Douglas Johnson
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douglasjohnson.bsky.social
Douglas Johnson
@douglasjohnson.bsky.social
270 followers 150 following 100 posts
Green Party Cllr for City Ward, Sheffield; Chair of Sheffield's Housing Committee
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douglasjohnson.bsky.social
Heather burning should stop. Please add your name to this petition: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/st...
Stop Burning Our Moors: Protect our kids, not grouse hunts.
Landowners burn heather for driven grouse shooting, leading to harmful air pollution, increased flood risk, and increased wildfire risk, all while releasing tonnes of carbon into the air, accelerating...
you.38degrees.org.uk
November 16, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Reposted by Douglas Johnson
xkcd.com
Car Size

xkcd.com/3167/
4-panel vertical comic. (1) 100 Years Ago [two people standing next to bicycle with small car nearby] PERSON 1: It’s too dangerous riding a bike with these cars around. I should get a car, too. (2) 50 Years Ago [two people between smaller car and bigger car] PERSON 2 with short hair: Small cars are less safe in collisions with larger vehicles, so I should get a bigger one. (3) Today [two people between big car and even bigger car] PERSON 1: Everyone has huge SUVs now. If I don’t get the biggest one, I’m putting my family at risk. (4) Soon [two people next to large armored car with spiked clubs attached] PERSON 2: If I don’t install more whirling spike clubs, I’ll be destroyed by all the other drivers who...
November 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Reposted by Douglas Johnson
bristolgreenparty.bsky.social
When you adopt the policies you once opposed, you risk becoming like the very forces you once criticised. Labour’s temporary asylum plan echoes the harsh approaches they used to stand against.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK set to limit refugees to temporary stays
Shabana Mahmood is expected to say the era of permanent protection for refugees is over, in major changes to the UK's asylum and immigration system.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 12:39 PM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
You know the @greenparty.org.uk is popular?

This poll shows 75% of people support this top GP policy of introducing a wealth tax of 1% on assets above £10m and 2% on assets above £1bn

yougov.co.uk/economy/arti...

@sheffgreenparty.bsky.social
October 28, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Reposted by Douglas Johnson
greenparty.org.uk
🚨BREAKING : The Green Party has passed 150,000 members 🥳

Thousands are joining right now to help us replace Labour and take the fight to Reform.

Are you in?

Make hope normal again. Join the Green Party now ⤵️
REAL HOPE. REAL CHANGE. 150,000 Green Party Members Green Party Promoted by Chris Williams on behalf of The Green Party, both at PO Box 78066, London SE16 9GQ
October 27, 2025 at 10:00 AM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
Just got this new equipment installed at the council ...
Sign days "to the right is our new state of the art calorie burning exercise equipment. (Okay it's the stairs)." "Instructions for use: Walk up / down"
October 27, 2025 at 10:31 AM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
Here's a great new independent business in Sheffield that collects food waste and produces compost. Just what we need for better soil health and less incineration.

nowthenmagazine.com/articles/hop...

via @nowthenmag.bsky.social
"Hopefully we can prove this is a better solution": Sheffield's compost revolution-in-the-making
Compost Connection is helping local communities prove there's a better way to handle our food waste than shipping it off to industrial facilities.
nowthenmagazine.com
October 10, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Reposted by Douglas Johnson
greenpartyemma.bsky.social
Have a read of this thread for excellent snapshots of what Green Party conference is like.
#GPConf
robbryher.bsky.social Rob Bryher @robbryher.bsky.social · Oct 3
Thanks to a wonderful mother/mother-in-law looking after our kids for the weekend we are heading to Green Party Conference for the first time in a few years!

Perhaps I'll do a thread with pictures of everyone I meet or see?
Anna and I smiling on the train to Green Party Conference
October 5, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Reposted by Douglas Johnson
matthewsnedker.bsky.social
House building slumps to lowest level since 2020 with job losses and falling confidence in Labour

It’s no surprise that house building is stalling when people can’t afford to save for deposits

