Mike Rees
@reesmikeyrees.bsky.social
Senior Associate Innovation Unit (U.K.) Retired public servant Dad, Grandfather 🏴📷🚲🎸🏇🏐🍷🦮 #MDANT🏅
Reposted by Mike Rees
Para el arzobispo de Tarragona, el nuevo disco de Rosalía es un “canto a la luz que los jóvenes necesitan encontrar y la religión les puede ayudar”. La Conferencia Episcopal Española premia a ‘Lux’ de Rosalía y ‘Los domingos’ de Ruiz de Azúa
La Conferencia Episcopal Española premia a ‘Lux’ de Rosalía y ‘Los domingos’ de Ruiz de Azúa
Los Premios ¡Bravo! 2025 también han reconocido al periodista Fernando Ónega con el galardón especial y al escritor Javier Cercas en la categoría prensa
social.elpais.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Para el arzobispo de Tarragona, el nuevo disco de Rosalía es un “canto a la luz que los jóvenes necesitan encontrar y la religión les puede ayudar”. La Conferencia Episcopal Española premia a ‘Lux’ de Rosalía y ‘Los domingos’ de Ruiz de Azúa
Reposted by Mike Rees
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.
October 7, 2025 at 8:37 PM
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.
Reposted by Mike Rees
1/ I was pleased to attend the launch in Lambeth Archives of this interesting exhibition on "Building ‘Homes for Tomorrow’: Lambeth’s Council Housing of 1965 to 1980". It will be described fully in a guest post by its curator Christiane Felber on Tuesday.
www.ianvisits.co.uk/calendar/bui...
www.ianvisits.co.uk/calendar/bui...
Building ‘Homes for Tomorrow’: Lambeth’s Council Housing, 1965 to 1980
The exhibition uses original architect’s models, archival documents and images and oral history to explain the planning context and to explore and celebrate Hollamby’s architectural legacy for Lambeth...
www.ianvisits.co.uk
September 7, 2025 at 8:52 AM
1/ I was pleased to attend the launch in Lambeth Archives of this interesting exhibition on "Building ‘Homes for Tomorrow’: Lambeth’s Council Housing of 1965 to 1980". It will be described fully in a guest post by its curator Christiane Felber on Tuesday.
www.ianvisits.co.uk/calendar/bui...
www.ianvisits.co.uk/calendar/bui...
Reposted by Mike Rees
Weoley Castle is a centre of the current flag-waving craze. My new Substack post explores the estate's longer history and radical past politics:
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/the-weoley...
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/the-weoley...
August 30, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Weoley Castle is a centre of the current flag-waving craze. My new Substack post explores the estate's longer history and radical past politics:
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/the-weoley...
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/the-weoley...
Reposted by Mike Rees
Between the wars, Conservative-controlled Birmingham built over 51,000 new council homes – more than any other local authority in the country outside London. My new post on Substack tells the story:
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/birmingham...
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/birmingham...
Birmingham’s Interwar Council House Building: an ‘achievement without parallel’
Between the wars, Conservative-controlled Birmingham built over 51,000 new council homes – more than any other local authority in the country outside London.
municipaldreams.substack.com
August 21, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Between the wars, Conservative-controlled Birmingham built over 51,000 new council homes – more than any other local authority in the country outside London. My new post on Substack tells the story:
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/birmingham...
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/birmingham...
Reposted by Mike Rees
My new blogpost is on social housing in interwar Germany and the shift from the Garden City to 'New Building' - 'Social Housing in Cologne, 1913-1933: Light, Air and Trees … and Modernism'
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/s...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/s...
August 9, 2025 at 7:31 AM
My new blogpost is on social housing in interwar Germany and the shift from the Garden City to 'New Building' - 'Social Housing in Cologne, 1913-1933: Light, Air and Trees … and Modernism'
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/s...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/s...
Reposted by Mike Rees
New on Substack, my post on the origins and design of Balfron Tower in Poplar designed by Ernő Goldfinger for the London County Council, completed in 1968. Now sadly privatised; more on that in next week's follow-up.
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/balfron-to...
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/balfron-to...
August 9, 2025 at 7:41 AM
New on Substack, my post on the origins and design of Balfron Tower in Poplar designed by Ernő Goldfinger for the London County Council, completed in 1968. Now sadly privatised; more on that in next week's follow-up.
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/balfron-to...
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/balfron-to...
Reposted by Mike Rees
1/ My concluding post on the history of council housing in Rochdale looks at the Lower Falinge Estate, stigmatised as 'England’s benefits capital', and the sadly notorious Freehold Estate. What went wrong and where are we now?
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/22/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/22/a...
