The Demolition of Social Housing?

Social housing in the UK provides homes for 8 million people - but its prospects appear increasingly grim. With the decline of a manufacturing base and the rise of financial capital in western economies social housing has appeared to the ruling class as an under-capitalised asset; its potential 'real' value remaining unrealised by its protection from full exposure to market valuation. 

Since the 1970s successive governments have shown a growing hostility to the concept of state-subsidised housing for the lower orders. Earlier Tory regimes had implemented limited 'right-to-buy' schemes for some council tenants, and a 1970s Labour government had considered similar schemes but abandoned it as too controversial and potentially divisive a policy for the Party(1). Coming to power in 1979, Thatcher's Tories had no such qualms or obstacles and tenants snapped up their council homes at knock-down prices in this first wave of mass buy-outs (with the discounts offered at the time for many tenants mortgage payments worked out cheaper than continuing to rent).

Islington and the Cuts – some (chilling) facts and (nauseating) figures.

Islington is sometimes thought of as a rich borough, yet those who live in it know it’s a little bit more complicated than that. Unlike most boroughs in London, where deprivation is confined to particular areas, the poor areas of Islington are spread throughout it. This is because it doesn’t have the large high-rise estates typical of most of London¹.

Yet Islington is still one of the most deprived areas in the UK, and its poverty looks set to become more extreme as inequality is stretched: while the richest fifth of the population are predicted to lose less than 1% of their income due to spending cuts, the poorest fifth will lose an average of 12%². Combined with Islington’s sky high rents, the cuts to benefits, public services and jobs currently being unravelled are likely to land a heavy blow. The hardship and uncertainty this produces will undoubtedly be worse for those who are already poor, but, in the end, it will damage the vibrant and diverse area that we all enjoy, and create a poverty of experience for everyone.

This is a summary of how Islington currently fares in terms of poverty and deprivation and who is most likely to do worse as result of government policy, but it is by no means a comprehensive review. For example, it does not even begin to touch on the effects of withdrawal of public services, or closures of community spaces, which are vital to people’s social, mental and physical health. 

Evil is the Route of all Money

Few people understand the money system, and economists rarely explain it.  It holds such power over our lives yet we are never even taught about it in school.  We are taught how to play with figures, but it is never explained to us how bankers play their number games.  The total amount of debt in the world (money owed to banks) is many times their total reserves in gold and other precious metals.  How can this be?

ISLINGTON RADICAL HISTORY

We link here to some articles on radical history related to Islington. New material will be added as we find it.

Unwaged fightback - A history of Islington Action Group of the Unwaged - 1980-86
The history of an unwaged workers' group in 1980s London, its efforts to establish and run a centre for the unemployed and its relationship to the Miners' Strike and other struggles of its times; a pamphlet produced in late 1987 by the Campaign for Real Life. http://libcom.org/library/unwaged-fightback-a-history-of-islington-action-group-of-the-unwaged-1980-86

Reds On The Green - A Short Tour of Clerkenwell Radicalism
This text is a short sketch of the radical history of the Clerkenwell area, its characters and events.

There has been little easily available to read concentrating specifically on the long and rich history of the politics and struggles of the area. The following account charts the changing fortunes and developments of the communities, classes and individuals involved. It also offers some passing comments on the Clerkenwell of today. http://libcom.org/library/reds-green-short-tour-clerkenwell-radicalism
This text was published as a pamphlet, ‘Reds On the Green’, in October 2005, by past tense. The text is also on their site; http://www.past-tense.org.uk

Dan Chatterton
Articles by or about Dan Chatterton (pictured above), 19th century working class Chartist, secularist, birth control propagandist, communist and radical public speaker who was well known among the early London Anarchist and Marxist circles. Born and bred in Clerkenwell, he self-published the journal 'Chatteron's Commune, the Atheistic, Communistic, Scorcher'. http://libcom.org/tags/dan-chatterton-0

ON VOTING - A PERSONAL VIEW

In the April/May issue of "Islington Now" there was a section titled "Having your say" with opinions from three "local voters" who think "it's vital to have your say" and believe that voting makes a difference. Yet there was no voice from the 2/3 majority who don't vote. One person said "if you don't vote and a party or candidate gets voted in who you disagree with, then you can't complain", but what if you disagree with all the candidates? There is no opportunity to express this opinion, no box for "none of the above". Candidates promise to change things, but when they get in power it's usually them who change. One cross in a box every 4 years makes virtually no difference - it's what you do the rest of the time that makes a difference.

If you try to redress the bias by adding to the Council's advertised election blog, you'll find that you can't. What at first sight looks like a blog with various personal views, is in fact just pieces from Council staff promoting elections. All the talk of "participatory democracy" is just like "consultation" - meaningless phrases which might sound like they're inclusive but actually maintain centralized control of our lives.