This is the perfect time to replace the 1.4 million social homes lost since 1980
House building slumps to lowest level since 2020 sees job losses and falling confidence in Labour’s plans to fix the housing crisis. Latest figures[1] from the construction industry show a sustained and deepening decline in housebuilding in the UK as the slowdown reaches depths not seen since early 2020.The lack of confidence in the sector is resulting in lay-offs and recruitment freezes. Green Party Spokesperson, Cllr Matthew Snedker said; “The housing crisis is one symptom of the cost of living crisis. Houses remain at historically high prices[2], with most people finding house ownership unaffordable, as wages fail to keep pace with house price inflation. It’s no surprise that house building is stalling when people simply can’t afford to save for deposits when they are struggling to get by” Most worrying is the slowing down of new work in the pipeline. New orders have fallen for eight months in a row. Even big names in the industry are starting to see their order books dwindle. This long term downward trend has led to construction companies seeing subdued market conditions, heightened business uncertainty and growing risk aversion among clients. Cllr Snedker continued “The housing crisis is causing very real damage to communities up and down the country. A record 169,050 children are now homeless in temporary accommodation in England[3], a 12% increase on last year. Homelessness has long-lasting consequences for children with families regularly placed out of area, far away from their school, GP and community. The educational attainment, health and development of homeless children plummets when they become homeless.[4] “This is the perfect time to take advantage of falling borrowing costs by increasing the supply of public housing. Replacing the 1.4 million social homes lost since 1980[5] would reduce people’s housing costs, bring job security to tradespeople and inject much needed confidence into the construction industry. “The Green Party’s Right Homes, Right Place, Right Price Charter[6] would provide 150,000 new social homes every year through new build and the purchase of ex-council housing stock. It would give local authorities right to buy powers for several categories of property and make sure we keep social homes for local communities in perpetuity.” ENDS [1] https://www.pmi.spglobal.com/Public/Home/PressRelease/d53e54e883da40448dcb05af5ed1bf26 [2] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/bulletins/housingaffordabilityinenglandandwales/2024 [3] https://england.shelter.org.uk/media/press_release/another_record_number_of_children_homeless_in_temporary_accommodation_after_12_increase_in_a_year [4] https://sharedhealthfoundation.org.uk/our-work/families-experiencing-homelessness/ [5] https://england.shelter.org.uk/support_us/campaigns/social_housing/loss_of_social_housing#:~:text=We're%20selling%20and%20demolishing,of%20650%20social%20rent%20homes. [6] https://greenparty.org.uk/about/our-manifesto/providing-fairer-greener-homes-for-all/
September 8, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by Douglas Johnson
zackpolanski.bsky.social
💚 Delighted to announce we just reached 73,000 new members!

✊🏽 @greenparty.org.uk is the party of environmental, social, racial and economic justice.

👉🏼 Join.greenparty.org.uk
Join the Green Party
Join the Green Party from just £6 a year. Become a member today - join the only party with the policies needed to tackle the climate crisis.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
September 18, 2025 at 2:42 PM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
So, Government wants a massive cut in local democracy that will cost more in a huge local government reorganisation?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Makes no savings? Makes no sense.

@sheffgreenparty.bsky.social
Ministers didn't do cost review of English council mergers
The government relied on a report by a lobbyist group that now says reorganisation could make no savings.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 29, 2025 at 8:52 AM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
It's Friday - so why not watch this sketch with Patrick Stewart: What has the ECHR ever done for us?

youtu.be/ptfmAY6M6aA?...
Patrick Stewart sketch: what has the ECHR ever done for us?
YouTube video by The Guardian
youtu.be
August 29, 2025 at 8:28 AM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
It IS possible to act on the Nature Emergency. 🌻

Salmon are now breeding again in the River Don in Sheffield 🐟🐟🐟: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Great work by everyone involved in the projects like Don Catchment Rivers Trust.
Salmon breeding in River Don for first time in 200 years
The Don Catchment Rivers Trust says evidence of spawning is beyond its
www.bbc.co.uk
August 27, 2025 at 7:26 AM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
Congratulations to everyone who got the A-level results they wanted today.

And a heartfelt "don't panic" to anyone who didn't.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...
www.bbc.co.uk
August 14, 2025 at 2:10 PM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
🌍 "Low carbon" grants for businesses in Sheffield are available again.

💷 Businesses can get advice on how to save money and further grants are available towards the cost of bigger investments like solar panels and insulation.

www.sheffield.gov.uk/business/uk-...
UK Shared Prosperity Fund Low Carbon Project | Sheffield City Council
www.sheffield.gov.uk
August 12, 2025 at 10:48 AM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
This is brilliant - of course.

