Forum Topics

Burnham’s £55M Homes Loan To Man City Owner

Is this brewing into yet another Labour Coverup?Angela Rayner was last night accused of refusing to investigate potentially 'favourable' loans given to the owners of Manchester City by Andy Burnham.According to the letter sent to Ms Rayner last month, by March this year the loans given to ADUG made up 97 per cent of a taxpayer-funded investment scheme for developers to invest in Manchester.The Mail on Sunday can reveal that a Manchester-based property developer has called on the Housing Secretary to investigate £55 million of housing project loans made to the Abu Dhabi United Group In the private letter, seen by this newspaper, the developers question why so much money was lent to ADUG with no requirement to build affordable homes needed in the area.They also claim that 'no due diligence' was carried out over the loans, made in 2017 by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), which was then led by Mr Burnham as Mayor.The Prime Minister is coming under increasing pressure to reveal the full extent of his connections with ADUG, which is owned by Sheikh Mansour, the deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and a member of its royal family. Only last week it was revealed that Mr Burnham had met Manchester City bosses at least six times as Mayor, despite previously claiming he had had just one 'significant' meeting with them.Man City were last month found guilty by an independent Premier League commission of breaching financial rules between 2009 and 2018, and creating 'sham contracts' to inflate sponsorship deals by £830 million. When the verdict was revealed, the PM was heavily criticised for saying he would be 'really concerned' to lose Sheikh Mansour's investment.But despite receiving the request to investigate last month, Ms Rayner – the Cabinet Minister who would have the authority to launch such an inquiry – has yet to make any public comment. Last night, Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake suggested that she was failing to act because of 'a clear conflict of interest'.He told The Mail on Sunday: 'She is being asked to look into deals made under the man who she campaigned for and who just gave her a Cabinet job, and she is sitting on her hands.Katie Lam, Tory local government spokesman, said: 'The chumocracy at the heart of Burnham's dealings in Manchester deserves proper scrutiny, not political protection. Rayner should put the public interest ahead of party loyalty.''Developers raised serious concerns with her department more than a month ago and have heard nothing. If the PM has nothing to hide, he should welcome a proper independent investigation.'https://mol.im/a/16217377

Sue Hammond ● 12d3 Comments ● 6d

BBC Bias ~ Left-Wing Propaganda In Schools

From the Mail on Sunday:“The BBC was accused of 'brainwashing' children after a Mail on Sunday investigation revealed its education website is pushing 'extreme' Left-wing views on migration, Net Zero and inequality to millions of pupils.BBC Bitesize – which is promoted by almost every UK state school – encourages children to play an online game called Increasing Immigration, in which they are rewarded for choosing 'open borders' and granting an amnesty to illegal migrants.The website also suggests that those who voice concerns that migrants will take jobs from local people are 'prejudiced' and makes a string of claims about the economic benefits of migration. Pupils are encouraged to campaign for controversial Net Zero policies and join human rights groups such as Amnesty International – while the website praises the divisive Black Lives Matter movement and Left-wing activists such as Greta Thunberg.Our revelations will fuel allegations of political bias at the broadcaster and follows a series of scandals that have damaged the BBC's reputation, including its doctoring of a Donald Trump speech.BBC director general Matt Brittin has pledged to tackle bias by rolling out technology that monitors how often certain words or phrases are used.Danny Cohen, a former controller of BBC television, last night called for an urgent investigation into our findings.” https://mol.im/a/16217373

Sue Hammond ● 12d52 Comments ● 6d

Nigel Farage

My son has just informed me Nigel Farages mothers maiden name is Barbara Stevens, it's not me.

Barbara Stevens ● 7d1 Comments ● 6d

Trump sells out Ukraine

It’s particularly shocking that the massive Russian attacks on Ukraine are proving so successful because their air defences have lost much of the benefit of the Starlink system. Russia sent dozens of ballistic missiles in a huge attack on the country’s energy infrastructure early on Wednesday, cutting power to 600,000 people in Kyiv. The entire energy system is at risk of collapse in the coming months as power plants and substations are attacked in a clear attempt to to deprive Ukrainians of heat and water – and temperatures of -20 deg C and lower are all too common in winters there.It’s becoming clear that the cut in access to Starlink was deliberate, that the Pentagon has set a speed limit on it so that Ukraine is unable to use it either to detect ballistic missiles and fast drones or to attack Russian oil refineries, thus allowing Russia to pump more diesel onto global markets - and that in turn is aimed at reducing the price of diesel in the US to help the Republicans prospects in the midterm elections. Trump seems happy to sell the Ukrainians out just to buy a few more votes. That’s an unprecedented level of corruption even for him.I wonder what the Trump followers here think of that?

Richard Carter ● 15d66 Comments ● 6d

Builders on their bike.

Must be nearly every builders company putting a video on facebook of them on a bike carrying scaffolding, cement mixer, bricks, scaffold boards, etc etc etc. Taking the micky out of the woman expecting builders to use a bike. So everything gets pinched outside. Or it's all carried into the customer's house. Made me really laugh all the different companies making a  video. Even a builder with a great long ladder going round a corner and falling off his bike

Barbara Stevens ● 23d30 Comments ● 6d

Hope all ok

Tree down Queen Rd Richmond, smashed vehicle window, still more to come.

