Failed politician. YIMBY. Linguistics student. Writer and presenter of The Stepping Out of Line Podcast.
Jan 5 • 5 tweets • 5 min read
I went to High Wycombe yesterday and I was expecting a classic “F*ckinghamshire" town - a picturesque market town which is nearly all white and filled with affluent London-commuters.
I was so wrong. The centre of the town felt like Tooting… but much more depressed. Tooting has at least a white-gentrifier class bringing you posh pubs, trendy tap rooms/wine bars, Eating with Todd style eateries etc etc but after walking through Wycombe for over an hour, I saw two pubs (one by the station, and one grim looking Craft Union place on the high street).
The town’s aesthetics were powerfully Yookay. The town was 90% general takeaway slop places (establishments that do burgers, kebabs, piri piri kitchen, all under one roof), dessert parlours, barber shops, hundreds of barber shops (Turkish/Albanian/African. I even saw a Caribbean one!)
If I had two images to sum up my day in High Wycombe it would be the West African family in their Sunday best standing outside a Hindu temple (in an old shop), and then it would be crowd at Adams Park which was 99% white.
A few photos showing High Wycombe
Jun 19, 2024 • 20 tweets • 4 min read
Over the years canvassing for Labour, I’ve been heckled, shouted at, I’ve had doors slammed in my face. I’ve had dogs chase me down paths and I’ve had people weep in front of me.
But tonight I had probably my worst ever exchange on a doorstep.
Let me explain…
Our leaflet in Rochester had a promise on it about getting more NHS dentists in the area and tackling anti-social behaviour… along with some other stuff. Like most voters, I barely glance as what’s on these leaflets.
I am just here to data harvest!
Sep 10, 2021 • 12 tweets • 3 min read
London's population has boomed since mid 90s. During 90s and 00s, London achieved something pretty remarkable, its traffic levels remain pretty static despite the increase in population. But around 2010 that all changed... SatNav arrived.
Suddenly whole swathes of London's roads were being opened up to everyone. No longer did one need 'The Knowledge' of cabbies. All you needed was a little box in your car. Small residential roads were opened up as efficient routes to get from A to B.
Sep 10, 2021 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
While this is unhinged I have had people shout "shame” at me at a planning committee before.
Our current planning system encourages engagement through objection and at the final stage. It creates these adversarial environments where residents feel like they have one final shot to plead against new homes.
1. Handballs rules that remove intent as a key factor in whether an infringement has taken place, are a mistake.
2. Players fall over to force the referee to make a decision on a foul. Too often referees let trips or tugs go if a players stays on their feet. This isn’t diving.
A few photos showing High Wycombe 
