Briefing to Labour MPs of 08/10/13

Labour Lambeth shames you

A family who have lived in their home for 33 years face imminent eviction after Lambeth Council took costly court action against them last week.

The family concerned are the latest victims of a housing co-op community purge effected by this so-called ‘co-operative’ Labour Council, one that brings shame on your party.

Former Lambeth leader Steve Reed and current leader Lib Peck have overseen social cleansing in Lambeth. Housing co-ops of nearly 40 years standing are being wiped off the map, meaning that residents who have been in their homes since the 1970s, and are in their 70s, are being evicted, among other vulnerable people.

The action has been roundly criticised by a host of people, both outside of the Labour Party and within it:

“Lambeth must be condemned for the way it has behaved to these long-standing residents.”
Kate Hoey MP

“I would most strongly urge the council to stop threatening their residents in so-called ‘shortlife’ housing.”
Ruling Labour group councillor Helen O’Malley

“It’s time for Lambeth to think again and negotiate an honourable settlement with long-standing residents, one that it has shown no desire to so far.”
Vivienne Westwood to Lambeth councillors

“Next time I see Steve [Reed, former Lambeth council leader], I am going to encourage him to get a grip on matters before the project loses its credibility.”
One of Lambeth’s ‘Co-op Council’ Commissionerson the ‘Co-op council’ tag

Val Shawcross, Labour GLA member for Lambeth & Southwark, told us “this shouldn’t be happening” when we first met her, but then did very little to persuade Lambeth Council to act honourably.

A co-op proposal, backed by the Co-op Enterprise Hub, has been put forward on numerous occasions, however, Lambeth have actively ducked this idea and instead want to continue with a policy that sells off social housing units and pushes more people onto the already stretched waiting list. The policy means that more money is spent on emergency accommodation – Lambeth Council already spends £1m a year on this.

Please help us apply pressure on Lambeth’s self-styled ‘co-operative council’, so that it does the right thing by some of the borough’s longest-term residents and ceases to be an embarrassment to the Labour and Co-operative movement.

More information:

Lambeth United Housing Co-operative
Mobile: 07584 906161
Website: www.lambethunitedhousingco-op.org.uk
Twitter: @LambethUnited
Sign our petition here: http://tinyurl.com/nwkuvlr

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