Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 08/05/2026BlueSky: Do you know somebody with over £200,000 in student debt? I want to speak to them. Reposts much appreciated! #journorequest 123
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 04/02/2026🚨Personal news🚨 After four wonderful years, I've made the decision to leave Big Issue From awards ceremonies to front covers, it's been fantastic. But it's time to fly the nest I'll be freelance from next week. Editors, I'm available for commissions and reporting. Hit me up 030
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 06/12/2025England’s batters discussing their strategy for this upcoming career-defining innings #ashes25 #ashes 020
Reposted by Greg BarradaleBig Issue @bigissue.com · 05/12/2025🚨Three deaths in 10 days in London linked to cychlorphine, a new synthetic opioid The cases are the first publicly-known UK deaths from the drug Questions mount over delays in telling frontline services of the threat, and a lack of public information 🧵 Here's what we know: 1117
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 05/12/2025NEW: Three deaths in London within 10 days have been linked to cychlorphine, a new synthetic opioid 50-200 times stronger than heroin Questions mount over delays in warning frontline workers of dangers: “People are dying needlessly due to lack of information” www.bigissue.com/news/social-...bigissue.comWarning over new opioid 200 times stronger than heroin as three dead within daysQuestions mount over delays in informing frontline services about the threat from new synthetic opioid cychlorphine. 010
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 03/12/2025🚨Exclusive: How Yo-yo Homes lost taxpayers £60m+ in five years Newest part of @bigissue.com investigation tracks fate of 445 ex-council homes across England 💰 Sold for £35.7m 💰 Bought back for £97.1m 📉 Loss of £61.4m Right to Buy loophole means councils can't reclaim discounts 020
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/11/2025🚨NEW: A Labour council has blocked a bid to reveal the full extent of its losses on Yo-yo Homes Both Tories and Greens in Swindon backed the attempt for transparency, raised after @bigissue.com But Labour called it a waste of time + said the past can't be changed www.bigissue.com/news/housing... 000
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 24/11/2025🚨 EXC: Council sells homes for £10m under Right to Buy, then spends £33m buying them back Newham Council, which has Eng's highest social housing waiting list, has lost £22m on Yo-yo Homes in 5 yrs, @bigissue.com finds RtB loophole means they can't reclaim discounts www.bigissue.com/news/housing...bigissue.comCouncil sells homes for £10m under Right to Buy – then spends £33m buying them backNewham Council, with the largest social housing wait list in the country, has lost tens of millions trying to buy back ex-Right to Buy homes. 011
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 10/11/2025NEW: Labour pledges £12m to stop 1,000+ veterans becoming homeless Funding boost comes after Big Issue revealed doubts over future of scheme - with fears March 2026 cliff-edge could see veteran rough sleeping surge. Led to pressure from Tories/Lib Dems www.bigissue.com/news/housing...bigissue.comLabour confirms millions in funding to stop 1,000-plus veterans becoming homelessMillions in cash comes after Big Issue reported hundreds of veterans could face homelessness as doubts over scheme's future mounted. 031
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 03/11/2025NEW: Shadow defence sec James Cartlidge says Starmer's gov "must urgently confirm" funding for homeless veterans after @bigissue.com reveals doubts over cash could leave hundreds homeless Story: www.bigissue.com/news/housing...bigissue.comTories call on Starmer to 'urgently confirm' cash for homeless veteransAfter Big Issue revealed veterans could be made homeless if cash for a key scheme dries up, a shadow minister has urged Labour to act. 020
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 03/11/2025NEW: Labour should 'urgently' act on Right to Buy reforms to stop councils losing millions buying back Yo-yo Homes they owned just a few years previously, Andy Burnham's deputy Paul Dennett says Comes after @bigissue.com found 120+ examples, incl in GM👇 Story: www.bigissue.com/uncategorise...bigissue.com'Urgent' action needed on Right to Buy reforms after 'scandal', Labour figures sayCouncils are losing millions buying back homes they owned just a few years ago, thanks to a Right to Buy system leaving them little choice. 051
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 31/10/2025UPDATE: Former veterans' minister Johnny Mercer says he's "very angry" after @bigissue.com reveals cash which helped 1k+ veterans off the streets is in doubt. "On one hand this government say they will look after veterans. But when they think no-one is looking, they turn off the funding" 020
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 31/10/2025“Quite simply, we’re worried that the government does not want its homework marked when it comes to child poverty" Guardian reporting on @bigissue.com campaign ramping up pressure on government to set firm targets on reducing child poverty www.theguardian.com/society/2025...theguardian.comCharities and stars call on UK government to set child poverty reduction targetsSignatories of open letter include National Children’s Bureau, Barnardo’s and celebrities such as Emilia Clarke 000
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 31/10/2025🚨EXC: Starmer promised to house all veterans in need. But scheme which has got 1k vets off street is in doubt 👉Veterans orgs tell me future cash is uncertain 👉Orgs warn they'd have to shut housing without funding 👉 One org listed by gov as taking referrals never got cashbigissue.comHundreds of veterans face homelessness as future of support scheme uncertainKeir Starmer promised millions towards supporting veterans under threat of homelessness. Big Issue looks at how those promises worked out. 022