A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part III, from 1967 to the Present
We left Rochdale in last week’s post contemplating the failure of its Ashfield Valley Estate, completed in 1968 and all but demolished by 1992. For the moment, let’s return to the heady days and hi…
municipaldreams.wordpress.com
July 26, 2025 at 7:29 AM
1/ My concluding post on the history of council housing in Rochdale looks at the Lower Falinge Estate, stigmatised as 'England’s benefits capital', and the sadly notorious Freehold Estate. What went wrong and where are we now?
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/22/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/22/a...
Reposted by Mike Rees
🚨 New blog post: 'A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part II, from 1945 to 1966' looks at the town's new 'neighbourhood unit' created in the 1950s and two innovative but troubled projects of the 1960s:
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/a...
A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part II, from 1945 to 1966
Although Rochdale had built on a large scale in the interwar period, as we saw in last week’s post, and although it had suffered little direct damage during the war itself, peacetime brought renewe…
municipaldreams.wordpress.com
July 15, 2025 at 7:01 AM
🚨 New blog post: 'A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part II, from 1945 to 1966' looks at the town's new 'neighbourhood unit' created in the 1950s and two innovative but troubled projects of the 1960s:
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/15/a...
Reposted by Mike Rees
'A wanton and inexcusable waste of life'. My new blog post examines the impact of slum housing in Rochdale and the council housebuilding programme that brought about reform:
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/a...
A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part I, from the Industrial Revolution to the Second World War
Rochdale Town Hall, completed in 1871 and recently restored to its founding glory, is a municipal dream in itself – a superb testimony to the vision and pride of our Victorian civic forebears. This…
municipaldreams.wordpress.com
July 9, 2025 at 7:33 AM
'A wanton and inexcusable waste of life'. My new blog post examines the impact of slum housing in Rochdale and the council housebuilding programme that brought about reform:
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/a...
Reposted by Mike Rees
🚨 New blog post: A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part I, from the Industrial Revolution to the Second World War ...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/a...
A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part I, from the Industrial Revolution to the Second World War
Rochdale Town Hall, completed in 1871 and recently restored to its founding glory, is a municipal dream in itself – a superb testimony to the vision and pride of our Victorian civic forebears. This…
municipaldreams.wordpress.com
July 8, 2025 at 7:02 AM
🚨 New blog post: A History of Council Housing in Rochdale: Part I, from the Industrial Revolution to the Second World War ...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/a...
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/a...
Reposted by Mike Rees
Public services are highly re-distributive to lower-income households.
Households in the lowest income quintile receive an average of £15,900 per year in in-kind benefits.
Read more ➡️ buff.ly/58qMKUI
Households in the lowest income quintile receive an average of £15,900 per year in in-kind benefits.
Read more ➡️ buff.ly/58qMKUI
April 17, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Public services are highly re-distributive to lower-income households.
Households in the lowest income quintile receive an average of £15,900 per year in in-kind benefits.
Read more ➡️ buff.ly/58qMKUI
Households in the lowest income quintile receive an average of £15,900 per year in in-kind benefits.
Read more ➡️ buff.ly/58qMKUI
Reposted by Mike Rees
Here's the article. It's from May 2022.
Inside the New Right, Where Peter Thiel Is Placing His Biggest Bets
They’re not MAGA. They’re not QAnon. Curtis Yarvin and the rising right are crafting a different strain of conservative politics.
www.vanityfair.com
March 13, 2025 at 12:22 AM
Here's the article. It's from May 2022.
Reposted by Mike Rees
Chaos reigns:
“At present, every hacker in the world knows there are a small number of people new to federal service who hold the keys to access all US government payments, contracts, civil servant personal info, and more”
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
“At present, every hacker in the world knows there are a small number of people new to federal service who hold the keys to access all US government payments, contracts, civil servant personal info, and more”
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
This Is What Happens When the DOGE Guys Take Over
Inside the federal agencies where Elon Musk’s people have seized control, fear and uncertainty reign.
www.theatlantic.com
February 23, 2025 at 7:18 AM
Chaos reigns:
“At present, every hacker in the world knows there are a small number of people new to federal service who hold the keys to access all US government payments, contracts, civil servant personal info, and more”
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
“At present, every hacker in the world knows there are a small number of people new to federal service who hold the keys to access all US government payments, contracts, civil servant personal info, and more”
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
Reposted by Mike Rees
One of the many benefits of moving to this platform is being shown far more content from @davidallengreen.bsky.social, whose peerless insight reminds me why I first joined social media.
New
The coming battle between social media and the state
Behind the alignment of X and Meta with Trump is a cold business logic — and a position of weakness rather than strength
By me, in todays @financialtimes.com
www.ft.com/content/917c...
The coming battle between social media and the state
Behind the alignment of X and Meta with Trump is a cold business logic — and a position of weakness rather than strength
By me, in todays @financialtimes.com
www.ft.com/content/917c...
January 12, 2025 at 9:39 AM
One of the many benefits of moving to this platform is being shown far more content from @davidallengreen.bsky.social, whose peerless insight reminds me why I first joined social media.