Barbara Stevens ● 6d3 Comments ● 6d

Random pic 24 October 2026

Grasshopper Shop Sign, from 1791, Folk of Gloucester http://flic.kr/p/2sxWddVFamiliar to generations of Gloucester people, the grasshopper stood above J. G. Vicker & Co's arocery shop on Westgate Street for many vears. The firm began life in Northgate Street in 1791, later opening a second branch in Westaate Street. The grasshopper stood outside Vicker's from 1791 until it ceased trading in 1956, though it probably wasn't the same one for all those vears!This grasshopper is thought to have been made by John Levison at the end of the 19th century. He and his brother had a business carving shop signs and ships' figureheads in Gloucester.A grasshopper was a traditional shop sign for tea dealers and so appropriate for a fine grocer's too.
[Text from museum label]

Michael Ixer ● 6d0 Comments ● 6d

RNLI abuse

There are shocking reports of attacks on RNLI volunteers accused of helping migrants on small boats in the Channel. The RNLI is there to help anyone and everyone in distress. They are not there to decide who is worthy of being saved. And they are certainly not “traitors”!A petition has been started in support of RNLI staff and volunteers who are being harassed wholly unjustifiably. It’s here: https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/petition-launched-in-support-of-rnli-after-workers-subject-to-far-right-threats.htmlI have made a donation to the RNLI this morning and I would encourage everyone on this Forum to do the same, and/or sign the petition. The RNLI is a charity.

Jonathan Callaway ● 50d286 Comments ● 6d

Random pic 23 October 2026

Battersea Power Station drowning in developments, February 2020 http://flic.kr/p/2kzud72

Michael Ixer ● 7d0 Comments ● 7d

how do you post photos or posters on here?

Putney Society ● 9d7 Comments ● 8d

UK boycott of Israeli settlements

Today Ed Miliband is expected to announce a 'reset' in Britain's relations with Israel with a boycott of trade with settlements on the West Bank. The purpose is to promote the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the West Bank as part of a two state solution to the conflict.Can such a policy be effectively implemented? The answer is, with difficulty. While British firms might be banned from selling to the settlements, in practice it is impossible to distinguish between goods  coming from the West Bank from those produced in Israel.Will this policy deter Israel from further expansion into the West Bank? Absolutely not. The settlements will simply find other suppliers and other markets. Will it deter settler violence? Hardly. The religious fanatics who attack Palestinian villages will probably be emboldened, believing that the whole world is against the Jewish people.Will there be consequences for Britain as a result of this policy? Almost certainly. Israel will retaliate, possibly by banning imports of British goods or restricting the sale of pharmaceuticals to Britain or by refusing to cooperate with the security services on Islamist threats to Britain. There will also be consequences for Britain's trade with America as the Trump administration strongly opposes such action.Then why do it? And why do it now given that there will shortly be an election in Israel at which Netanyahu might be lose power? The answer is that Labour are essentially a performative party who have no grasp of practical policies but simply engage in virtue signalling, advertising their commitment to various ideals. And I would not exclude from their motives a wish to outflank the Greens, who are likely to attract the vote of those who support the Palestinian cause.Then

Steven Rose ● 52d121 Comments ● 8d

Random pic 22 October 2026

Alexanderplarz, Berlin http://flic.kr/p/2sGcFgd

Michael Ixer ● 8d0 Comments ● 8d

How much do you know about indoor air quality? Mon 26th, 7.30pm, Community Church

Putney Society open meeting - all welcome.Did you know there are NO Regulations covering residential air quality? Come along and find out all there is to know about something we should all be aware of. Candles? Personal care items? Cleaning products? There's quite a long list....Monday, 7.30pm, Community Church, Werter Rd, Opposite Sainsbury's.Refreshments available.Disabled accessIf you want to watch online, email registration@putneysociety.org.uk to get the link.See you there!

Putney Society ● 9d0 Comments ● 9d

Random pic 14 October 2026

St Giles House, Oxford http://flic.kr/p/2sy9swH

Michael Ixer ● 16d1 Comments ● 9d

Random pic 13 October 2026

Milan Central Station http://flic.kr/p/2smSzzX

Michael Ixer ● 17d1 Comments ● 9d

Random pic 12 October 2026

Glyndebourne Organ Room http://flic.kr/p/2syn5yB

Michael Ixer ● 18d1 Comments ● 9d

Random pic 10 October 2026

Brian Epstein statue, Liverpool http://flic.kr/p/2sBgJps

Michael Ixer ● 20d1 Comments ● 9d

Random pic 9 October 2026

Exhibition Road: leading to the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Imperial College, Royal Albert Hall, Goethe Institute, Polish Club, Royal College of Music, National Geographical Society, Hyde Park, the Serpentine ... http://flic.kr/p/2sy9pzK

Michael Ixer ● 21d1 Comments ● 9d

Who is going to bail out France

France’s debt dwarfs our own and Germany is funding France daily which seems now to be an ongoing long term loan.  However Germany is not that stable.  How will the EU rescue France?  Listening to many French political commentators they seem to mirror our own with a solution eg we will tax the rich but like our own the rich have disappeared.Healey needs a good business growth plan and defence funding in this coming budget.

Robert Wheeler ● 11d18 Comments ● 9d

The Offending Terrace & General Tat

It is not surprising that questions from local residents have arisen about the poor state of the terrace outside the now closed Dynamo Cafe. Nobody would miss it if it were removed so lets hope that Positively Putney soon has the go ahead to take it away There is in any case so much absolute 'tat' and dirt in pubic areas of Putney that requires attending to yet which is never dealt with: Councillor Brooks rusting containers full of dead foliage that provide an eyesore for anyone arriving at the bottom of the High Street, particularly visitors to the area. (Residents are of course now used to this mess.) The continuing presence of the leaking unkempt for months, filthy litter bins covered with cigarette burns, the rubbish on the streets and the always filthy pavements. Comments and/or contradictions of this assessment are welcome...

Miles Thompson ● 9d0 Comments ● 9d