symptoms of depression are about 3x more likely to be worrying about their housing/living conditions than those with no or mild symptoms
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...
May 19, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Bad housing is devastating for our mental health.
New ONS data finds people with moderate to severe symptoms of depression are about 3x more likely to be worrying about their housing/living conditions than those with no or mild symptoms
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...
New ONS data finds people with moderate to severe symptoms of depression are about 3x more likely to be worrying about their housing/living conditions than those with no or mild symptoms
www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
Since 2014, the average time to determine an outline application for more than 10 homes has tripled from around 250 days to about 750.
Over the same period, the number of applications submitted has declined sharply.
Over the same period, the number of applications submitted has declined sharply.
May 19, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Since 2014, the average time to determine an outline application for more than 10 homes has tripled from around 250 days to about 750.
Over the same period, the number of applications submitted has declined sharply.
Over the same period, the number of applications submitted has declined sharply.
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
Can't disagree with a word of this
May 16, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Can't disagree with a word of this
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
More voters now view Labour unfavourably than ever did under Corbyn - two thirds - with barely a quarter favourable. A quarter of the electorate on your side isn’t enough to win even with fragmentation and a big electoral system assist bsky.app/profile/youg...
65% of Britons have an unfavourable view of Labour, the most since YouGov began asking the question in June 2017
Favourable: 26% (-3 from 13-14 Apr)
Unfavourable: 65% (+4)
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
Favourable: 26% (-3 from 13-14 Apr)
Unfavourable: 65% (+4)
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
May 16, 2025 at 8:28 AM
More voters now view Labour unfavourably than ever did under Corbyn - two thirds - with barely a quarter favourable. A quarter of the electorate on your side isn’t enough to win even with fragmentation and a big electoral system assist bsky.app/profile/youg...
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
In short, Starmer has taken a massive hit among Labour voters, for no gain elsewhere, while boosting Farage's popularity, including doubling his ceiling among Labour voters.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
Keir Starmer's net favourability rating has dropped 12pts in a month to -46, his lowest level ever, including a 34pt drop among Labour voters
All Britons: -46 net rating (down 12 from 13-14 Apr)
By 2024 vote
Labour: -5 (down 34)
Lib Dem: -13 (down 12)
Conservative: -76 (up 1)
Reform: -94 (down 5)
All Britons: -46 net rating (down 12 from 13-14 Apr)
By 2024 vote
Labour: -5 (down 34)
Lib Dem: -13 (down 12)
Conservative: -76 (up 1)
Reform: -94 (down 5)
May 16, 2025 at 7:58 AM
In short, Starmer has taken a massive hit among Labour voters, for no gain elsewhere, while boosting Farage's popularity, including doubling his ceiling among Labour voters.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
I.e., the political scientists were right, Morgan McSweeney was horrendously wrong.
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
New data out today from the English Housing Survey on Experiences of the 'housing crisis. Shows a particularly sharp rise in costs for low-income private renters, who are now spending 63% of their income on rent.
A few other highlights 🧵 www.gov.uk/government/s...
A few other highlights 🧵 www.gov.uk/government/s...
May 15, 2025 at 1:28 PM
New data out today from the English Housing Survey on Experiences of the 'housing crisis. Shows a particularly sharp rise in costs for low-income private renters, who are now spending 63% of their income on rent.
A few other highlights 🧵 www.gov.uk/government/s...
A few other highlights 🧵 www.gov.uk/government/s...
'We're economically stagnant and that's how we like it.'
Meanwhile, the Conservatives' recent minister for Net Zero, Joy Morrissey is in the House of Commons labelling solar farms "an attack on the English rural way of life"
May 16, 2025 at 9:54 AM
'We're economically stagnant and that's how we like it.'
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
Here is a cool map about land use in the UK, and the agricultural land abroad used to feed the UK. Note the huge amount of land we use for beef and lamb pastures. Altogether, the amount of land used to rear these animals + grow their food is slightly bigger than the area of the UK itself.
May 15, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Here is a cool map about land use in the UK, and the agricultural land abroad used to feed the UK. Note the huge amount of land we use for beef and lamb pastures. Altogether, the amount of land used to rear these animals + grow their food is slightly bigger than the area of the UK itself.
Reposted by Duncan Stott 🏗️🇺🇦
So much of London's green belt is near the public transport network, doing very little for nature, and could be providing much needed homes.
It's fantastic news that the Mayor is taking steps to get building on that land - bravo!
It's fantastic news that the Mayor is taking steps to get building on that land - bravo!
City Hall’s new position will be to actively explore the release of parts of London’s green belt for development.
We'll be working with councils and others to secure as many new homes as we can on brownfield sites, but this alone will not be enough to meet our needs.
We'll be working with councils and others to secure as many new homes as we can on brownfield sites, but this alone will not be enough to meet our needs.
Sadiq Khan to announce plans to build houses on London green belt
Mayor to make major policy shift and say scale of housing crisis requires breaking taboo
www.theguardian.com
May 9, 2025 at 7:14 PM
So much of London's green belt is near the public transport network, doing very little for nature, and could be providing much needed homes.
It's fantastic news that the Mayor is taking steps to get building on that land - bravo!
It's fantastic news that the Mayor is taking steps to get building on that land - bravo!