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Mon, 14 September 2026
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Lord Bird

Lord Bird

@johnbirdswords

Crossbench peer and founder of the Big Issue

It will require a huge collective effort to make the PM's pledge to end rough sleeping a reality
Communities
By Lord Bird
It will require a huge collective effort to make the PM's pledge to end rough sleeping a reality
Andy Burnham is singing from the Big Issue hymn sheet – but it will require some clever problem solving to help pull-off his ambitious plan to end rough sleeping
Starmer needs to show his government is taking poverty seriously, quickly
Communities
By Lord Bird
Starmer needs to show his government is taking poverty seriously, quickly
How does Keir Starmer plug the holes in his sinking ship when it’s springing leaks left, right and centre?
Thatcher’s right-to-buy scheme has inflicted untold harm to renters today
Communities
By Lord Bird
Thatcher’s right-to-buy scheme has inflicted untold harm to renters today
It would take more than a miracle for this government to create a healthy housing market in time for the next election.
Lords Diary: Lord Bird
Parliament
By Lord Bird
Lords Diary: Lord Bird
That day before last Christmas was important. I spent the morning at the National Gallery looking at Nicolas Poussin’s The Adoration of the Golden Calf.
Perfect storm of rising energy bills and Universal Credit cut will push many into homelessness
Economy
By Lord Bird
Perfect storm of rising energy bills and Universal Credit cut will push many into homelessness
Investing in people today by helping them find meaningful, paid employment and securing the roof over their heads will also give them the space, stability, and agency to think long-term.
We must grab this opportunity to provide better futures now and for generations to come
Social affairs
By Lord Bird
We must grab this opportunity to provide better futures now and for generations to come
Embedding long-termism at the heart of UK politics is the right thing to do. I want to help the government Build Back Better through the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill.
Government must step in to prevent a Covid induced mass homelessness crisis
Communities
By Lord Bird
Government must step in to prevent a Covid induced mass homelessness crisis
The enormous amount of prospective homeless people and families dwarfs any other emergency that homeless advocates like me have ever seen before. Government must reinstate the eviction ban.
The Chancellor must help renters in the budget to prevent mass unemployment and homelessness
Communities
By Lord Bird
The Chancellor must help renters in the budget to prevent mass unemployment and homelessness
We need a targeted financial package to help renters pay off arrears built since the beginning of lockdown and a welfare system that gives them financial security to continue living in their homes.
Social mobility is key to Covid recovery, but it is in decline
Social affairs
By Lord Bird
Social mobility is key to Covid recovery, but it is in decline
We face generations of frustration and depression if those who could have become socially mobile are frozen out. Social mobility must be at the heart of our policymaking
We must act now to prevent countless lives being destroyed when the eviction ban ends
Coronavirus
By Lord Bird
We must act now to prevent countless lives being destroyed when the eviction ban ends
We need a strategic approach to preventing joblessness and homeless in the Covid-19 battle
We can prevent the deluge of homelessness and unemployment that threatens to engulf us
Coronavirus
By Lord Bird
We can prevent the deluge of homelessness and unemployment that threatens to engulf us
Thousands of families are at risk of losing their homes due to Covid. We must act now to prevent this.
We cannot renege on the responsibility we have opened up before us to rough sleepers
Coronavirus
By Lord Bird
We cannot renege on the responsibility we have opened up before us to rough sleepers
The Government’s action to house rough sleepers during this crisis is welcome, even if done for selfish reasons. We cannot go back to how we were before after lockdown
The new decade offers a unique opportunity for decision-makers to act in the interests of future generations
Communities
By Lord Bird
The new decade offers a unique opportunity for decision-makers to act in the interests of future generations

The Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill will revolutionise how the UK thinks and plans for the long-term, and will give future generations a voice in decision-making, writes Lord Bird. 
We must shift from short-term thinking and incorporate a future generations test into policy making
Communities
By Lord Bird
We must shift from short-term thinking and incorporate a future generations test into policy making

It is time to stop playing the generation game and instead develop a long-term holistic approach to tackling problems, writes Lord Bird
Let’s end this credit rip off, and puncture the poverty premium, together
Economy
By Lord Bird
Let’s end this credit rip off, and puncture the poverty premium, together

The Creditworthiness Assessment Bill will increase fairer, more affordable credit opportunities for those who need it the most, preventing people from falling into the high-cost credit trap, says Lord Bird.
End this economic injustice – and give a ‘hand-up’ to Generation Rent
Communities
By Lord Bird
End this economic injustice – and give a ‘hand-up’ to Generation Rent

My Creditworthiness Assessment Bill will boost the prospects of Britain’s eleven million renters and puncture the poverty premium, writes Lord Bird