Jennifer Williams
@jenwilliamsft.bsky.social
Northern correspondent, Financial Times
📍Manchester
📍Manchester
Longstanding ask from mayors. Possible revenue stream for a bus franchising model that costs money to implement properly
November 25, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Longstanding ask from mayors. Possible revenue stream for a bus franchising model that costs money to implement properly
I meant to do a thread on this but got sidetracked. So a couple of thoughts…
I often struggle to come up with tangible examples of English devolution but this is one. Greater Manchester is doing its own £1bn regeneration investment fund
on.ft.com/43InqRk
on.ft.com/43InqRk
Greater Manchester to launch £1bn public investment fund
[FREE TO READ] City region aims to capitalise on sustained economic growth with first fund of its kind
on.ft.com
November 22, 2025 at 9:01 AM
I meant to do a thread on this but got sidetracked. So a couple of thoughts…
Nice bit of snark from the Northern Agenda
November 21, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Nice bit of snark from the Northern Agenda
You can just see from walking around regional cities how un-dense they are. Even Manchester, which remains busy with a mega building spree, has a city centre that stops dead and turns into a series of sparsely developed gaps.
V good this. Would add: we also need to demolish more!
British cities are too flat — and it’s holding back housing supply.
Our new blog shows a big density gap with France and Japan, driven by missing mid-rise homes.
Read more 👉 buff.ly/mm3GBRX
Our new blog shows a big density gap with France and Japan, driven by missing mid-rise homes.
Read more 👉 buff.ly/mm3GBRX
November 20, 2025 at 7:01 PM
You can just see from walking around regional cities how un-dense they are. Even Manchester, which remains busy with a mega building spree, has a city centre that stops dead and turns into a series of sparsely developed gaps.
I often struggle to come up with tangible examples of English devolution but this is one. Greater Manchester is doing its own £1bn regeneration investment fund
on.ft.com/43InqRk
on.ft.com/43InqRk
Greater Manchester to launch £1bn public investment fund
[FREE TO READ] City region aims to capitalise on sustained economic growth with first fund of its kind
on.ft.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:20 PM
I often struggle to come up with tangible examples of English devolution but this is one. Greater Manchester is doing its own £1bn regeneration investment fund
on.ft.com/43InqRk
on.ft.com/43InqRk
A good eg of the financial reality facing Reform in local govt
Durham is looking at hiking parking charges and permits, litter picking/weed killing/summer planting reductions and the “rationalisation” of libraries, leisure centres and tips, as it tries to hold down council tax
on.ft.com/4oPaVvI
Durham is looking at hiking parking charges and permits, litter picking/weed killing/summer planting reductions and the “rationalisation” of libraries, leisure centres and tips, as it tries to hold down council tax
on.ft.com/4oPaVvI
Reform council cuts back on litter picking and gardening in bid to fill shortfall
[FREE TO READ] The measures underline the financial realities facing the party after its first six months in local government
on.ft.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:27 AM
A good eg of the financial reality facing Reform in local govt
Durham is looking at hiking parking charges and permits, litter picking/weed killing/summer planting reductions and the “rationalisation” of libraries, leisure centres and tips, as it tries to hold down council tax
on.ft.com/4oPaVvI
Durham is looking at hiking parking charges and permits, litter picking/weed killing/summer planting reductions and the “rationalisation” of libraries, leisure centres and tips, as it tries to hold down council tax
on.ft.com/4oPaVvI
They need to switch off the “welcome on board this Avanti train” bing bong on this train, which has not moved at all so far with no explanation, before I hunt down the bing bong myself
November 17, 2025 at 7:03 PM
They need to switch off the “welcome on board this Avanti train” bing bong on this train, which has not moved at all so far with no explanation, before I hunt down the bing bong myself
Reposted by Jennifer Williams
Excl: the Electoral Commission is examining whether the Labour Party failed to declare sponsorship donations from drinks receptions with business
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
Elections watchdog examining Labour drinks receptions with businesses
[FREE TO READ] The party classifies such events as ‘commercial partnerships’
on.ft.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Excl: the Electoral Commission is examining whether the Labour Party failed to declare sponsorship donations from drinks receptions with business
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
Excl: the Electoral Commission is examining whether the Labour Party failed to declare sponsorship donations from drinks receptions with business
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
Elections watchdog examining Labour drinks receptions with businesses
[FREE TO READ] The party classifies such events as ‘commercial partnerships’
on.ft.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Excl: the Electoral Commission is examining whether the Labour Party failed to declare sponsorship donations from drinks receptions with business
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
on.ft.com/47JtHyv
Reposted by Jennifer Williams
Good thread this. I think people are much smarter than they are given credit for, and they intuit that the government’s actual view is “what can we say to make these people shut up about immigration?”
