Bedroom tax demos...and classism

[david bangs]

There were about a thousand at the anti-bedroom tax demo in Manchester last Saturday, and another big demo in Liverpool.

There were about 300 at the parallel demo in Sheffield. 

In Brighton we had 74...which is about 64 more than I'd expected...so I count it as a success. The Brighton Green Party Chair of Housing said that she was determined to go for a 'no evictions' policy, and even the Evening Argus -  the 'Sun of the South' - has just had an editorial in favour of a no evictions policy. 

The Greens are a minority administration. However, the Labour opposition leader has also said she's in favour of such a policy 'in principle', though quibbling about the details, and even the Tory spokesperson was ambivalent and said he "wants to see the detail before saying yay or nay"...which is astonishingly positive for a Tory...

There's some feeling about Housing Associations not standing up to the Government over the bedroom tax issue. You can see why, when this (SEE BELOW) is how they perceive their tenants on social security  -




One wonders what advice they're offering, since people will shortly be expected to live on less than the "applicable amounts" the DWP is so fond of, which currently do not adequately cover the cost of food and heat, never mind anything else....It must be that new booklet "A Tenant's Guide to Shoplifting"...  

Dave Bangs
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