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 31/10/2025Story here: www.bigissue.com/news/housing...bigissue.comHundreds of veterans face homelessness as future of support scheme uncertainKeir Starmer promised millions towards supporting veterans under threat of homelessness. Big Issue looks at how those promises worked out. 000
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 31/10/2025🚨 @bigissue.com EXCLUSIVE: Hundreds of veterans could be made homeless as cash for housing in doubt Starmer promised to 'house all veterans in need' But orgs funded by Op Fortitude, which provides 900 beds, say they don't know if money will continue past March. Warn rough sleeping could increase 211
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 30/10/2025A bigger confirmation of being American than any passport could ever be 000
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 30/10/2025🚨 Disabled children are having to wait for nearly four months to receive benefit payments due to government delays - double the time the DWP is meant to process applications in @cjayanetti.bsky.social for @bigissue.com www.bigissue.com/news/social-...bigissue.comDisabled children left waiting months for benefits due to DWP delaysSingle mother Maryam had to wait three months to get child disability allowance for her seven-year-old daughter, who has kidney cancer. 084
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 29/10/2025🚨Exclusive: Investigation from @bigissue.com reveals councils lost £15M repurchasing 'Yo-yo Homes' sold under Right to Buy, with sellers pocketing profits as homelessness rises. Labour faces calls for reform. #YoYoHomes #RightToBuy #HousingCrisis www.bigissue.com/news/housing...bigissue.comRevealed: These are the Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions on buying backExplore the 120 Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions re-buying – and find out why Labour's reforms might not stop Yo-yo Homes. 011
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 29/10/2025A House of Dynamite….don’t think I’ve ever seen a film that so lacked the confidence to actually make the point it wanted to make At least it was two acts long in runtime as well as plot. Felt like a bottle episode of a v mid prestige TV show Watch the Sum of All Fears instead 000
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/2025🧨We've dropped the full Yo-yo Home Files (so far!) today. Read them here: www.bigissue.com/news/housing... 000
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/2025🪀What's going on with these Yo-yo Homes? Councils have no choice but to sell under Right to Buy. Labour’s keeping the policy going. Yet homelessness is so bad it often makes, sort of, financial sense, to just buy the homes back – even if it means someone gets rich 110
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/202510) In February 2017, Ashfield's council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £19,903 In July 2022, they bought it back for £96,000 💸That’s an almost 5x loss of £76,097 100
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/20259) In December 2016, Stockport Council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £32,300 In May 2023, they bought it back for £135,000 💸That’s a loss of £102,700 100
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/20258) In August 2018, Doncaster Council’s ALMO St Leger Homes sold a council home under Right to Buy for £46,920 In March 2025, they bought it back for £160,000 💸That’s a loss of £113,080 100
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/20257) In October 2016, Wigan’s council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £56,000 In May 2022, they bought it back for £190,000 💸That’s a loss of £134,000 100
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/20256) In January 2019, Rotherham’s council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £30,750 In July 2024, they bought it back for £165,000 💸That’s a 5x loss of £134,250 in five years 100
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/20255) In March 2014, Swindon’s council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £54,050 In April 2023, they bought it back for £250,000 (with another £29k on repairs and voids) 💸That’s a loss of £195,950 100
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/20254) In September 2015, Bristol’s council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £32,200 In January 2025, they bought it back for £195,000 💸That’s a 6x loss of £162,800 100
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/20253) In October 2014, Hackney Council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £95,050 In June 2021, they bought it back for £365,000 💸That’s a loss of £269,950 100
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/20252) In August 2016, Hounslow Council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £272,662 In March 2023 they bought it back for £575,000 💸That’s a loss of £302,338 in seven years 100
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/20251) In January 2016, Greenwich Council sold a council home under Right to Buy for £141,100 In June 2021, they bought it back for £365,000 💸That’s a loss of £223,900 in six years 100
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/2025🚨EXCLUSIVE: Taxpayers are losing millions as councils buy back homes they sold just a few years previously under Right to Buy I’ve uncovered 120+ examples. Today we’re revealing them all @bigissue.com Here's a thread of 10 that will shock you 🧵 100