Reposted by Mike Rees
Dystopia has arrived: populist politics plus surveillance technology plus climate emergency.
“And now you have some of the richest and most powerful people in the world who became so through the collection of data. They’re now in power with someone who said, ‘I’m going to be a dictator’.” (Kapadia)
“And now you have some of the richest and most powerful people in the world who became so through the collection of data. They’re now in power with someone who said, ‘I’m going to be a dictator’.” (Kapadia)
This is what the Observer team & I were doing between strikes. Please read it because it couldn’t be more relevant. I interview @asifkapadia.bsky.social
about his alarming new film, 2073. It’s a stark warning of where Trump, Musk & Farage are taking us..
www.theguardian.com/film/2024/de...
about his alarming new film, 2073. It’s a stark warning of where Trump, Musk & Farage are taking us..
www.theguardian.com/film/2024/de...
‘Trump has been explicit about revenge’: Asif Kapadia on his new film about the threat to democracy
The man behind Amy and Senna has turned his attention to ‘techno-authoritarianism’ in the genre-defying 2073. He talks to our journalist – one of the movie’s unlikely stars – about the events that fed...
www.theguardian.com
December 15, 2024 at 3:46 PM
Dystopia has arrived: populist politics plus surveillance technology plus climate emergency.
“And now you have some of the richest and most powerful people in the world who became so through the collection of data. They’re now in power with someone who said, ‘I’m going to be a dictator’.” (Kapadia)
“And now you have some of the richest and most powerful people in the world who became so through the collection of data. They’re now in power with someone who said, ‘I’m going to be a dictator’.” (Kapadia)
Reposted by Mike Rees
Excl: Government will move to scrap district councils in its devolution white paper on Monday, sparking the biggest local government reorganisation in 50 years
on.ft.com/3VBH0ui
on.ft.com/3VBH0ui
District councils face scrapping in major overhaul of English local government
[FREE TO READ] Devolution white paper aims to create larger authorities and more elected mayors
on.ft.com
December 13, 2024 at 7:50 PM
Excl: Government will move to scrap district councils in its devolution white paper on Monday, sparking the biggest local government reorganisation in 50 years
on.ft.com/3VBH0ui
on.ft.com/3VBH0ui
Reposted by Mike Rees
These statistics are crucial to a proper understanding of the current housing debate and the case for social housing - the state is spending *more than ever* on housing but it's spending it on benefits not bricks and mortar.
Craziest housing stat of the week: The state spends MORE today on housing than it did in 1976.
The key difference: we used to build council houses, now we spend it on subsidising private landlords.
Our housing system is completely broken.
The key difference: we used to build council houses, now we spend it on subsidising private landlords.
Our housing system is completely broken.
December 12, 2024 at 10:23 AM
These statistics are crucial to a proper understanding of the current housing debate and the case for social housing - the state is spending *more than ever* on housing but it's spending it on benefits not bricks and mortar.
Reposted by Mike Rees
A remarkable stat: Heidi Alexander’s appointment as Transport Secretary means the cabinet is now 100% state-educated for the first time in history.
November 29, 2024 at 1:52 PM
A remarkable stat: Heidi Alexander’s appointment as Transport Secretary means the cabinet is now 100% state-educated for the first time in history.
Reposted by Mike Rees
VÍDEO | El emotivo homenaje de Mestalla a las víctimas de la dana en Valencia tinyurl.com/ymcyem35
November 23, 2024 at 5:10 PM
VÍDEO | El emotivo homenaje de Mestalla a las víctimas de la dana en Valencia tinyurl.com/ymcyem35
I think welsh rugby could learn a lot from the long term approach adopted by welsh football ( reaches for hard hat ). The difference in mood and performance is so clear and stark
November 23, 2024 at 6:00 PM
I think welsh rugby could learn a lot from the long term approach adopted by welsh football ( reaches for hard hat ). The difference in mood and performance is so clear and stark
Today’s @Times sports pages. 2 pages for rugby, 3 on England football team ( not playing today) 1 page on WSL, 2 on Italian football , 2 on boxing , page each on tennis and golf , 2 pages on horses. Only mention of tonight’s Turkey v Wales game fixtures small print @willhaycardiff.bsky.social
November 16, 2024 at 12:16 PM
Today’s @Times sports pages. 2 pages for rugby, 3 on England football team ( not playing today) 1 page on WSL, 2 on Italian football , 2 on boxing , page each on tennis and golf , 2 pages on horses. Only mention of tonight’s Turkey v Wales game fixtures small print @willhaycardiff.bsky.social
Important
Perceptive piece by @eddorrell.bsky.social:
The Unnoticed Battle for the Future of Labour's Public Sector Reform Agenda - Progressive Britain
The Government are delivering much needed public service reform, Ed Dorrell analyses how different key Cabinet members are approaching this task.
www.progressivebritain.org
November 15, 2024 at 6:50 PM
Important