Abraham Armstrong

South West Londoner • 7th November 2025

Council funerals more than double in Lambeth as cost of dying soars across London | South West Londoner

Council-organised funerals have more than doubled in Lambeth — raising concerns about deprivation and the soaring cost of dying in the capital.


‘Public health funerals’ are carried out by local authorities when no prior arrangements have been made and there are no relatives willing or able to pay for a service.


According to data on Lambeth Council’s website, the number of public health funerals has risen from 55 in 2022-23 to 114 in 2023-24.


The increase forms part of a wider growth in...

South West Londoner • 6th February 2026

LISTEN: Young Labour - what's gone wrong and what needs to change? | South West Londoner

Young people are abandoning the Labour Party. Anger over Gaza, repeated U-turns, and internal purges of the left have all contributed to youth membership plummeting from 100,000 to 30,000. 

So, who are the remaining young people in the Labour Party – and what do they think needs to change?

CYP Now • 15th January 2026

Stronger protections and employment rights key to reversing foster carer decline, say campaigners | CYP Now

The government has pledged to "radically accelerate" foster carer recruitment, amid calls for stronger protections and working rights for those fostering to stem declining numbers in England. 
Reforms set to be announced early this year will aim to increase the amount of available foster places and halt the long-term decline in carers - latest Ofsted figures show there has been a 7% drop in fostering households since 2021.
The Fostering Network has highlighted a shortfall of 6,000 foster carers...

CYP Now • 22nd January 2026

Children's social media consultation - as Lords back ban, how would restrictions work? | CYP Now

The government’s announcement that a consultation will be held on an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s has revealed a divide in the children’s sector about the best course forward. 
On Monday, ministers said they would launch the consultation as part of a wider set of measures to improve children’s online safety.
Then on Wednesday, peers in the House of Lords voted 261 to 150 in favour of an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which would ban social media for unde...

Brno Daily • 6th December 2025

Bob Dylan in Prague | Brno Daily

What, exactly, should one be hoping for while on their way to a Bob Dylan concert in 2024?


Historically, the safest bet has been to prepare for disaster. The 83 year-old has long harboured a reputation for putting on shows incomprehensible to even the most loyal followers, bizarre rearrangements of old songs paired with an indifference bordering on disdain for his audiences. Generations of bewildered fans have left concerts echoing the words of the critic Greil Marcus, who, after listening to...

CYP Now • 17th December 2025

What is Erasmus+ and what does rejoining it mean for Turing Scheme? | CYP Now

The government announcement that the UK is to rejoin Erasmus+ the EU's study programme from 2027 has been welcomed by the youth sector, but how does the scheme operate and what impact will the decision have? Erasmus+ is a European Union programme that offers opportunities for participants to study, work, volunteer, teach and train in Europe. The programme is also the main EU fund for youth groups and services.It is aimed at schools, further and higher education institutions, vocational and adult...

South West Londoner • 2nd December 2025

Waiting lists for London social housing more than double in some boroughs | South West Londoner

The number of people on social housing waiting lists has increased by more than 150% over the past decade in some London boroughs, amid an investigation into how local councils allocate their housing stock.   


The London Assembly Housing Committee is seeking to understand variations in social housing allocation policies, and whether they are applied fairly and make best use of current supply.  


Chair Zoë Garbett said the committee chose to examine allocation policies following discussions...

CYP Now • 22nd October 2025

Covid-19 Inquiry: former PM and medical chief give evidence on pandemic's impact on children | CYP Now

Evidence from former Prime Minister Boris Johnson dominated proceedings on Tuesday. He told the inquiry that children had paid a “huge price” for the pandemic, calling the closure of schools a “nightmare idea” that was deemed necessary to control the spread of the Covid-19 virus. However, he refuted previous evidence from former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson that there had been no preparation for closing schools, adding that by mid-March “a great deal of thought and care” had been put int...