Senior figures are calling for active resistance to Government cuts in housing benefit, threats to tenancies and high rent levels.
London Mayoral candidate Ken Livingstone, film maker Ken Loach, and trade union General Secretaries are backing calls to resist and campaign against cuts in housing benefit. They support a Housing Emergency open statement
The statement calls on Councillors and other landlords not to evict tenants who fall behind with their rent as a result of cuts in housing benefit, and calls for regulation of private rents.
It rejects huge council rent rises, opposes use of
Eileen Short, chair of Defend Council Housing, says
' Homelessness, repossessions and overcrowding are all getting worse, and Government is turning a crisis into a catastrophe. This is a united campaign to stop the attacks on tenants and build the homes for rent people desperately need.'
The statement will be published at a Housing Emergency - Time for an Alternative meeting 21st Feb 6.30 House of Commons with Shelter, Crisis and DPAC joining Ken Loach,director Cathy Come Home, Owen Jones author, Chavs, Stephen Battersby, Councillor Catherine West, Austin Mitchell MP, Gail Cartmail, Eileen Short, tenants, unions and others - details here.
This will be followed by Further meetings including: 25 Feb Leeds, 27 Feb Colchester, 5 March Richmond & Kingston, 16 March 7pm Cambridge,29 March Harlow, 16 April Tower Hamlets, with more planned.
Housing Emergency is an alliance of tenant, trade union, political and campaign organisations, initiated by Defend Council Housing and the House of COmmons Council Housing Group of MPs.
See Housing Emergency open statement
and 21 Feb meeting details
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