No third runway for Heathrow - Appeal Court ruling

We've won our case against the government! The Court of Appeal has judged their plans for Heathrow expansion illegal on climate grounds 🙌. This ruling is an historic and ground-breaking result for climate justice and for future generations. #NoThirdRunway pic.twitter.com/9oAdz0aZuy

— Friends of the Earth 🌍 (@friends_earth) February 27, 2020

Follow the link for more commentary by Friends of the Earth. This is good news for everyone living in West London and, probably, the world.

South Vale has reopened - hallelujah!

New mighty self-draining concrete kerbstones (left) and boundary kerb (right)

Opposite view, showing extent of new drainage system & grass verge relaid

Junction with Wood End Road, Orley Farm Road (private) & bridleway path

Excellent work by Harrow Council on this street, which was regularly subject to flooding near the entrance to John Lyons School playing fields. Note: there is also a planning application in progress to put speed humps on this and neighbouring roads and turn this enclave into a 20 mph zone, which should be welcome.

Cool, sunny interlude between storms Ciara and Dennis

Our favourite view. Chiltern Line from the bridge on Wood End Road.

Corner of South Vale and Wood End Road

South Vale is closed for drainage works. Should reopen soon, a little later than planned. The notice said the work would finish on February 11. South Vale has been subject to flooding and this very extensive and impressive work on the road should help. It's good work but the closure is disrupting traffic locally, especially in rush hours.

Storm Ciara: Mess caused by neglected "Global" billboard

"Global" billboard Sudbury Hill

Detritus from the Global billboard blown around Greenford Road

Many old trees being cut down

Newly cut tree stumps, Harrow Road (Sudbury)

Similar scenes noted all around Harrow and Brent. Has there been any justification given? The near one in this picture looks like it was healthy, fairly straight and not causing upheaval. The further one appeared to be hollow. Could it be that those responsible are taking every opportunity to reduce their workload by reducing the number of large, old trees?

Related story: Tree felling in South Vale (Harrow)

Fly-tipping, Wood End (Harrow & Ealing)

Wood End Way (Ealing)

Wood End Road (Harrow)

It can be no coincidence that two lots of what looks like topsoil and grass have appeared at the time along a stretch of residential roads that cross the border from Ealing into Harrow. The perpetrators have chosen two spots that are not "overlooked." This is abominable and they should be found and severely punished. The mounds may not be very visible by night and could cause a serious accident.

Update 4 Feb. 2020: Another load dumped further along the same stretch:

Fly-tipping in South Vale (Harrow) beside "Road Closed" sign

There's only one thing to say about Brexit day...

Signs of the times?

Junction of Greenford Road and Cavendish Avenue, Harrow

This looks the way England feels, rundown, neglected, demoralised under Bodger Johnson, heading out of Europe to drift alone on an unpowered skiff in the middle of the Atlantic. "Global..."

I Like the Way

I like the way birds rise before us

to have quality time they can share,

the way trees go to ground in winter

and turn their roots up in the air.

I like the way redundant leaves

gather on corners to shoot the breeze

and when the moon drifts over the eaves,

a crazy robin talks in its sleep.

I like the way when I say goodnight

then you say goodnight the same

and forgetting all cares of the evening,

how we sleep till the birds sing again.

--
Stephen Moran

* Rewritten 12 August 2023

Chiltern Line view today

Looking east towards Sudbury Hill Harrow station

Mustique by Cold War Steve

Mustique. Part III. pic.twitter.com/ZHui8W7RiA

— Cold War Steve (@Coldwar_Steve) January 2, 2020

They're all in this together.

Alexei Sayles' message: Stay in the fight!

Alexei Sayle’s Christmas message to the disheartened. #CorbynWasRight pic.twitter.com/C5Vly0DZDk

— Box Cat Media (@Boxcat71594618) December 26, 2019

"The only people who like Boris Johnson are those who don't know him" (Max Hastings, Johnson's former boss). "The only people who dislike Jeremy Corbyn are also those who don't know him" (Alexei Sayle).

The Wexford Carol - Alison Krauss with Yo-Yo Ma et al

O Holy Night - Katie Melua

Merry Christmas to all - if you can

Let's never go barmy

Attack of the Tiddly-poms


Mismatching socks may be considered charming,
Mismatching shoes are a bit more alarming,
Even if it's only yourself you are harming
And your nonchalance is completely disarming.

Please take care and let's never go barmy,
For if you do, I'll have to join the army,
The Foreign Legion, unless they debar me
But I'll never forget who you are and who are me.

What if we don't know each other from Adam
And disperse in perplexity neither can fathom?
If that should befall, I still want to say madam,
There are fine days ahead, let's have at 'em.

--
Stephen Moran

Syd's Coffee Stall closes after 100 years in Shoreditch

Last Brew After A Century Of Syd's Coffee Stallhttps://t.co/NSXfo96ol0 pic.twitter.com/8H9YmOucJ6

— Spitalfields Life (@thegentleauthor) December 22, 2019

And here is the richly illustrated report in Spitalfields Life. Stayed open round the clock during the London Blitz "serving refreshments to the firemen and auxiliary workers." It says the stall is now destined for the Museum of London.

London is open!

