Since the beginning of the 1980’s Council tenants have, in law, had a ‘secure tenancy’. This gives us real security.…
The stigmatisation of benefits recipients and the reality – who receives Housing benefit?
The stigmatisation of benefit recipients, which this government, and previous ones, have promoted, was reflected in George Osborne’s comments about…
Financial Times Austerity Audit
“Cuts in welfare payments will hit the local economies of northern towns and cities as much as five times as…
Tell Labour to get off the fence and commit to repealing the ‘bedroom tax’
According to a report (Anne Black, NEC member) from the Labour Party’s national executive committee on March 19th, Ed Balls…
Labour’s shameful abstention allows the government to force Jobseekers to work for their Job Seekers Allowance
Labour’s abstention on the government’s emergency legislation, the Jobseekers (Back to Work Schemes) was a shameful episode even by the…
Pushed from pillar to post?
This is a letter to the Swindon Advertiser in response to comments by North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson. Justin Tomlinson…
Labour caught napping over bedroom tax
This article was published in the Morning Star Features page on February 21st. Labour has been tackling the government over…
Is Labour opposed to the principle of the bedroom tax, or just the way it is being implemented?
A question for Stephen Timms Labour has been tackling the government over the bedroom tax. Ed Milliband has raised it…
Swindon’s Census: what does it tell us about the housing crisis in Swindon?
The 2011 Census statistics for Local Authorities and wards are now available on line. I’ve just started ploughing through the…
Council tenants: defending ‘secure tenancies’ and opposing means tested Council housing
This is an article published on the Red Pepper website. They have given it a different title, ‘Council Housing shouldn’t…
Martin Wicks 