London Labour Housing Group - Housing First: Campaigning to win in London

Last weekend I went to this conference run by London branch of the Labour Housing Group (LHG) in St Margarets House, Bethnal Green.

The LHG is the socialist society affiliated to the Labour Party which specialises in housing issues.

Chair was Roz Spencer who spoke about housing now being a distinctive policy for Labour. Roz introduced the first speaker, Karen Buck MP (PPS to Ed Miliband).

Karen pointed out that 26% of London depended upon housing benefit to help with their rent while "Generation rent" cannot go into home ownership. We need to turn benefits into bricks! Even the affluent worry about their children and what is happening to London. Neighbourhoods are changing. 60% of new properties are bought by global investors. 

There is a serious market failure. We need to not only use figures when campaigning but paint pictures.

Morgan McSweeney, Head of GLA Labour Office spoke on "Housing on the doorstep: the grass roots campaign". He also believes that now is housing's time. If the Labour message is that this will be the "Cost of Living" election then housing will play a key role. 

Make sure your message connects on an emotional level. Test first with your friends and family. Then repeat, repeat and repeat. Define your opponents. Have message discipline but check that local leadership and candidates are saying the same. If not change to what the candidates are saying.

Segmenting people by their values. They are either "Settlers, Prospector's or Pioneers". Use different communication tools. Petitions are wonderful but so is word of mouth. Target taxi drivers and hairdressers. Don't make the mistake that many make in by-elections, when campaigners go to the pub afterwards and exchange stories on who is the most stupid person they have met that day in front of bar staff.

Cllr James Murray, Cabinet member for Housing in Islington on "Labour in Control: winning support for new build". When Labour won control they committed to building 2,000 new homes. Yet there was no infrastructure on new build left in the Council. They set up a "new homes board" which met regularly to "knock heads together" and clear blockages.

At first they were surprised that many local residents were opposed to new build on their estates. Residents were worried about loss of parking and green spaces. To overcome this it was critical to make a "local letting guarantee". Those who lived on the estate in housing need would be considered first for the new lettings. Next, all other local residents would be able to transfer on a "like for like" basis. You need to argue that this is a package which will not only bring new homes but refurbish and improve the estate.

Jamie Carswell chaired the session after coffee.

Ben Soffa, Director of Organic Campaigns, on "Using social media: new campaigning across every tenure".  Social Media is not a replacement - it is a supplement. Data and contact details key. Do you want to speak to 150 people during a campaign weekend or is it better to speak to only 75 and get emails for 40?  Push the email choice. Write for an audience and use to spread the message. Like targeting taxi drivers - end each email by asking people to forward it to 5 friends. 

Use images tell a story. Twitter is the easiest way, FaceBook tends to be too personal to you. Use an image and maximum 8 words of text and ask people what they think. Don't use a direct action petition quoting the local leader but rather have a quote from a mum living in a overcrowded home who wants help to move.

Final speaker was Tom Copley AM GLA Housing spokesperson. "The London wide campaign: reinforcing messages for Labour". Tom introduced a provisional London Labour housing pledge card
with 5 key messages :-    Build new generation of council houses: Regulate private landlords and agents (and clamp down on rogues); Focus on help for young first time buyers;  Fair Housing Benefit policies (and repeal the bedroom tax) and lastly require all housing contractors to offer apprenticeships & pay a living wage.

There was then a Q&A on "What can London LHG do for you?" which being an event for Labour Party activists meant everyone (including myself) wanted to have their say and offer their views and experiences. Sometimes at length and in great detail.  Jamie managed to chair the closing session with humour and authority which meant nearly everyone was able to have their full say and the meeting overran only a little.

I had a very useful conversation afterwards about ways to tackle poverty wages and insecure employment in social care and the role of housing organisations. 

London Labour Housing Group Policy Conference April 2013

Last Saturday (April 13) I went to the London Labour Housing Group policy conference in Paddington. This event was sponsored by UNISON.

I was a little late since I had my Council surgery in Newham first. By coincidence I had 3 people come to me with separate housing related issues and was presented with a petition!

So I missed the key note speaker Jack Dromey MP and arrived during the first workshop.  I did manage to have a very quick word with him about the possibility of Council Pension funds investing in Social Housing. 

The workshop was on "London’s changing tenures: what are the implications for policy?" The report backs from the workshops on policy implications included the need for a mansion tax; a London "not for profit" letting agency; we need new build since 93% of money spent on housing is spent on housing benefit and not on new housing investment; need to build communities; leaseback of right to buy properties if owners unable to maintain; build more homes is the solution to bedroom tax.

Newham Council was praised for its Local Space Housing company which has bought private homes for temporary lets and for its Borough wide Private Sector licensing project.There was also mention of the need of a concordat with local authorities and the more democrat and responsible housing associations. After lunch there was the 2nd workshop on "Housing policies: what should Labour’s key promises be in 2014?"

