Tom Freire

@Electrofountain That did what?

@tomfreirewhite I know. You were the one that did.

Just got an uber, lovely chap from Bangladesh. Lives in a council flat in zone 1, but he's on a waiting list for a bigger place. I earn six figures and I grew up in the UK, I can't afford a zone 1 flat with 2 beds like his. Why can't people comprehend how wrong this is?

@Electrofountain Wealth inequality is not confined to TfL travel zones lmao

@tomfreirewhite I doubt it, many of these homes are private due to right to buy. And yes, I don't care about wealth inequality in zone 1.

@Electrofountain 1. you're not thinking straight if you believe the land would not be redeveloped, resulting in fewer, less affordable homes. 2. oh so you agree that wealth inequality would increase.

@tomfreirewhite 1. You'd be looking at approx 50k homes (according to gpt). 2, good.

@Electrofountain 1. very marginal supply increase, to be snapped up by absentee, specualtive landlords and billionaire asset-hoarders. 2. wealth inequality would increase in the city if you move even more poor people out.

@tomfreirewhite 1. Supply would increase. 2. It would reduce wealth inequality as it would depress prime London prices. 3, you have a point there, but people would also move out of zone x to 1 as well. Did I mention the excess billions?

@Electrofountain how would that solve your affordability problem? wealth inequality is rapidly increasing in this country. Furthermore, you have not factored in the knock-on effect on public services elsewhere and, depending on how far you are talking, the effect on the local Zone 1 economy.

@tomfreirewhite I disagree. You could sell off most of the zone 1 social housing generating more than enough profit to build social housing further out. You'd end up with billions in surplus.

@Electrofountain how about the chronic housing shortage, making any relocation too costly for cash-strapped local authorities?

@tomfreirewhite What are the market factors that means he should be there and I shouldn't be?

@Electrofountain As you said, London has excellent transport, so you'll be fine.The market has dictated that you cannot afford housing in zone 1. Are you sure you like this market so much?

@tomfreirewhite I need to be in zone 1. Its where I work. What are the market coefficients that means he can live there and I cannot? I have more purchasing power.

@Electrofountain there is limited social housing in zone 1 and the people living there need to be there. the market is in full effect.

@tomfreirewhite No. Quite the opposite. Limited zone 1 social housing for those who actually need to be there, and the rest can be sold off at a profit, paying for new social housing further out and the difference can go to central govt. Basically let the market in.

@Electrofountain So what are you advocating, some kind of rigidly hierarchical urban distribution that is centrally planned?

@tomfreirewhite No. Perhaps if you need to be on call etc, but London has excellent transport links.

@DoomerOnThames @Electrofountain who do you think might be better placed to hold a view on housing?

@tomfreirewhite @Electrofountain Architect? Even more clueless. It is paywalled for me.

@DoomerOnThames @Electrofountain not paywalled for your first article (I dodn't have to pay). The author is an architect not a journalist.

@tomfreirewhite @Electrofountain Pay-walled. And the ramblings of some left wing journo aren't fact.

@DoomerOnThames @Electrofountain seeing as you are so good at reading, try this: bdonline.co.uk/opinion/afford…

@tomfreirewhite @Electrofountain Why is it a no-brainer? Lower income people in council housing can commute in (like basically everyone else who isn't rich).

@DoomerOnThames @Electrofountain There is no one (except you) who is suggesting that council homes should be palatial. Affordable housing in Zone 1 (including council homes) is a no-brainer if you want a fully functioning city.

@tomfreirewhite @Electrofountain So you've basically agreed that there's a limit to how expensive council housing should be (by agreeing it shouldn't be a palace). All I'm saying is even a Zone 1 two bed is too much. Learn to engage your brain would be my advice for you.

@DoomerOnThames @Electrofountain apparently you're the one finding it difficult to read, as what I said was that housing was a right. Nothing to do with royal palaces, which you pay for anyway and seem to be OK with in contradiction with your basic idea that one should not have to pay for someone else's housing

@tomfreirewhite @Electrofountain Learn to read. I'm saying I would like a Buckingham Palace to be built for me. As you've told me, it's a right after all.

@DoomerOnThames @Electrofountain well if you are a taxpayer in the UK, you are actually paying for it

@tomfreirewhite @Electrofountain I would like 1 Buckingham Palace please.

@Electrofountain @DoomerOnThames There's no demand for Buckingham Palaces. there's demand for basic, dignified housing. Just as there is demand for water and food and education.

@tomfreirewhite @DoomerOnThames So there's not supply and demand? Well, you learn something new everyday. Buckingham Palace's all round!

@DoomerOnThames @Electrofountain housing is not a commodity, you silly billy. It is a basic human right, like access to food and water and education. "are you suggesting that only people earning over a certain amount should be allowed to eat?"

@tomfreirewhite @Electrofountain Swap out housing with any other good. "are you suggesting that only people earning over a certain amount should be allowed to drive a BMW?" Yes. It should not be provided by my taxes.

@DoomerOnThames @Electrofountain this is a moronic position.

@tomfreirewhite @Electrofountain Yes.

@Electrofountain like...working there?

@tomfreirewhite Yes. Unless they have a particular reason they need to be there.

@piersmorgan In Piers's simple mind, one cannot criticise the police whilst also standing against terrorism and violence.

You literally promoted criticism of the heroic police who stopped the terrorist, you disingenuous clown.