Sock it to 'em

Brandon Lewis is already a well-known name in the housing sector, thanks to our dear housing minister. But the name Brandon Lewis is also well-known in a quite different sector – if consultant Greg Campbell of Campbell Tickell is to be believed. 

Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Housing South East conference in Brighton last week, Mr Campbell revealed the minister shares a name with a famous porn star. 

Closed Circuit hasn’t Googled to check (honest), so we’re going to have to take Mr Campbell’s word for it.

His boss, Greg Clark, shares a name with the chair of the Football League and local government minister Marcus Jones with a former NFL star – but we bet we know who gets the most interesting fan mail.

Protests against the government’s definition of ‘affordable housing’ are coming thick and fast as the Housing and Planning Bill goes through parliament.  

Last week, Howard Sinclair, chief executive of St Mungo’s, proffered a rather original take. From his mum. He told a housing conference in London that his mother has a habit of throwing a ball of socks at the television when she gets angry.

Mr Sinclair said this habit extended to housing policy ever since he talked her through the shortcomings of the government’s definition of ‘affordable housing’. Now, he disclosed, whenever she hears the term ‘affordable housing’ on the television, she lobs the ball of socks at the screen. Sock it to ‘em, Mrs Sinclair.

Everybody knows politics and religion are topics best avoided in general company. But Closed Circuit this week reckons ‘modern methods of construction’ (MMC) can also be added to the list of topics not to discuss. Mark Henderson, chief executive of Home Group, extolled the benefits of MMC in developing new homes. This sparked a robust Twitter exchange with Inside Housing columnist and SHOUT-er Colin Wiles.

Mr Wiles said MMC has a troubled track record and that MMC homes depreciate in value. Mr Henderson’s responded by tweeting a counter-argument, ripping up all the rules of punctuation as he did so. He said: “Colin, Just. Not. True. Trad built homes do not all appreciate in value, just as all OSM does not depreciate.” Mark. MMC. Is. Not. A. Subject. To discuss. In general company.