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Morning Briefing: bishop urges change of mindset on social housing ahead of Grenfell anniversary
Social housing must get the “priority it deserves” and housing should be seen more as a “secure place for shelter” than as a financial asset, a church figure has said ahead of the second anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire.
In a report entitled The Social Legacy of Grenfell: An Agenda for Change, the Bishop of Kensington, Graham Tomlin, said the tragedy was a “once in a generation” chance to “look at what might be wrong with our social fabric and try to fix it”. The report was covered in several national newspapers, including The Guardian.
Bishop Tomlin said: “Rather than listening first to experts on housing policy, economists or developers, why not listen first to those who actually live in social housing?
“Surely their voice is vital in developing good effective housing policy in future?”
He added that a fitting legacy for the 72 people who died would be major changes in democracy, welfare, housing and neighbourliness, as well as recognition of the importance of faith and other community groups.
The report is based on conversations with survivors, bereaved relatives, councillors, community groups and social activists.
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Chancellor Philip Hammond has dismissed as “nonsense” a UN report claiming millions of people in the UK are living in poverty.
The UN report, published last month, said the government’s policies had also led to “tragic consequences” in some instances.
But Mr Hammond told BBC Newsnight: “I reject the idea that there are vast numbers of people facing dire poverty in this country.
“I don’t accept the UN rapporteur’s report at all. I think that’s nonsense. Look around you – that’s not what we see in this country.”
Elsewhere, the BBC has obtained figures showing police have significantly moved away from a law allowing beggars and rough sleepers to be arrested.
Arrests under the Vagrancy Act have halved over two years, the data reveals.
Police services have said they are “moving away” from the “archaic” law, which charities argue criminalises the homeless. The government said the law is under review.
Meanwhile, The Guardian has reported that Labour could speed up plans to reveal the owners of offshore companies holding UK property and publish details of land owned by trusts, to tackle money laundering.
And Liberal Democrat peer Lord Shipley has called on the government to do more to support the delivery of social housing. Writing in PoliticsHome, he said: “The Conservative government may have supported the Liberal Democrat commitment to build 300,000 new homes a year, but unless they also support our demand for an ambitious delivery of social housing, they will fail to reach that figure.
“By ignoring this crucial part of the solution to the housing crisis, the Tories are demonstrating their disdain to all those affected by it.”
On social media
Social media reacts to the new Labour-commissioned report reviewing land ownership rules in the country:
A revolutionary review of land ownership in the UK. As @GeorgeMonbiot himself says, if even half of his proposals were adopted (by @UKLabour) it could change the very face of Britain”. t.co/xoTfYFt6l9 pic.twitter.com/JsayboIzc6
— Henry Pryor (@HenryPryor)A revolutionary review of land ownership in the UK. As @GeorgeMonbiot himself says, if even half of his proposals were adopted (by @UKLabour) it could change the very face of Britain”. https://t.co/xoTfYFt6l9 pic.twitter.com/JsayboIzc6
— Henry Pryor (@HenryPryor) June 4, 2019