Key promises from the report backs included the regulation of landlords across London and a "Fair Deal" for the private sector; stop fraud and tax evasion by landlords; no eviction for non payment of bedroom tax (but you cannot write off the debt); pledge to build more homes at affordable rents; CPO abandoned properties and bring back into use; increase Council tax on empty properties; green our existing stock; look at balance sheets of Housing associations that are not building; support TRA and instead of "right to buy" what about a "right to build" for homeless or overcrowded residents in every borough?

Finally (see picture) there was a plenary and panel discussion, Chaired by Karen Buck MP on "Campaigning on housing in 2014".  On the panel was Sir Steve Bullock, Jacky Peacock OBE, Councillor James Murray and myself (in my UNISON capacity).

Karen in her introduction praised Tory Secretary of State for Communities, Eric Pickles, as being "brilliant" for the way he tries to justify his despicable policies by antidote e.g. inferring that if only Councils did not pay their CEO's so much then no cuts would be necessary. She pointed out that Government by antidote is a disaster but perhaps we should learn from the Tories how to campaign with antidotes.

Steve gave a measured but powerful speech about how our policy and values towards housing defines us as a London Labour Party.  In Q&A Jacky reminded us all of the vital campaigning role that tenant and residents groups had played in the past and how they must be part of any housing solutions future.

James stressed how we must be pragmatic in our campaigning. When Labour took control of Islington Council in 2010, they announced that they will build new homes on spaces in Council estates but were taken back at the hostility to this idea by existing residents. The solution was to promise that any new tenancies would firstly be offered to any residents in need on the existing estates that they were planning to build upon.

I pointed out that we must have a living wage plus in London Housing. Not only a living wage but to defeat poverty, a living pension and sickness benefits for all workers - whether directly employed or sub-contractors.  Also we need to change the debate about taxes in this country. We will not be able to do what we want to do with regard to the provision of housing unless we spend more money. The rich must play their fair share but all of us will also have to pay more in taxes to get decent housing for all.

LLHG secretary (and Red Brick blogger) Steve Hilditch closed the conference and then Karen thanked him and all members of the Executive for their hard work in organising such a successful event.

Some of us then retired to the nearest pub to continue putting our London housing world to rights.

(picture Cllr Ross Houston)

Labour London Housing Group Policy Conference: 13 April 2013

Jack Dromey MP is the Keynote speaker with Karen Buck MP, Sir Steve Bullock, Cllr James Murray and Jacky Peacock. (Double click to bring up details). I will be taking part in a panel session.

Workers Memorial Day – “Remember the dead but fight for the living”.

Today Islington MP Emily Thornberry joined local Councillors and trade union members to mark Workers Memorial Day.

Emily helped plant a cherry tree in a new London housing development in tribute to those who have died at work or due to work related ill-health.

Immediately beforehand at noon Tuesday 28 April 2009 there was a minute’s silence. The event was jointly organised by Circle Anglia UNISON housing association members and Circle Anglia Group by its joint health and safety committee.

Workers Memorial Day is an internationally recognised event where those who have been killed in accidents at work or who have died of industrial diseases such as asbestos related cancer are remembered. It is also a campaigning day on promoting health & safety at work issues.

A purple “forget-me-not” is worn to remember those who have died.

The ceremony took place at the new Circle Anglia shared ownership development at the Blue Court, Sherbourne Street, Islington, N1 3FJ. One reason why the site was chosen was that the previous building had to be demolished due to large amount of asbestos in it.

John Gray UNISON convenor at Circle Anglia and Housing Association Branch safety officer said:

“UNISON estimate that some 1,600 people are killed each year due to work related accidents and some 50,000 die every year from work related illnesses including cancer. Today we must all remember the dead but also campaign for the living. Employers and unions must work together to do all they can to protect people at work”.

Islington UNISON member Cathy Daniels said:

“This day reminds people why health & safety is important. It is not about kill joys stopping “egg and spoon races” it is about real hazards affecting real people”.

Emily Thornberry MP said:

“A large number of people die each year from work-related accidents or illnesses and so I am pleased to support the important work that UNISON members do to protect workers.”

Check out Prime Minister Gordon Brown statement on Workers Memorial Day (WMD) and the press release from DWP on consultation about this day being nationally recognised! Also the excellent UNISON website on WMD 2009 and the Health & Safety Executive website on WMD.

Picture (l-r)
John Gray UNISON convenor Circle Anglia Housing Association, Cllr Paul Smith, Robert Brown Circle Anglia Safety Manager, Emily Thornberry MP Islington South and Finsbury, “Growing Concern” Gardeners Pasquale Calabresey and Jim Kelly, Islington UNISON member Cathy Daniels and Cllr James Murray.

(hat-tip thingy based on UNISON Housing Association branch Press release)