On D-Day – Remember why they fought

Watching the BBC broadcasting from Normandy, with Chuck, his Ma and her bidie-in, any socialist could almost be forgiven for disassociating themselves from the whole enterprise. Ceremonies like this always bring God, Queen and country to the fore. But the anniversary of D-Day deserves more respect, because we need to remember why they fought.

NHS alone can't solve health inequality

'Without addressing the fundamental inequalities in society the enormous efforts of our NHS staff will be like trying to push a giant rock up a hill. No matter how hard they try it comes pressing back down on them' writes UNISON Scottish Convenor and health worker Lilian Macer in a Morning Star article pointing out that policy on housing, employment and education all have an impact on health in Scotland and beyond:
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-f01f-The-NHS-alone-cant-solve-health-inequality

TUC 2013 Preview: Oh! We do like to be beside the seaside

#TUC13 The bucket and spades are packed, the correct length of trouser leg to be rolled up for paddling purposes has been calculated and the knotted hankies are at the ready. The TUC has decamped to Bournemouth for the next few days for its 145th annual jamboree. Starting on Sunday, Congress will set out its campaign programme for the period up to the next general election.

3 ways Labour can set the world on fire

Michael Meacher MP reviews last week’s local elections in England’s shire counties, and calls for ‘two or three key exciting ideas which really resonate with the public and set the pulse racing a bit.’ How about this for a Labour 2015 General Election pledge card?

1. End austerity
2. Tax the hyper-rich
3. A massive programme of social housing construction

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/news/content/view/full/132529

The market cannot solve the UK's housing crisis

Islington Labour Councillor James Murray writes that the Con Dem Government's hands off approach to the housing crisis (in terms of affordability and scarcity) is failing and calls for state investment in social housing:
  'A comprehensive response means investing in new social housing, with councils – who in many places are landlords with huge stocks – helping to solve the crisis. Investing in new social housing, rather than spending on benefits to subsidise private rents, would help raise the number of new homes, of the sort we need in the places we need them. Regulating the private rental market should play a role in any solution, whilst potential home buyers could be helped through financial regulation, and by looking at new solutions like cooperative models of ownership'
http://classonline.org.uk/docs/Time_to_step_in-James_Murray.pdf

Mutual housing model provides less not more democracy

As the Con Dem's promote 'choice and diversity' to break up collective provision of public services, the Guardian publishes self-interested spin claiming that privatisation of housing stock in Rochdale is good for democracy! https://socialenterprise.guardian.co.uk/en/articles/social-enterprise-network/2012/mar/28/rochdale-housing-mutual-ownership?CMP=EMCSOCEML657

Affordable Homes Crisis - moving housing up the political agenda

Housing Voice - the new campaign to champion the need for more affordable homes to buy or rent in the UK - is conducting an independent inquiry into the affordable housing crisis and last Friday held a northern regional hearing in Manchester. Evidence was submitted from a wide range of experts from the private, public and not for profit sector. Mo Baines, President of Manchester UNISON served on the Inquiry Panel along with Lord Whitty, Chair of Housing Voice and David Rodgers, Chief Executive of CDS. Mo's opening comments are reprinted below: http://www.housingvoice.co.uk/

200th anniversay of Dickens and squalid housing still prevalent in UK

It is the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens and one has to wonder what the author would make of today’s housing conditions? In the fifth richest economy in the world the lives of 1.6 million children are still blighted by poor housing. The feedstock for poor housing is the demand for social housing that is not being met.

London UNISON Regional Council AGM

UNISON London Region's existing leadership team, led by Convenor Gloria Hanson, saw off an attempt by the SWP and its sympathisers to take over at yesterday's Regional Council AGM. This is the seventh victory in a row for London grass root union activists who soundly defeated the challengers at the ballot box.

What’s our policy on the private rented sector?

Much of the discussion about housing on the left inevitably concentrates on what we don’t have- a thriving public rented sector, and then inevitably concentrates on how we get back to that, and in more subtle discussions how it can be improved. There is however a problem with this approach.

Toxic cocktail sees public service workers dependent on benefits‏

The result of Brown’s in-work tax credits rather than a genuine living wage is now coming home to roost as more and more people in work are forced to rely on benefits to keep a roof over the heads. Brown's latter day conversion to a living wage in the 2010 general election campaign was too little too late . The Tories are about to make the situation a while lot worse: http://www.localgov.co.uk/index.cfm?method=news.detail&id=94218

Douglas Alexander: Make Cuts More Slowly

On Friday Douglas Alexander Shadow Minister for Work and Pensions let the cat out of the bag. Labour, he said, is broadly supportive of the plans for the phased reform of housing benefit and stressed support for stricter incapacity benefit tests. (www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/nov/05/douglas-alexander-labour-welfare

Community Service Group is up and running

Community, UNISON’s new service group established at 2009 NDC, today held its inaugural conference in Telford. Over 100 delegates attended the conference which was chaired by union President Angela Lynes. http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=6415

Coalition don't care about housing crisis, says UNISON

From UNISON's Housing News: UNISON has reacted angrily to the housing announcements included in the spending review.  Although the details are still emerging, it seems clear that new social tenancies will cease. Whilst rents and tenancies will be guaranteed for all those currently in the sector, future tenants will pay rents at 80 per cent of the market rate. The coalition have also announced a £4 billion cut to the social housing budget.

TUC: Building decent homes makes economic sense‏

In moving the composite on Housing, James Anthony from UNISON said this is an issue which unites us all across our movement and beyond. We all need a decent, affordable place to live. “For UNISON it takes on particular significance as many of our members work in council and other social housing and in housing benefit.”

Building Contractor Demolished by ConDem Austerity‏

Thousands of construction workers face losing their jobs after the collapse of a company responsible for maintaining huge numbers of council houses. Connaught, which employs 10,000 staff, called in administrators KPMG last night after bankers, who are responsible for the austerity programme, refused to give the struggling group more money: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5in44Cnux4QYR2Q5HttEIo3-d9kew

Double Whammy‏ - the joy of outsourcing

As Connaught faces going into administration, a combination of privatisation - leaving public funds open to the predations of greedy directors - and cuts,  leave housing services and the jobs of those who provide them in limbo. Edinburgh Council's flagship privatisation plans only dropped Connaught as an option a few months ago. Now, imagine if they had got the services....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/aug/06/conaught-social-housing-loss-warning
Ah The Joy of Outsourcing... Living proof that the cuts will hit all areas of the economy. These needless ConDem cuts will savage public and private sector jobs alike.

Con Dem austerity measures - a war on equality‏

Ex-London Mayor Ken Livingstone has published a damning critique of the Con Dem cuts programme, showing that women are more heavily affected by cuts in housing benefit and pension changes
http://www.kenlivingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Women1.pdf

TUC cuts through Con Dem 100 days media hype‏

Great work by the TUC - cutting through the media hype about the Con Dem government hitting the 100 day mark tomorrow - and setting out 100 cuts which impact more on the poorest families in the UK.
http://www.tuc.org.uk/newsroom/tuc-18360-f0.cfm

Forget "get on your bike" the new Tory mantra is "give up your home"

A fundamental prescription of neo-liberalism is the free mobility of labour (both within and across countries). Social insecurities rank alongside inequalities as axiomatic to the reactionary philosophy of those who believe that human beings are driven by self interest and competition.