As quoted in the Swindon Advertiser, Matthew Courtliff appeared to be suggesting that the extra borrowing for the council’s Housing … MoreRead more…
Voting Reform could ruin your health
Anybody thinking of voting for Reform should look very carefully at their health policy. Nigel Farage has long been an … MoreRead more…
Growth at any cost has consequences
For the government, ‘growth’ is a panacea, but just as with a human body growth can be healthy or diseased. … MoreRead more…
Time to really end austerity
Kevin Small’s warning that next year’s budget might only be balanced by the use of ‘exceptional financial support’ (ESF) is … MoreRead more…
Winter Fuel Payment
The decision of the government to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment is wrong. Its consequences will be felt by people … MoreRead more…
A travesty of democracy
Good to see some MPs protesting about having to read the oath of allegiance to the monarch and his heirs … MoreRead more…
Gaza Wasteland
The tens of thousands of people who have died in Gaza are not the result of ‘collateral damage’, in that … MoreRead more…
Homelessness crisis
The homelessness crisis, nationally and in Swindon, continues to worsen. More than 100,000 households are in temporary accommodation in England, … MoreRead more…
One war crime does not justify another
The deliberate killing of civilians and the seizure of civilian hostages are war crimes. Hamas’s atrocity should be condemned unequivocally. … MoreRead more…
An assault on democracy
The government’s draconian strike legislation has nothing to do with safety. It is designed to weaken the power of trades … MoreRead more…
Social catastrophe
In a previous letter I wrote about the impact of the huge energy price increases on domestic customers. Many will … MoreRead more…
To prevent a social disaster, freeze energy prices
On a recent day trip I happened to pass a couple of people talking. “How are we going to get … MoreRead more…
Rail strike – Loder ignorance
In Parliament the MP for West Dorset, Chris Loder, used the Johnson method, not bothering to check facts and concocting … MoreRead more…
Denying the housing crisis in Swindon
Back in October David Renard, in his capacity as Environment spokesperson for the Local Government Association wrote that “There is … MoreRead more…
Different from the rest of us
Johnson appears incapable of recognising a real world event if it contradicts his opinion Many years ago Prime Minister Ted … MoreRead more…
Tenants right to choose
Prior to the pandemic Swindon’s council tenants were able to phone in any housing repair. During the pandemic the housing … MoreRead more…
Swindon as dormitory town?
According to government statistics not a single ‘social rent’ home was added to Swindon’s housing stock over the last five … MoreRead more…
Prejudice against council housing
Russell Holland’s extraordinary outburst reported in the Advertiser ( £400k for no houses ‘money down the drain’) shows his prejudice … MoreRead more…
Swindon Advertiser journalists strike
Congratulations to the Adver journalists on having the courage to take industrial action. For the younger ones amongst them this will be the first time they have taken strike action. They would not have done so without having genuine grievances. Someti…Read more…
A ‘low wage, low welfare’ town
It’s all very well David Renard clutching the Cities Report for a photo opportunity, but if you want to make an objective assessment of the state of the town you have to look at all of it, rather than picking out a few tables which can be used to show the brilliance of our municipal […]Read more…