‘MINISTERS are colluding in a growing scandal. Their promises about Grenfell, about new council homes, and action on safety are proving hollow,’ said Eileen Short of Homes for All yesterday, announcing an ‘all-day Housing Action’ for Budget Day next Thursday.
The action is on Budget Day 22nd November, with an 8.30am protest at Homes landlord conference, Olympia (main entrance) Hammersmith Road W14 8UX. The action will then continue with a 12 noon Budget Day rally in Parliament Square, demanding Justice for Grenfell and a Budget for Homes.
This will be followed by a 6:30pm meeting in the House of Commons Committee Room 17, with Grenfell campaigners, tenants, trade unions, MPs and shadow cabinet members. Eileen Short continued: ‘Homelessness and evictions are soaring, and millions of homes are still unsafe. A growing grassroots movement is demanding action.
‘We are taking the argument to landlords and politicians – it’s time to challenge their complacent vested interests. We will not be silent or let the dead be forgotten. The majority of those who lost homes in the terrible Grenfell fire are still homeless, after five months.
‘Prime Minister Theresa May promised they would be rehoused in three weeks. Council and housing association homes are still not safe and funding for sprinklers and fire safety measures is being refused. Petitions demanding government action continue to get huge support, Channel 4’s Dispatches this week exposed the government’s Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), which failed to investigate Grenfell fire warnings and tenant complaints across Britain.
‘HCA land deals resulted in only 0.7% of homes for social rent, despite a budget of £4.7 billion. A Housing Summit will be held on Sunday November 25th from 11am-5pm at Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD.
‘It will bring together tenants of all tenures, workers, homeless and other campaigners to demand action for Grenfell and on fire safety, new council housing, stopping demolition, rent controls, scrapping Universal Credit and scrapping the 2016 Housing and Planning Act.’