Which then takes you back into the familiar territory of pleasing nobody - winding up the left for a policy that potentially doesn’t make that much difference in practice
November 16, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Good thread this. I think people are much smarter than they are given credit for, and they intuit that the government’s actual view is “what can we say to make these people shut up about immigration?”
Asylum seekers with the right to work account for less than 8pc of those in accommodation, unless I’ve misunderstood something (8,500 currently have work visas, according to the Home Office)
The government plans to remove technical statutory basis for asylum seeker support.
Govt says it want asylum seekers to work if they are allowed to. Their policy is asylum seekers can't work (but some can after 12 months).
Govt don't plan to let asylum seekers work once case is 6 months old
Govt says it want asylum seekers to work if they are allowed to. Their policy is asylum seekers can't work (but some can after 12 months).
Govt don't plan to let asylum seekers work once case is 6 months old
November 16, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Asylum seekers with the right to work account for less than 8pc of those in accommodation, unless I’ve misunderstood something (8,500 currently have work visas, according to the Home Office)
This stuff is honestly so far gone now, it would take a political generation to rebuild. And none of the incentives in British politics are taking us that way.
At some point, for the love of God, will someone ANYONE at long last take the council funding crisis seriously?!?
Because THIS is what will break down a society, not some poor soul escaping incredible dangers, arriving on our shores.
Because THIS is what will break down a society, not some poor soul escaping incredible dangers, arriving on our shores.
English councils plan to sell off social clubs and sports centres to balance books
November 15, 2025 at 8:57 PM
This stuff is honestly so far gone now, it would take a political generation to rebuild. And none of the incentives in British politics are taking us that way.
Have been struggling to get over a bout of Covid this week, not entirely helped by sitting in a railway arch for three hours watching robert de niro being ennui about Manchester’s latest skyscraper. So to celebrate feeling normal again, Nigella crab mac n cheese plus classic Hollywood
November 15, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Have been struggling to get over a bout of Covid this week, not entirely helped by sitting in a railway arch for three hours watching robert de niro being ennui about Manchester’s latest skyscraper. So to celebrate feeling normal again, Nigella crab mac n cheese plus classic Hollywood
Reposted by Jennifer Williams
fixed it for you Rachel
November 14, 2025 at 3:40 PM
fixed it for you Rachel
There’s several stories likely to come out of next years locals but for me, two key ones: all-outs in Labour mets that could switch to Reform control in one go, as happened in counties this year; and the fragmentation of its vote in cities, where Labour is fighting on both flanks
And there are a lot of Labour held places up for election with large numbers of such voters - London of course, and also other big cities with Labour councils - Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds. Could be big swings to Greens in many such places.
