Karen Buck
@queensparkkaren
Chair, Generation Rent. Play England. Paddington, South Kilburn and OPDC. Former MP for Westminster North. Labour. Housing, Sondheim, Springsteen and other passions. Views entirely personal..
Only one strand amongst many but having grown up close to one of the Essex plotlands, the highly individualistic, authority-sceptical, almost frontier mindset of many of those who left London from the 20s on was genuinely fascinating. See also Canvey, Clacton/Jaywick….
Urban street transformed into a safe activity space for kids. A play street on #playday Turns out to be true that if you build it, they will come
Plenty to reflect on here and in the Estelle Morris report, in the context of renewed emphasis on regional inequality. But let’s not lose sight of the fact that London has the highest youth unemployment in the country.
And we were out right across Westminster again today. A marvellous group of people - councillors and supporters - working their socks off for their local communities.
Sam West stunning as Malvolio in Twelfth Night at the @barbicancentre.bsky.social tonight @jennyedwards.bsky.social What absolute riches London has to offer, and how beautiful it is looking
Despite the dark shadow of Bondi, a beautiful celebration of hope and light at the LJS Multi Faith Hanukkah service tonight, with many friends.
#London this evening (Bridge Theatre. ‘Into the Woods’. Beyond fabulous) I also wish people wouldn’t tell lies about our city.
Including new ‘affordable/social’ homes in higher cost areas…increasing need for council tax support for low income households. And while ‘value’ might be high, properties will often be much smaller. Hence a 2 bed on the Harrow Road is in the same band as a 6 bed, 3 reception house in Cumbria
We have, of course, been round this course before. I remember it *very well* from the ‘mansion tax’ frontline. I’m not at all opposed to raising contributions from the wealthiest but it has to be workable and the revenue come back into local services
Won’t bang on about this indefinitely but let’s have a quick look at inner London deprivation in this fab tool. Here’s Church St, Westminster (just outside) 5% most deprived in the country. Westbourne/Queen’s Park not far behind. Then there’s Silchester in K+C, White City, Somers Town, Vauxhall..
Latest on ‘London’s streets are crusted with diamonds’: London councils face a £4.7 billion gap in funding for homelessness costs
Surely the task is to tackle inequality, low productivity and deprivation wherever they occur: north or south? London is a city of extremes: great wealth alongside extreme deprivation (come and visit Church Street for eg) and exceptional challenges. Making London worse off is in no one’s interests.
Not unconnected with previous post- I’d love to show colleagues some of the grinding (often housing related) poverty in Harrow Road and on the Mozart estate, the high levels of mental ill health, the homelessness-and then be told inner London councils could afford to lose shed loads of grant.
‘Brigadoon’ at the magnificent Regents Park Open Air Theatre with @pollybillington.bsky.social Because everything in life is improved by musical theatre.
Absolutely blown away by the new North Paddington Elgin Avenue community hub. First time I’ve seen it since it was a shell. This is what investment in the community looks like, thanks to @citywestminster.bsky.social We mustn’t lose it again….
Saying farewell to Neil Johnson after more than 25 years of dedicated service to the North Paddington Trust and to the community generally. From the restoration of this magnificent church to setting up Queen’s Park community council, we couldn’t have done it without him.
Buzzing morning with the South Kilburn Trust current and potential trustees at a key stage in the area regeneration. A small team doing some excellent work with and in the South Kilburn community.
Celebrating the (approximately ;-)) 40th anniversary of the Legal Aid Practitioners Group tonight, and delighted to become a patron… I remain in awe of those dedicated legal aid lawyers who serve the public so well
Celebrating our volunteers at a community party today at @citywestminster.bsky.social Happy Hub with @adamhug.bsky.social, Lord Mayor Paul Dimoldenberg and many councillors and other friends. A real joy to give the first Barrie Taylor community prize to local young people.
This extraordinary image was reproduced in the school history books of my childhood and I remember how powerful I found it then. The context has changed but the message is just as powerful today
@jonnelledge.bsky.social @lewisbaston.bsky.social Truly, my cup of fascinating historical/political/geographic borders related literature written by nice people runneth over.
Sometimes, when there’s just too much reality, only an Armistead Maupin ‘Tales of the City’ will do. Bitter and sweet in exactly the right proportions.