Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 4m

Agree most immigration cases became less complex for MPs over recent years (though Ukraine, Afghanistan peaks were exceptionally challenging times) but less so housing. Also the big challenge was to follow up and make sure action was actually taken

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 18m

…In late 2023 my then office received well over 10,000 emails on Gaza and the Middle East over a few weeks: some via campaigns but many very personal and from very different perspectives. It’s extremely positive that people engage with their MPs but the volume isn’t easy to manage

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 23m

Not sure I agree with this- lots of casework arrives with MPs precisely because nuance /specific circumstances meant it had not been dealt with adequately within the system. Massively true of health issues and of homelessness. Also, policy inquiries often come from differing perspectives…

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Helen Barnard @helenbarnard.bsky.social · 2h

Pleased @trusselluk.bsky.social is joining our friends across so many housing and poverty orgs to call on UK government to unfreeze local housing allowance. When it was last frozen we saw how it drove up homelessness, hunger and hardship. UK gov must not repeat such a negative spiral.

Chartered Institute of Housing @cihhousing.bsky.social · 4h

We’re proud to have joined with over 40 organisations including campaigners for tenants, homelessness and debt advice charities, landlord organisations and others in calling on the UK government to unfreeze local housing allowance at the upcoming budget.

🧵(1/2)

#UnfreezeLHA

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 21h

15 years of running down local government finances brought us to this. But I don’t believe @johnharris1969.bsky.social is right that no-one cares. And I’m delighted that Labour controlled Westminster Council @adamhug.bsky.social made funding youth services an immediate priority.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 21h

Britain's youth clubs have been quietly decimated. What's most revealing is that few seem to care | John Harris

These vital spaces have been the first targets of cuts in a nation that favours age over youth – despite being the remedy for blights such as social division, polarisation and loneliness, says Guardian columnist John Harris

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Councillor Adam Hug @adamhug.bsky.social · 3d

Great to work with BBC Verify to evidence how the 90 day rule for short-term lets in London is being routinely broken. Mandatory registration with 90 night tracking underpinned by the use of Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) to stop bogus listings can't come soon enough.

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 3d

Great to hear @danwilsoncraw.bsky.social @generationrent.bsky.social on the Today programme making sure the voices of tenants and those shut out of the housing market are heard in the debate about property taxation

Dan Wilson Craw @danwilsoncraw.bsky.social · 3d

Pleasure to talk about the pros and cons of abolishing stamp duty on #r4today just now - glad @danneidle.bsky.social was also on to talk about the solutions with a lot more gravitas than I would have managed

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 4d

And great fun it was, too

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Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · 5d

This is a really important point from @robfordmancs.bsky.social. Local government should be a source of and focus for local pride. It should be doing bold, visible stuff that enhances and reflects community. Instead, currently, it is almost literally reduced to ambulance work.

It is deeply unhealthy to have local governments who don't provide many visible/valuable services for most residents (because they lack the resources). Encourages distrust and populism - 'what am I paying my council tax for? The council does nothing for me.'

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Declan Gaffney @greyskiesthinking.bsky.social · 6d

🧵This is not just an issue for specialists. Official data which is not fit for purpose is feeding a crisis narrative on benefit claims that is for the most part accepted uncritically by political elites and the media.

Louise Murphy @louisemurphy.bsky.social · 6d

It's increasingly perplexing that DWP aren't prioritising improving their stats to better reflect the move from legacy benefits to UC.

Until then, we'll keep getting misleading headlines like 'Long-term sickness claims rising by 5,000 a day' - you can't blame journalists when the stats are so bad!

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 6d

I did. I do.

Chaminda Jayanetti @cjayanetti.bsky.social · 6d

"I find it incomprehensible that anyone could look at the cost pressures and complex needs facing London boroughs and decide that their children’s services are overprovided or overgenerous," said former Labour shadow minister @queensparkkaren.bsky.social

www.politicshome.com/news/article...