November 8, 2025 at 3:35 PM
There’s several stories likely to come out of next years locals but for me, two key ones: all-outs in Labour mets that could switch to Reform control in one go, as happened in counties this year; and the fragmentation of its vote in cities, where Labour is fighting on both flanks
Like the true self parody I am, I wrote a travel feature from Manchester and spent most of it going on about rail investment
on.ft.com/4otjcoL
on.ft.com/4otjcoL
Postcard from Manchester: a Landmark Trust retreat at the heart of railway history
[FREE TO READ] A house that was at the centre of the 19th-century rail revolution can now be yours for the weekend
on.ft.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Like the true self parody I am, I wrote a travel feature from Manchester and spent most of it going on about rail investment
on.ft.com/4otjcoL
on.ft.com/4otjcoL
A brief interjection from sofa-bound Covid malaise (boo, so boring) to bring you some thoughts on Reform, six months on
Fantastic Inside Politics by Jen Williams today:
Nigel Farage’s army of councillors balance piracy and professionalism
Party rides high as it battles dropouts among the recently elected and struggles for ‘massive savings’
www.ft.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:31 PM
A brief interjection from sofa-bound Covid malaise (boo, so boring) to bring you some thoughts on Reform, six months on
Reposted by Jennifer Williams
Cambridgeshire train stabbings: ‘heroic’ LNER staff member suffered ‘life threatening injuries’
Cambridgeshire train stabbings: ‘heroic’ LNER staff member suffered ‘life threatening injuries’
British Transport Police say rail staff member was recorded on CCTV intervening in attempt to stop attacker
A “heroic” rail staff member who intervened in a mass stabbing to save the lives of high-speed train passengers suffered life threatening injuries, police said on Sunday, as a suspect remains in custody.
The member of LNER staff was recorded on CCTV attempting to stop the attacker as the train travelled between Peterborough and Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, British Transport Police said.
Additional reporting: Harry Taylor and Vikram Dodd Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Cambridgeshire train stabbings: ‘heroic’ LNER staff member suffered ‘life threatening injuries’
Reposted by Jennifer Williams
Next time someone tells you that train drivers "just push buttons" show them this from the BBC
November 2, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Next time someone tells you that train drivers "just push buttons" show them this from the BBC
Should have posted this sooner but didn’t
Birmingham and HS2. Both hopeless, supposedly. And yet they’re both obviously not
on.ft.com/47wTRmD
Birmingham and HS2. Both hopeless, supposedly. And yet they’re both obviously not
on.ft.com/47wTRmD
Birmingham eyes ‘Zone 5’ status with long-awaited HS2
[FREE TO READ] Civic leaders and investors believe rail link is key to renaissance of UK’s second-largest city
on.ft.com
November 1, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Should have posted this sooner but didn’t
Birmingham and HS2. Both hopeless, supposedly. And yet they’re both obviously not
on.ft.com/47wTRmD
Birmingham and HS2. Both hopeless, supposedly. And yet they’re both obviously not
on.ft.com/47wTRmD
Reposted by Jennifer Williams
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
The value of public R&D
www.gov.uk
October 30, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
To add: waste is not cuts. Waste is stuff you didn’t need to be doing. Local govt has taken that out
Doge has not been in anywhere to do any auditing work, and has no agreements to do so, nearly six months after the May elections
on.ft.com/48MzODg
on.ft.com/48MzODg
Reform UK’s ‘Doge’ unit yet to carry out any council audits
[FREE TO READ] Party promised six months ago that a specialist team would tackle wasteful spending in local government
on.ft.com
October 24, 2025 at 11:09 PM
To add: waste is not cuts. Waste is stuff you didn’t need to be doing. Local govt has taken that out
Doge has not been in anywhere to do any auditing work, and has no agreements to do so, nearly six months after the May elections
on.ft.com/48MzODg
on.ft.com/48MzODg
Reform UK’s ‘Doge’ unit yet to carry out any council audits
[FREE TO READ] Party promised six months ago that a specialist team would tackle wasteful spending in local government
on.ft.com
October 24, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Doge has not been in anywhere to do any auditing work, and has no agreements to do so, nearly six months after the May elections
on.ft.com/48MzODg
on.ft.com/48MzODg
Oh god I love the Diplomat. Especially the female writing
October 24, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Oh god I love the Diplomat. Especially the female writing