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Ben Cooper

@bencooper1995.bsky.social
1.4K followers 382 following 128 posts

Research Manager, the Fabians. Interested in education, housing, Sea Wall and rural. Union rep.

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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
"There is a new generation of slum landlords across the country who exploit people’s need for housing, just like their Victorian + post-war counterparts. Except this time, the state is funding them" Read my @labourlist.bsky.social column on tackling slum landlords labourlist.org/2026/09/ben-...
labourlist.org
Ben Cooper column: 'End the slum landlord subsidy' - LabourList
Andy Burnham has promised greater public control over the essentials. That must mean taking control of housing back from slum landlords.
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Great to speak to the BBC about why we should support building on golf courses. This is a win-win for affordable housing and for access to nature in our communities. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The Fabian Society strongly welcomes @andyburnham.bsky.social's prioritisation of social care in England Research Manager @bencooper1995.bsky.social has responded to the PM's speech 👇 🧵
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Burnham is looking at reviving Help to Buy, according to the Sunday Times. Last week, we published how to do this. Our deposit loan scheme: 🏘️ Helps 136,000 households over 5 years own a home 💷 Cuts mortgage costs by £100s a month 🏡 Supports the building of 11,000 extra homes a year
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Important article by @andrewlewinmp.bsky.social on how Labour can expand opportunity and help young families. Great to see Andrew talk about my idea for a baby & toddler top-up to Universal Credit to tackle high rates of early years poverty. labourlist.org/2026/07/the-...
labourlist.org
'Labour must offer the politics of opportunity and aspiration' - LabourList
Labour should redouble our efforts to put the issues affecting younger people and young adults at the centre of our politics.
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
In the New Statesman, Angela Rayner has suggested giving mayors powers to put derelict buildings up for compulsory sale. The Fabian Housing Centre has talked about this a lot recently I wrote about them in last month's @labourlist.bsky.social column as necessary labourlist.org/2026/06/no-p...
labourlist.org
Ben Cooper column: 'You can't have policy without politics' - LabourList
Policy cannot be divorced from politics. People want to know who Labour stands for, and is against. The government should tell them often.
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Fixing social care is a priority for Burnham England needs a National Care Service for everyone, including working-age disabled people Whether it is care charging or NHS integration, social care should work for disabled people Read my @labourlist.bsky.social column labourlist.org/2026/07/a-na...
labourlist.org
Ben Cooper column: 'A National Care Service for everyone' - LabourList
The next three years offers the best opportunity to build a National Care Service for all and ensure disabled people are not forgotten.
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Watch Ben’s full explainer by following the link below: youtu.be/I5Z38-L0nBY
youtu.be
Quick Wins: Building Homes in the Communities That Need Them
YouTube video by Fabian Society
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
The proposals would help England build over 300,000 homes in a single year for the first time since 1969.
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Quick Wins sets out a stimulus package of ‘quick wins’ to ramp up the number of good quality homes built in the communities that need them. Implemented together, these reforms could deliver an extra 87,000 dwellings a year – equivalent to raising predicted housebuilding in 2029-30 by 36 per cent.
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Head of the Fabian Housing Centre, @bencooper1995.bsky.social discusses his new report ‘Quick Wins: Building More Homes in the Communities That Need Them’
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Quick Wins sets out reforms to deliver an extra 87,000 new homes a year by the end of the parliament. These are measures that are no- or low-cost, and don't require new legislation. They would increase housebuilding to its highest in 50 years. fabians.org.uk/publication/...
fabians.org.uk
Quick Wins | Fabian Society
Fabian Society
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Great to see lots of people talking about the need for Labour and Andy Burnham to be more populist. A few months ago for @labourlist.bsky.social, I wrote about the need for Labour to discover its authentic populism to take on the Greens and Reform. labourlist.org/2026/03/ben-...
