Sun 7 Jan 2018, 15:06 PM | Posted by Mark Langabeer
In the lead up to Christmas, the BBC focused attention on the problems of homelessness and rough sleeping. Statistics suggest that between 4000 and 8000 are sleeping rough and 300,000 are classified as homeless. Figures show that nearly 130,000 homeless people are children.
The editor of the Big Issue described this as ‘a stain on us as a nation’. I would add that these figures are the direct consequence of the policies of this Tory Government. Only a Labour Government, committed to a Socialist housing policy, can end the scandal of homelessness.
A long time ago, a tenants activist asked me a question. What is the most important need, bar water, food and clothing? I replied, maybe ‘work’ but her view was that a roof over your head was more important because you need to supply an address before starting work.
The current housing crises has been brewing for a long time. The idea that the market is the solution to all problems is the root cause of Britain’s housing shortage. Thatchers ‘right to buy’ policy led to over a million council houses being sold. Local Councils were also prevented from new builds to replace those that were lost.
This has resulted in a rise in the private rented sector. Private landlords are motivated by profit and are shafting tenants, who have no alternatives as they are unable to buy a property. Tory policy towards housing was indifference, until the 2017 General Election. They are now promising the building of new homes in the hope that house prices will fall.
They believe that this would allow those that had previously rented, will be able to buy with a few inducements. The problem with this policy is that the building contractors may take a different view. The reduction of house values would put a dent in profit margins and so there will be a refusal to build.
More than 70 years ago, housing policy was central in welfare reform. Bevan was responsible for the housing programme after 1945 and focused heavily on local authority involvement, rather than reliance of the private sector. That should be Labour’s aim when elected.
Labour must commit to the building of a million council houses, with rents that are subsidized to ensure affordability. The major building contractors should be nationalized, so that homes are built for need, not purely for profit. Councils must be allowed to reintroduce a direct labour force for maintenance and repairs. These policies and more can solve homelessness once and for all.
