hashtag bloody cyclist

[VNA]

the lights were red and I slowly filtered my way to the front - various routes so to speak but finished on the left, between the kerb and the lead car

That doesn't sound like a good place to be to me.  I try to never sit anywhere a car can turn on me.  If I filter to the front (always on the right hand side or between cars if there is space, but never between car and kerb) I will generally just about always stop right in front or partially across the lead car.  If that means I'm touch over the junction line, or onto a cycle box so be it.  I've had to many cars turn on me, and I don't mean just to take a turn some have intentionally tried to run me into oncoming traffic.