Sunday, August 17, 2008

Boris “dumps” on East London


Last week I commented on Boris’s decision to allow Tory Council Hammersmith & Fulham to approve a major new housing scheme to be built without any social housing provision.

"Inside Housing" now reports from an unnamed “London Labour Party” source that if Boris intends to “dump” all new social housing in the east of London then he was “lining up for a fight”.

I don’t think the term “dumps” is particularly helpful, social housing has enough negative connotations as it is – but I think everyone takes the point. I think that I can guess who made the remarks.

Boris has made a specific manifesto commitment that he will enable 50,000 new social housing homes by 2011. The government has agreed to give him (or rather the Mayor) the funding. However, it is becoming clear that Tory boroughs don’t want social housing tenants not least because as with Lady Porter in Westminster, they tend not to vote Tory.

Another article quotes Andy Slaughter, Labour MP for Ealing, Acton and Shepherd’s Bush, said: ‘[Mr] Johnson’s rejection of his own professional officers’ advice shows that party politics, rather than housing policy, are determining decisions at City Hall.

The government needs to think again and take back the powers given to the mayoral office over planning and investment. Boris is clearly incapable of standing up to the Tory boroughs.

If these homes are not to be built where they are needed in London Tory boroughs then you are likely to get them concentrated in Labour boroughs. The strongest Labour Boroughs are of course in East London. Apart from the political “gerrymandering” that is going on, East London will have enough with its own problems of trying to house people in need without being expected to house and support people that the richer boroughs want to “cleanse”.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Its actually totally brainless to squeeeze social housing projects into areas that are unsuitable for them.. Labours envious attempts to drag everyone down to the basic lowest common denominator doesn't work. I think its fair enough not to have these projects dumped on areas which don't want them. Why is it everyone wants to live in the Conservative boroughs..could it be that they are better run and cared for by their residents? I think so! I'd rather live in Chelsea than Leytonstone as well. Anyway given the previous Labour administrations failure to build council houses anywhere you should be applauding Boris. Get used to complaining because Labour are headed for annihilation at the polls.
Labour the natural party of opposition!

Anonymous said...

Now if you knew the first thing about East London you'd have put that picture the right way up...

Anonymous said...

how many has Hammersmith agreed to build now its under Tory rule

How many were built by Tory councils under a Tory governmnet

80% of council houses built under the Tories were by LABOUR councils

Lets see how many Hammersmith build

not one by the end of this year
and lets see by the time of their defeat

Anonymous said...

Lets see how much social housing ends up in the handful of solid Tory Boroughs ????? not many

Just how many council houses have the Tory Shires built ?????

Anonymous said...

Where did you pluck your 80% statistic from...the labour manifesto? You are making it up.

Anonymous said...

I keep asking the same question and no one ever replies how many council houses have the Tories built since 1990 ???

How many since they took control of Hammersmith

ANSWER

NIL

Anonymous said...

147,336...built between 1990 and 1996 when Tony took over with Mr.Bean and promised us "no more boom nor bust"...now the economy is shagged so that's the end to all council house building.
Also Conservatives didn't "take control" of Hammersmith - they were VOTED in by the electorate. Its only socialists that talk about "taking control".

John Gray said...

Hi Anon 1

The professional GLA planners thought that this location was a perfect place for social housing.

Only the rich want to (can) live n Tory boroughs, not ordinary people.

Hi Anon 2

if you fly over the Isle of Dogs from North to South and take a picture – all will be explained! I know it is a bit complicated, but never mind, you will get it eventually I am sure.

Hi Anon 7
what figures are you using and what source?

BTW Don't be daft, all political parties use terms such as "taking control"