Reposted by Greg BarradaleBig Issue @bigissue.com · 28/10/2025👀 Exclusive: How councils lost £15m of taxpayers' money – by buying back homes they sold Big Issue reporter @gregbarradale.bsky.social here. I've been digging into Yo-yo Homes. They're costing taxpayers millions Today we're publishing the full list of 120+ Yo-yo Homes we've discovered. Here's a 🧵 11312
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/2025🚨 We've dropped the full list of Yo-yo Homes we've uncovered...so far Across 120+ homes, councils have lost over £15m Will Labour's reforms stop this? It doesn't seem a sure thing www.bigissue.com/news/housing...bigissue.comRevealed: These are the Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions on buying backExplore the 120 Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions re-buying – and find out why Labour's reforms might not stop Yo-yo Homes. 000
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/2025Want more on what happens when councils try to reverse Right to Buy? The system means ex-tenants are getting rich by selling their homes back to councils at a profit Here are 120+ examples www.bigissue.com/news/housing...bigissue.comRevealed: These are the Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions on buying backExplore the 120 Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions re-buying – and find out why Labour's reforms might not stop Yo-yo Homes. 000
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 28/10/2025🚨REVEALED: How to lose £15m of taxpayers’ money Today we’ve published 120+ examples where ex-tenants have sold Right to Buy properties back to councils at profits sometimes >£200k. They’re the Yo-yo Home Files Across just 13 councils, the losses total over £15m www.bigissue.com/news/housing...bigissue.comRevealed: These are the Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions on buying backExplore the 120 Right to Buy homes councils have lost millions re-buying – and find out why Labour's reforms might not stop Yo-yo Homes. 000
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 27/10/2025Yeah. You might in fact say what’s even more interesting is when councils are buying back the exact same homes they’ve been forced to sell under RtB, at a massive loss. Probably nothing in that, though 000
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 27/10/2025In fact, as @bigissue.com revealed, this is not a new phenomenon in Brighton. The council is already reversing Right to Buy, and in the past five years has bought over 200 more homes than it's sold. 100
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 27/10/2025Interesting Guardian story about Brighton reversing Right to Buy As I revealed this month, councils have spent over £2bn buying up 8.5k homes in the past five years. Half of those are homes previously lost under Right to Buy. It's widespread: www.bigissue.com/news/housing... 2197
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 24/10/2025What a story about the snake-oil world of brain training Dr Kawashima would be absolutely spinning in his grave 030
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 23/10/2025👀Looks like the government has confirmed its plans to cut affordable housing targets in London to 20% Press release says projects which commit to 20% housebuilding will be accelerated – as long as 60% of those homes (so 12% total) are social housing 010
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 22/10/2025Here’s the @bigissue.com story from @lgeraghty23.bsky.social www.bigissue.com/news/housing...bigissue.comHomelessness minister 'shocked' at number of children in temporary accommodationLabour homelessness minister Alison McGovern said the number of homeless children living in B&Bs in England came as a 'shock'. 011
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 22/10/2025“She’s 9 now, and she’s never had her own room, never had somewhere to put up posters or invite friends over” That’s the reality of life in temporary accommodation, laid bare by @homelessnessimpact.bsky.social Even the new homelessness minister admits she was shocked by the scale of the crisis 151
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 21/10/202545) The Maniac by Benjamin Labatut Just like When We Cease To Understand The World, this is masterful and unique. Such a manic blend of fact and fiction. Dark, pushing boundaries. And explains the complex – you're unlikely to have AI/machine learning explained better ⭐⭐⭐⭐ #BookSky 010
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 21/10/202544) Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson Hate to say it, but the audiobook is far less interesting than listening to six random episodes of the Ezra Klein podcast ⭐⭐ #BookSky 141
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 21/10/2025the best way to find minor flaws in something really is sending it to 50 very pedantic people, isn't it 010
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 21/10/2025"A change in the law can't come soon enough" Here's the Tribune's take on Yo-yo Homes (via @molliesimpson.bsky.social) sheffieldtribune.co.uk/sheffield-co... 010
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 21/10/2025"The Big Issue's investigation has put the spotlight back on Right to Buy" 🪀The fantastic @sheffieldtribune.bsky.social from @millmedia.bsky.social running with my Yo-yo Homes story 🪀 Love to see it 152
Greg Barradale @gregbarradale.bsky.social · 20/10/2025"It's frustrating, it's infuriating, and it's got this quite sinister element to it" I went on the PoliticsJOE podcast to talk all things Yo-yo Homes with @avasantina.bsky.social A thrill! Catch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmvQ...youtube.comYo-Yo homes: Thatcher's invention that ruined the housing marketYouTube video by PoliticsJOE 000