On International Migrants Day, I want to thank the millions of people who have come from across the world to make London their home. This city is improved immeasurably because of the history, culture, resilience, community and talent you bring to it. #LondonIsOpen pic.twitter.com/tQfsLrFOLC

— Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) December 17, 2019

From the London Mayor. This is some consolation while our new government tries to isolate the country and continue their reign of chaos and destruction, as they cosy-up to the Trump/Putin axis of corruption.

We're fugued

Vive la résistance!

Hear what they're saying outside the media bubble

How can you not vote for Labour, seeing this joy and, actually, hope emanating from the general public. No slanted, wheedling newspapers or jumped-up, bloody-minded blabbermouths to twist things. Cross-tag the Tory blaggers. #BorisJohnson #ReadEmAndWeep #GeneralElection2019 https://t.co/yBLj1sMzuV

— Stephen Moran (@stephen_j_moran) December 12, 2019

Now, how can you not vote Labour? It defies belief that anyone would, unless it's with a nosepeg to back someone who can block a Tory...

Don't hide in a fridge - vote!

Tomorrow, this man could be your Prime Minister pic.twitter.com/VjgG5OIo7m

— Double Down News (@DoubleDownNews) December 12, 2019

If not now, when? "Get Johnson gone." It's polling day. You don't need your polling card, if you can't lay hands on it. Just go along and tell them your name and address and they'll find you on the list. Also if you've got a postal vote but forgot to send it, you can take that to the polling station too.

Vote tomorrow to evict the Tories

If you're not sure who to vote for, watch this. pic.twitter.com/rBCBLzfoRp

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) December 11, 2019

With the right number of Xs in the right boxes, tomorrow night we can breathe a sigh of relief that the Tory nine-year reign of anxiety, discord, chaos and vandalism is OVER. But only if you vote for whoever is best-placed to defeat the Tory candidate in your area. If you're not sure, you can find out who that is at tactical.vote. It shows recommendations from all the tactical voting websites in one list.

If in doubt, vote Labour. Only Labour has a plan to resolve the Brexit impasse by putting a sensible deal to the people by summer. That summer vote will mark the end of Brexitmania and the resumption of progress and peace of mind. Labour will also nationalise the railways, restore the SureStart centres and much more. So go to it, do not fail to vote!

The alternative? Five more years of HELL under the government that has already brought you nine years of chaos. (Ed.)

Corbyn in Bristol: Save your NHS! Thursday's the day.

The Tories have had nine years to fund our NHS properly.

Don't believe them when they say they will now. pic.twitter.com/o3excDCvYF

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) December 9, 2019

It ain't over till it's over! Coming around the final bend in the race, Corbyn is on the shoulder of Johnson, now for the sprint finish. He's giving it all he's got, so let's cheer him home. (Ed.)

Chingford: Retire sanctimonious I.D.S - Vote for Faiza

I know people have lost faith in politicians, but I'm asking my community - my friends and neighbours - to give me the chance to fight for the area that made me me. #votefaiza #votelabour #chingford #woodfordgreen #GE2019 #GTTO #unseatIDS pic.twitter.com/dtoukAwALt

— Faiza Shaheen (@faizashaheen) December 8, 2019

Watch this inspirational little video and listen to Faiza Shaheen talk about where she grew up in the constituency of Chingford and Woodford Green.

Thursday's election is a marvellous chance to give Ian Duncan Smith his P45 and start to repair the damage the Tories have done for nine years. End the chaos wrought by this bodging, amateurish government. Get Brexit resolved: a sensible deal, put it to the people, done, sorted by Summer. Don't vote for Bodger Johnson's three-wheeled crock of a deal, which will continue to drag the UK through more hell for years to come.

Revealed: Johnson's deal breaks up the UK

Boris Johnson is lying to you about his plan for Brexit and his own Government's report proves it. pic.twitter.com/KIH4O9Z9cZ

— The Labour Party (@UKLabour) December 6, 2019

You cannot trust Boris Johnson. Award him the Order of the Boot on December 12th. Vote for the candidates best-placed to block a Tory. Locally in northwest London we have Tulip Siddiq (Kilburn & Hampstead), Dawn Butler (Brent Central), Barry Gardiner (Brent North), Gareth Thomas (Harrow West), Pamela Fitzpatrick (Harrow East) and Ross Semple Houston (Finchley & Golders Green). Who have I missed?

Tactical voting? Luciana Berger is a former Labour MP who is now likely to take a lot of votes for the LibDems in Finchley & Golders Green, where they were a distant third in 2017. But won't that only let the Tory hold what was a Conservative/Labour marginal? Hmm. It may be possible to evict even the horrible Boris Johnson from Uxbridge & South Ruislip with tactical voting, if everyone gets behind the Labour candidate Ali Milani.

All over the country there are chances to get rid of the hated right-wing government ministers and MPs with a bit of clever voting. The first-past-the-post voting system can only be ameliorated if we coalesce in a progressive alliance against the Tory & Brexit Party troglodyte alliance (they are one and the same now). Another good thing would be to support the newly independent Tory moderates, kicked out by "Britain Trump" (Johnson) from their party for having hearts and minds that function above lizard level, unlike the remaining members of the Johnson government.

Check recommendations for tactical voting to block a Tory in your local postcode by visiting tactical.vote. (Ed.)

I still wear shirts

I still wear shirts I used to like
when I used to like shirts,
going to places I used to go
when I liked going to places.

For old times' sake I'll pull on
the same old thing I used to pull on
when I was fond of pulling on
that same thing I pull on now.

Oh but it's not the same.

--
Stephen Moran