London Councils Face Losing Half Their Share Of Children's Services Funding

Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of funding for children’s services halved under Labour’s plans to reform local government gran...

www.politicshome.com

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Laura Ashe @lauraashe.bsky.social · 6d

Epic; no notes

Headline from the Times: "Bestselling novelist Jilly Cooper dies in fall aged 88", illustrated with a rather famous black and white picture of Virginia Woolf

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Sooz Kempner @soozuk.bsky.social · 7d

RIP JILLY COOPER! A queen who wrote THE most readable books in existence. People saw my thread of epic Jilly quotes and decided I was saying the books are shite. You COULDN'T be more wrong. Go and watch Rivals today.

Sooz Kempner @soozuk.bsky.social · Oct 18

🧵Some real Jilly Cooper quotes from her Rutshire Chronicles, the series of books that Rivals is from.

1) "Her breasts swayed like party balloons when the front door opens"

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Generation Rent @generationrent.bsky.social · 9d

As part of Renters’ Rights Awareness Week, we’re giving away copies of acclaimed books with a housing connection! 📚🏡

Support our work and try your luck by entering our prize draw! 👇

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/rentersrig...

Help us fight for a better deal for renters

When you're a renter, knowledge is power. We're giving away the latest books about housing to promote and fund our renters rights webinars

www.crowdfunder.co.uk

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Reposted by Karen Buck

James Ball @jamesrball.com · 7d

*gasp*

“Everyone thought we’d come in and there were going to be these huge costs we could cut away but there just aren’t,” said a third senior Reform cabinet member in Kent.

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 7d

Listening to Mel Stride on Today, I can’t help thinking what a shame the Conservatives weren’t in government between 2010 and 2024 in order to test their ideas in practice- perhaps through waves of welfare reform, the introduction of PIP and Universal Credit and a multi year benefit freeze

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 7d

Tories tout £47bn in spending cuts in bid to reclaim fiscal reputation on.ft.com/4nFRFjM

Tories tout £47bn in spending cuts in bid to reclaim fiscal reputation

Shadow chancellor says he will target welfare spending, overseas aid budget and civil service staffing to find savings

on.ft.com

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 8d

On to this one now…

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 8d

Vertigo by Harald Jahmer. So good. In a bad way.

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 9d

Oh book definitely harder-edged.

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 9d

Such a good film. I hadn’t read Erasure at the time so was new to the story. Loved it and the performances

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Fiona Dolman @fionadolman.bsky.social · 10d

“When I approach the pearly gates, I'd like to hear a champagne cork popping, an orchestra tuning up, and the sound of my mother laughing”
Patricia Routledge
17th Feb 1929 - 3rd October 2025

May your wishes come true, you wonderful woman and thank you x

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Gabriel Milland @gabrielmilland.bsky.social · 10d

The Home Sec is entirely right. The *vast* majority of the British public will agree with her that this weekend is not a weekend for a march like this. And it will have an impact on what they think of the marchers and their cause.

Kevin Schofield @kevinschofied.bsky.social · 10d

NEW: Home secretary Shabana Mahmood urges pro-Palestine protesters to consider not taking part in marches this weekend.

"Imagine if you lost a loved one to a terror attack in this country ... sometimes a little unity, a little solidarity, some love to other people is required"

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 10d

No question that children’s services in other parts of the country need more support. Equally, London’s children don’t need less.

Alan White @aljwhite.bsky.social · 10d

Scoop from @cjayanetti.bsky.social - Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of funding for children’s services halved in under local govt grant reform plans www.politicshome.com/news/article...

London Councils Face Losing Half Their Share Of Children's Services Funding

Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of funding for children’s services halved under Labour’s plans to reform local government gran...

www.politicshome.com

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Reposted by Karen Buck

Councillor Adam Hug @adamhug.bsky.social · 10d

It’s been a pretty depressing day with antisemitic terrorism in Manchester and Islamophobia, misogyny and abuse of power here in the West End. Let’s see if we can do better as a country tomorrow, because we have a lot to do to help make things better.

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Karen Buck @queensparkkaren.bsky.social · 10d

Thank you, Dave!

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