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
"This is Andy’s bread and butter, he really understands it from the perspective of the mayoralties. And when he says that he’s going to do this, it’s not just a slogan that will need to be figured out later, it is something he will follow though on”
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Daniel Monaghan @daniellmonaghan.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
For the new report, I spoke to care providers and policymakers from across England. The message was clear - co-operative care can be transformative for care recipients and workers - delivering quality care and higher wages. They should be at the heart of a vision for the future care system.
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Delighted to contribute to the @coopparty.party.coop's report on social care. I talked about how co-ops and non-profits can be at the heart of the National Care Service - and help meet growing demand for support. Read more 👇
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Featuring @lukemurphy.bsky.social, @yuanfenyang.bsky.social, @jeevunsandher.bsky.social & @graemedowniemp.bsky.social. Our new pamphlet brings together MPs and experts to set out fresh ideas on how we can tackle the cost of living crisis. Find out more below 👇 fabians.org.uk/publication/...
fabians.org.uk
Standard Issue | Fabian Society
Fabian Society
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
How do we raise living standards? 💸 Today, the energy price cap goes up, adding further pressure to the cost of living. Improving living standards will be the central priority for the next Prime Minister, and ultimately, the issue that decides the next election.
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
People are deeply sceptical things can get better or that new policies could change anything This is a problem for the gov A focus on policy + doing the right thing isn’t enough Read my @labourlist.bsky.social column on why policy without politics is impossible labourlist.org/2026/06/no-p...
labourlist.org
Ben Cooper column: 'You can't have policy without politics' - LabourList
Policy cannot be divorced from politics. People want to know who Labour stands for, and is against. The government should tell them often.
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
The Fabian Society has been shaping the future of the left since 1884. We are a socialist society committed to building a fairer economy and a more equal country. We believe that ideas matter, and that change is possible.
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
If you want exclusive access to future Fabian Thinking events, follow the link below to join the Fabian Society! fabians.org.uk/membership/j...
fabians.org.uk
Join | Fabian Society
Fabian Society
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
@patrick-pme.bsky.social, Head of Elections and Political and Social Data at YouGov, discusses the emerging trends shaping voter behaviour and examines where support is shifting across the political landscape. 🎙️ From Fabian Thinking with @bencooper1995.bsky.social
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
"What’s starting to happen now is voters stick in the blocks on the left or on the right, so Labour has been far more likely to lose voters to the Greens, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru in Wales and to the SNP than it has to Reform or the Conservatives”
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Millions of people are failed by a broken social care system. A National Care Service is the solution The government needs to get on with delivering affordable, personalised care - rather than wait for political consensus My thoughts in the Guardian 👇 www.theguardian.com/business/202...
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Millions of people will be voting Green or Reform today - often for the first time The declining rate of homeownership is reshaping our politics In response, Labour must show that homeownership is a realistic prospect as an antidote to 'broken Britain' labourlist.org/2026/05/ben-...
labourlist.org
Ben Cooper column: 'Labour must help families build towards their dreams' - LabourList
Labour must give people real hope and develop policies that provide the security of homeownership for everyone.
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Coastal communities matter. But Westminster have ignored them for too long. Labour has to deliver for the Sea Wall, if it wants to keep the coastal seats it won in 2024. Great to speak to Vicky Spratt about my favourite topic. inews.co.uk/news/how-lab...
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Luke Raikes @lukeraikes.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
...then we can change this picture (the worst regional inequality of any major high-income country)
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Luke Raikes @lukeraikes.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
If we change this picture (huge over-centralisation of economic power)...
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Luke Raikes @lukeraikes.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
It's not perfect, but few government policies are. And it has come a long way further than expected. It's a very big win all considered.
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Luke Raikes @lukeraikes.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
A lot of the groundwork was done in opposition, when we set out how devolution is a progressive agenda that can improve living standards in all regions - with this major Commission in 2023: fabians.org.uk/publication/...
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Luke Raikes @lukeraikes.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
And there it is...the devolution bill is an Act. Hard to comprehend how big a deal this is for devolution. It is huge step forward, and something many of us have been working toward for some time - not least the minister! @miattafahnbulleh.bsky.social www.gov.uk/government/n...
gov.uk
English Devolution Bill receives Royal Assent
Act follows on from the English Devolution White Paper, which set out government agenda for devolution.
