Closed Circuit: Doctor Whousing

Poor old Alok Sharma – the housing minister brief is proving a little tougher than his previous gig as minister for taxpayer-funded foreign jaunts, sorry, minister for Asia and the Pacific.
The housing minister was due to address a crowd of adoring fans in his hometown of Reading to mark Bastille Day at the weekend.

Sadly the minister’s speech was interrupted by a hoard of vicious protestors – with the ensuing carnage described in detail to The Reading Chronicle by an eyewitness: “These three people stood in front of the stage with a banner… Then Sharma did his speech and they left.”
Shocking scenes. Closed Circuit has some pressing questions about the event – chiefly, why on Earth are there Bastille Day celebrations in Reading, the least French place on the planet?

And it’s not just at events in Berkshire marking the French Revolution that Mr Sharma has been getting stick. He’s also been blocking people on Twitter for using “abusive language”.
Mr Sharma received several tweets from a group of angry housing association tenants fed up of waiting for the Right to Buy extension to be introduced (his predecessor Gavin Barwell will remember attracting similar attention on social media).
It appears one of these was blocked by Mr Sharma, after saying “hopefully your parents taught you manners”, and then calling him “another Tory career politician only out for himself”.

While it is possible other tweets have been deleted, this looks like pretty soft stuff by the ferocious standards of political Twitter. Any bets on who the first housing figure to be blocked by Mr Sharma will be?

And finally, the world was abuzz with speculation last week about who would be cast as the 13th Doctor.

As the world (or at least sci-fi nerds, among whom Closed Circuit is pleased to count itself a part) waited, there was quiet talk that the next inhabitant of the most famous blue police box in TV may be a familiar face.
“This key [the teaser released by the Beeb] obv hints #DrWho is from #ukhousing. So who do we think? I’m betting @KateDaviesNHHT. Or @Alison_Inman?” tweeted Philippa Jones, boss of Bromford.
Kate Davies ruled herself out in slightly odd fashion, saying she would “rather drive a train”.

However Ms Inman has so far been silent. Could the next Chartered Institute of Housing president be readying her sonic screwdriver to step into the role after Jodie Whittaker’s run finishes? Closed Circuit would like to see it.

This key obv hints #DrWho is from #ukhousing. So who do we think? I’m betting @KateDaviesNHHT. Or @Alison_Inman? #womanwithscrewdriver t.co/2HzScTuLmL

— Philippa Jones (@PhilippaJones2)

This key obv hints #DrWho is from #ukhousing. So who do we think? I'm betting @KateDaviesNHHT. Or @Alison_Inman? #womanwithscrewdriver https://t.co/2HzScTuLmL

— Philippa Jones (@PhilippaJones2) July 16, 2017

Ha ha. I’d rather drive a train.

— Kate Davies (@KateDaviesNHHT)

Ha ha. I'd rather drive a train.

— Kate Davies (@KateDaviesNHHT) July 16, 2017