Dave Hill

Mr Toad meets a man in a quilted anorak.

I think a "bloc" argument could be made for quite a range of groups in society. Home-owners, cyclists, conservationists...

On London Extra: Various Muslims "Bloc vote" talk is cheap. Plus boroughs elections intel, end of the 'Boris bus' and more

It is once again in vogue to characterise Muslims as a monolithic enemy voting bloc within that supports foreign powers over British interests and Britishness. Well, for one thing, Muslims vary... Also, borough elections intel, 'Boris Bus' to go & more: davehillonlondon.substack.com/p/on-london-...

🚇 Did you know that in 1949, #London Transport ⦵ proposed building seven new Tube lines? According to the 1985 Channel 4 programme Losing Track, only one of those ambitious routes was ever approved (in 1962): the Victoria line, then referred to as "Route C".

Sir Sadiq invites embattled AI firm Anthropic to expand in London The letter from London's mayor came as the US moved to designate the company a supply chain risk.

Har har! The Mayor still likes a fight: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... #trump

The Mayor of London has issued a statement about the Iran war and the UK government's position.

How lessons from Iraq are shaping Starmer’s Iran response Operation Epic Fury is a US military operation. It will not be possible for the UK to exert any significant influence in planning.

Clear and exhaustive: theconversation.com/how-lessons-... #iran

On London Extra: The immigration swamp Is the home secretary wading into it to the detriment of London and the country? Plus the latest from On London, Libs Dems stirring in the south and more

My latest On London Extra, valiantly produced under disobliging circumstances on Friday afternoon. It looks at significance of home sec's immigration reforms for the capital (prob not good), Lib Dem manifesto for Southwark and more. A snip: davehillonlondon.substack.com/p/on-london-... #london

Please enjoy these dogs made, for no obvious reason, entirely out of welly boots (i’m in France, if that explains anything)

The whole looks like that (except for Kingston, Richmond and a few more). My clever friends reckon Brent one of Labour's more likely holds, but we shall see,

There have been lots of changes of allegiance since May 2022, including Con to Ref, though those have been a relatively minor feature.

Oh, the fun @lewisbaston.bsky.social and I have been having with Havering...

Lewis Baston: Two by-elections, one dent in Labour's dominance Newham has never been synonymous with electoral excitement. Labour has won 90 per cent of seats or more in every local election since 1978, and the appearance of two Greens on the council in 2022 was ...

Pollsters trying to gauge London borough elections outcomes won't get Newham (or Redbridge) right if they don't recognise challenge of local Independents. Here's @lewisbaston.bsky.social on Newham Inds taking a seat from Lab even *before* Gaza-Israel war began: www.onlondon.co.uk/newham-two-b....

Starmer’s position is entirely consistent with what he wrote about Iraq in 2003, a fact of enormous inconvenience to just about everybody currently criticising it. Happily for them, just like the entire bloody Chilcot Inquiry it is apparently very easy to ignore.

Looks that way to me too.

Definitely not their easiest defence.

Anyway, as I mentioned last week... #london

Here's the bit (from Tony Travers) there's no quarrelling with. National Labour has been complicit in the London-bashing it thinks will please Reform-fancying voters elsewhere in the country, from Reeves's spending review speech on. But there's no pleasing them. And a big price could now be paid.

I'm doing lots of work on the borough elections with London elections maestro @lewisbaston.bsky.social. Too early for us to unveil our "best guess" thoughts and LB's detailed analysis, but stay tuned.

Senior Labour figures warn government amid fears of ‘political earthquake’ in London Exclusive: Senior party figures share data suggesting Green surge could put Labour in fourth place in capital in May

Overall story here chillingly correct for Labour, though some individual borough projections are surprising. Hammersmith & Fulham, Hounslow, Brent and Greenwich among Labour's best survival bets. The piece doesn't mention Bexley, which is Reform's top target: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

I'm wondering that myself.

On London Extra: Farage's dark vision Reform has vengeance on its mind. Plus West Ham lose, intel from Barking & Dagenham, the latest from On London and more.

Is it Thursday already? Here's Tuesday On London Extra. It leads on Farage's dark vision for the capital. Also, elections intel from Barking & Dagenham, West Ham lose to the taxpayer and more: davehillonlondon.substack.com/p/on-london-...

Dave Hill: Robin Wales joining Reform UK is a surprise - but maybe not that much of one - OnLondon Some early responses to former Mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales joining Reform UK have, with the help of a raid on the liberal media archive, amounted to the jibe that he was always a right-winger, so ...

I had many conversations with Robin Wales when he was Newham Mayor. His joining Reform UK is a sad thing and a surprise - though maybe not that much of one: www.onlondon.co.uk/dave-hill-ro... #london #reform #robinwales #newham @stephenkb.bsky.social @mrjamesob.bsky.social @lewisbaston.bsky.social

Councils in London can be architects of economic change Hammersmith & Fulham leader Stephen Cowan on using the council's powers and resources to nurture new forces of economic growth

Very pleased to have this piece by @stephencowan.bsky.social, leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council, about how local authorities can nourish and initiate innovation, inclusive growth and change: www.onlondon.co.uk/stephen-cowa... #london

Those were the days!

Dave Hill: Labour's road to recovery runs through London The party's defeat in Gorton & Denton shows that big losses are even more likely in the capital unless it changes its tune

New comment piece for On London. Labour's road to recovery runs through London. It's time the party woke up to the fact: www.onlondon.co.uk/dave-hill-la... #london #labour

You are a very bad man.

On London Extra: Green wave coming? The party will be boosted by its Gorton & Denton triumph, but London is a complicated place. Plus Labour leafleting in Wandsworth, Cockfosters rising, vintage villains in Lewisham and much, much more

Today's On London Extra asks if, following Gorton & Denton, a Green wave is heading for London. Could be, but the capital is a complicated place. Plus many other marvellous things: davehillonlondon.substack.com/p/on-london-... #london #greenparty

The Guardian view on saving Westminster: parliament should leave London | Editorial Editorial: The long-overdue refurbishment could be an ideal opportunity for Britain to spread power to other parts of the UK, and send a powerful message

Not this tired old riff again. You don't decentralise Britain by relocating central government. You do it by devolving power. Dimwit Guardian still fixated with "north-south divide" and false belief that all of London is rich: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The whole of Bromley should be renamed Pratt's Bottom.