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
“Local authorities are looking to use low-use golf courses as a way of building great places to live” On @listentotimesradio.bsky.social, @bencooper1995.bsky.social explains that making it easier to build on golf courses could open up accessible green spaces for thousands of people.
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
"We can have house building [and] we can have more nature if you build on golf courses." Great to speak to the BBC InDepth about why we should make it easier to build on golf courses. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Why golf courses are in the crosshairs of Britain's housing crisis
Are golf courses the right places to build housing, or are they simply a soft target?
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
English councils should be able to increase council tax premiums on second homes by 100%, 500% or more That is what I recommended in Home Comforts, a report for @thefabians.bsky.social last year It was taken up in Scotland, and it should be adopted by England www.telegraph.co.uk/money/bills/...
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
While global shocks push prices up, they aren’t the only reason for the cost of living crisis. We rely on poorly regulated markets for essentials, driving a poverty premium. From loyalty premiums to higher monthly charges, millions overpay. Ben Cooper on why Gov must step in @labourlist.bsky.social.
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Great to see action on “subscription traps” today, which cost the average consumer around £170 a year Labour has a long history of taking on businesses that exploit vulnerable consumers for profit They should go further, as my @labourlist.bsky.social column argues labourlist.org/2026/04/ben-...
labourlist.org
Ben Cooper column: 'Labour must intervene to tackle the causes of the cost of living crisis' - LabourList
Labour has a history of taking on businesses that exploit vulnerable consumers for profit. They must continue that tradition.
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
To learn how the next Scottish government can build more homes and tackle the housing emergency. You can read 'Housing the Future' 👇 fabians.org.uk/publication/...
fabians.org.uk
Housing the future | Fabian Society
Fabian Society
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
“The next Scottish government should commit to a genuinely ambitious housing target that delivers the enough homes to meet need” @kathsangster.bsky.social & @bencooper1995.bsky.social explain how we can ensure homes are built across Scotland in @scotsman.com www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Great to see coverage of @bencooper1995.bsky.social's "Housing the Future" in @scottishhousingnews.com 👇 www.scottishhousingnews.com/articles/sco...
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Ben Cooper @bencooper1995.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Scotland is experiencing the worst housebuilding slump since the Second World War. The next Scottish government needs to get Scotland building again. My report for @scottishfabians.bsky.social and @thefabians.bsky.social Housing Centre sets out how. 👇
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
📺 Hear the full discussion about our new report 'Housing the Future' with @bencooper1995.bsky.social and Palma Oxley from our new explainer series 'The Briefing' 👇 youtu.be/KvvJtCICODo?...
youtu.be
Housing the future: How Scotland can build again
YouTube video by Fabian Society
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
🎙️Hear from Head of the Fabian Housing Centre, and author of Housing the Future @bencooper1995.bsky.social about his new report 👇
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Read Housing the future here 👇 fabians.org.uk/publication/...
fabians.org.uk
Housing the future | Fabian Society
Fabian Society
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Increasing rural, remote and island housing supply through a statutory ‘right to build’ for small community schemes, a single permanent ‘Building Rural and Island Housing Fund’ worth £20m per year, and support for self-builders.
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Reshaping affordable and social housing funding by introducing a five-year, inflation-linked settlement for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (£6.5bn in real terms over five years), with a further five-year indicative settlement, and creating a £500m Social Housing Quality Fund over ten years.
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Recommendations include reforming the planning system to restore a presumption in favour of sustainable development and create simple decision making in places where development already exists; and allowing councils to set planning fees to recover costs.
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
The report sets out a blueprint for housing in Scotland, including a fresh target of 350,000 homes by 2036
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Nine of the top 10 worst years for housebuilding since the second world war have occurred since 2007
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
This is equivalent to the size of Edinburgh or twice the size of Aberdeen
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Fabian Society @thefabians.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Modelling shows this leaves a total shortfall of a quarter of a million homes against the SNP's 2007 pledge
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