Happy #YorkshireDay!
drpam.bsky.social Pam Jarvis @drpam.bsky.social · Aug 1
Wishing the world a happy Yorkshire Day. And what better way to do it than with a world famous song originally written and performed by a Sheffield band, and covered by another one here. Blue Sky: meet the Everly Pregnant Brothers.
Dunt Tha Want Mi
YouTube video by EPBbros
youtu.be
August 1, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Reposted by Douglas Johnson
drpam.bsky.social
Wishing the world a happy Yorkshire Day. And what better way to do it than with a world famous song originally written and performed by a Sheffield band, and covered by another one here. Blue Sky: meet the Everly Pregnant Brothers.
Dunt Tha Want Mi
YouTube video by EPBbros
youtu.be
August 1, 2025 at 7:26 AM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
This was a brilliant initiative I visited yesterday.

@schoolfoodmatters.bsky.social
schoolfoodmatters.bsky.social School Food Matters @schoolfoodmatters.bsky.social · Jul 8
Our biggest #YoungMarketeers Market Day just wrapped up - 15 schools came together in #Liverpool to sell their fresh school-grown fruit and veg! Four fantastic schools in #Sheffield sold their wares at a local market too, with local press dropping by. Both events raised loads for great causes.
July 9, 2025 at 8:32 AM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
Today, I visited the @schoolfoodmatters.bsky.social stall at the Moor Markets where children from local schools were selling produce they had grown themselves.
Douglas Johnson with Sylvia Chen on the Moor, Sheffield
July 8, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Reposted by Douglas Johnson
geraldinecoggins.bsky.social
Brief trip to Liverpool this morning for the LGA Independent AGM and the General Assembly. Congrats to Hannah Dalton, @cllrandrewcooper.bsky.social and @cllrjohnnydenis.bsky.social Many thanks to Marianne Overton for all her work. Caught to with @douglasjohnson.bsky.social and some other Greens too!
July 1, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Reposted by Douglas Johnson
elliechowns.bsky.social
Moving fast and breaking things didn't work well in Iraq in 2003 and won't work any better in Iran in 2025.

The UK must not get dragged into supporting an illegal war.
June 19, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Reposted by Douglas Johnson
sanders.senate.gov
What Eisenhower said over 70 years ago is even more true today.
“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.”
June 18, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Reposted by Douglas Johnson
midsuffolkgreen.bsky.social
Huge congratulations to Dr Agnes Watson for being elected as councillor for Haughley, Stowupland & Wetherden, joining the 23-strong team running Mid Suffolk.

Get involved:
midsuffolk.greenparty.org.uk/about-us/get...

Help Clare win in Bury St Edmunds:
actionnetwork.org/campaigns/to...
Graphic celebrating the election of Dr Agnes Watson as Mid Suffolk District Councillor for Haughley, Stowupland & Wetherden. The top text reads: "Congratulations Dr Agnes Watson!" with the Green Party logo. The vote results are displayed: GRN 901 votes (64.1%) CON 444 votes (31.5%) LIB 61 votes (4.3%) Two photos are shown: one of Agnes Watson smiling beside a goat and her newborn kids in a barn, and another portrait of her smiling outdoors in a patterned shirt. The banner notes she will serve alongside Janet Pearson. A disclaimer at the bottom states the graphic was promoted by Judy Chisman on behalf of Dr Agnes Watson, Mid Suffolk Green Party.
June 12, 2025 at 11:46 PM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
It's certainly welcome to hear the #Chancellor announce £39bn for affordable housing, building on the success of places like #Sheffield.

We'll have to await the detail of how this splits out over the 10-year period and how much is for social rent not just "affordable" related to market prices.
Councillors and workers in hi-vis jackets on a new building site for homes.
June 11, 2025 at 12:41 PM
douglasjohnson.bsky.social
Free parking announced for town centre!

🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗

Seriously? Surely every town centre needs is more people driving in, causing congestion and pollution. At least it keeps them off the buses.

🤦

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
One-hour free parking announced for Rotherham town centre
Rotherham Council commits £50,000 to offer an hour's free parking in its car parks on weekdays.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 11, 2025 at 12:25 PM