Jun 18Can there be a liberal immigration policy?Dan Hodges posted this tweet earlier today and the replies showed a lot of people struggling to answer it. So I thought I’d give it a go.Immigration5 min read
Mar 21STUCK IN A RUTI quit my last job about 10 months ago. I think I jumped before I was pushed. My contract was coming to an end and I felt that my company wasn’t going to keep me on. …Job Hunting4 min read
Oct 21, 2021What I talk about when I talk about pavement parkingWhat I talk about when I talk about pavement parking I really hate pavement parking. I really do. It is a crime that costs local councils huge amounts of money as they need to repair broken paving slabs. It is a crime that reduces pavement space for those with disabilities and additional accessibility requirements. …Infrastructure6 min read
Oct 7, 202110 tips to get on as a new councillor.Here is what I learnt in the crazy world of local politics. Join a clique or a faction, and find your allies. I used the term allies purposefully - these are not your mates - they are either like-minded colleagues or colleagues it will be useful to have the support…Local Politics6 min read
Sep 24, 2021Statement on my suspension from Lewisham Labour GroupEarlier this week, Lewisham Council’s Labour Group voted in favour of our Chief Whip’s recommendation to suspend me from the Labour Group for 1 month. …2 min read
Sep 8, 2021Why your MP might be fighting to prevent new homes from being built.This morning, Matthew Pennycook, the Member of Parliament for Greenwich & Woolwich tweeted his incredulity at Greenwich Council’s decision to grant permission to build 1,500 new homes on Morden Wharf on the Greenwich peninsula. The site is on the edge of London’s zone 2 and a short walk from North…Housing Crisis5 min read
Aug 26, 2021This is our politics and I can’t be a part of it.Earlier this month I was in a bar in Riga, making a few friends and chatting to them about my home city. As expected, they asked for recommendations -places to visit if they ever happened to be in London. I recommended Hampstead and Soho. After all, I was not going…London4 min read
Jul 21, 2021Statement on Adopting the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims working definition of IslamophobiaDear all, I would like to outline why I intend to abstain during tonight’s vote on our motion calling for Lewisham Council to adopt APPG on British Muslim’s definition of Islamophobia. Anti-muslim prejudice is a scourge in our society. I agree with my colleagues that defining what is anti-Muslim prejudice…Islamophobia15 min read
Jul 21, 2021My statement on the Planning Reform motion being brought to Lewisham Council tonight.Tonight, I will abstain during the Planning Reform motion. Here is why. What three words do you associate most with the planning system in England? Uncertain? Delayed? Anti SME? This is how the National Federation of Builders responded in their consultation response to Government’s ‘Planning for the Future’ White Paper. …Planning2 min read
Jul 20, 2021Standing in no man’s land in the culture warOn the way to Wembley to watch England vs Germany, I watched two sets of fans take turns to start songs together on the carriage of my train. Spirits were high and the banter was good-natured. One man in his 40s, clearly several pints deep, set off with a pristine…Racism11 min read
