Recently, Cllr Marilynn Ord (one of my ward colleagues) and I accompanied a Gateshead housing officer on a walkabout in Sunniside and Byermoor toidentify issues on the council owned estates. Marilynn and I also had lists of issues we wanted to raise. We will be reporting back to residents as and when these issues are resolved or progress on them is made.(photos taken in Byermoor Park)
On the way to The Mere at Ellesmere - I've got out of sequence already - I came across some interesting buildings in Talbot Street and Church Street. The church, the Grade I listed St Mary's, was locked, but here are some photographs I took on that walk.
The Guardian has done one of its 'How we made...' features on the Zombies' 1968 single Time of the Season. It wasn't a hit in the UK, but reached number 3 in the US over a year after it was released. By then the band had split so they weren't able to cash in on this success. Here the band's singer, Colin Blunstone, recalls the recording of the song: Rod always has an overview of his songs in his head - he can hear the drum track, what the bass should be playing and what the lead vocal should be ...
On Saturday we had another action day in Gateshead, this time in Whickham North and Swalwell ward. Here are some of my photos. Providing lunch is always a good way to booost the number of helpers.
Mon 26th
16:30
Mathew on Monday: Prime Minister, it's time to restore our freedom to move across Europe
There are few things that better demonstrate the damage Brexit has done to our country than the loss of our freedom to live, work, study and build a life across Europe. It was a freedom we took for granted. A freedom that opened doors, broadened horizons and brought people together. A freedom that represented something profoundly liberal: the right of individuals to make choices about their own lives. And it was taken away. Now, as Prime Minister Andy Burnham continues his discussions with European leaders about rebuilding Britain's relationship with the European Union, I have a simple message: restore freedom ...
Mon 26th
11:28
A new article for Central Bylines: We shouldn't laugh at Ladybird books but celebrate them
I've a new article on Central Bylines this morning: it's a defence of the much-misunderstood Ladybird Books: The classic Ladybird Book is no more. The imprint still exists, but it's based in London - the signs at Loughborough station welcoming people to "The Home of Ladybird Books" were taken down long ago.There's always an element of nostalgia when writing about old children's books, but what many of us feel when thinking of Ladybird is not sadness for a lost past so much as sadness for a lost future.You may also be interested in my recent article on Malcolm Saville for ...
"More than 260 peers hold multiple, individual shareholdings - stakes in listed companies - worth more than £100,000 apiece. In fact, some Lords held more than 200 individual holdings, each valued in excess of £100,000. Even assuming each asset was only worth £100,000, that would put the combined value of those shareholdings alone at more than £22 million."Huw Macartney finds the House of Lords has gone from aristocracy to assetocracy. Nathan Levy on the need for politicians to reject short-term thinking: "The people who aren't in the comments are those we need to hear from more often: the 24-year-old renting ...
The Guardian reports that Nigel Farage's newest billionaire donor was in business with a powerful Iranian religious foundation under the authority of the country's supreme leader, raising questions about his past dealings with the hardline republic. The paper says that Hossein Ghandehari, also called Sasan, was little known in the UK until he pledged to give millions to Reform UK this summer and donated £50,000 to Farage to cover the cost of two passes for the Davos World Economic Forum. They add that he has said he is moving his tax residency from Switzerland to the UK in order to ...