London Party Conference 2024: Tuesday

 

Weather was much better so went for another run around the boundary of the magnificent Sefton Park (opposite way from Sunday). Other than that I had a lazy start trying to decide which fringes to go to. Lots of the social housing fringes have been full so I need to get there earlier. 

My first fringe was by Labour Housing Group "The Road to Building 1.5 Homes". The Chair was Cllr John Cotton, Labour Leader for Birmingham Council for first half then he had to leave, so Cllr Heather Johnson from Camden took over. I am a member of the LHG and volunteered to be "microphone" aide to the Chair.  This meeting was also packed with many people standing or sitting on the floor. Speakers from National Housing Federation, EDAROTH, Planning Federation and Community Union. 

All were pretty positive that the new Government could achieve its housing targets but it will not be easy. However, the issue of providing subsidy for social rented homes (or first time buyers) was not directly addressed. While I am sure that setting long term social landlord rent levels, enabling planning reforms etc will result in far more homes being built - how many will be genuinely affordable? 

Other fringes I wanted to go into were also full so I was able to go early and get to see the Leaders' speech via video in one of the large theatres. It was packed and I was lucky to get a seat. There was little or no chance of getting into the conference hall. 

I thought Keir Starmer' speech was impressive and liked the mix of seriousness and humour. I did miss the reference to "sausages", possibly to some very excited delegates around me, who were clapping loudly, standing up and cheering the video. Must be an age thing. While I think many of us watching wished that he could have fulfilled, the very long, long list of things that we want a Labour Government to address immediately. Most know that is impossible. Judge this Government on what it will do in the next 4 years and not its first few months. 

Next was "Investing in our future: How can Labour build a brighter, more financial  resilient future for UK Savers" (New Statesman and massive fund manager Blackrock). Good to listen to new MP Kanishka Narayan, who has a investment background and knows what he is talking about but who also proudly announced he was a UNISON member. Not sure of the Blackrock argument that Pensions need to be combined with a short term emergency savings offer? Too many people in my experience don't have enough in their pensions and often try to cash them in too early but I understand the goal. 25% of UK residents have no savings. 

After this I went to the well organised launch of Obsidan Labour which has been set up by my UNISON colleague, Cllr Joseph Ogundemurem and new MP Bayo Alaba. 

UNISON reception this year was in the Beatles Story and it was good to chat up with delegates and guests, including my first catch up in her new role as Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner MP! 

Afterwards, was a quick drink at the second Newham "get together" then back to hotel. 

Labour Housing Group Policy Day - "Fighting for the Housing Standards we Need & Deserve"

Today I travelled to Birmingham to attend a policy day organised by the Labour Housing Group. There was a number of excellent speakers including Shadow Secretary of State, Lisa Nandy MP. She pledged that a future Labour Government will introduce a Private Renters Charter & decent homes standards in it’s first 100 days. It will also abolish S21 evictions & the feudal leasehold tenure. 

Sharon Thompson, Birmingham’s Cabinet Member for Housing & Homelessness spoke on how the city is tacking standards in the private rented sector & extending licensing. Dr Jill Stewart, Senior Lecturer in Housing & Environmental Health, Middlesex University described the dreadful stats and limited law regarding housing standards.

Salma Hamid from the Birmingham Fair Housing Campaign gave a passionate speech on their campaigning & research on really poor standards in the private & public housing sectors for decent standards & their fight on behalf of tenants for decent rights.

Before lunch there was workshops on housing standards in Social Housing, PRS (Private rental sector) and Owner occupation. I moderated the workshop on Social Housing.

After lunch there was a talk by Cllr Kerrie Carmichael Leader Sandwell Council & Housing lead Cllr Charn Singh Padda on the difference a Labour council is making on housing standards, tackling homelessness, new homes & retrofitting despite challenges on funding.

Next was Martin Wicks, from Labour Campaign for Council Housing. Who made it clear what Council tenants such as himself expect Labour Councils and future Labour Governments to deliver upon housing standards. He is still waiting for a modern bathroom after many decades.

There was then a brief summary from the moderators of the workshops. I gave a summary of the lively and thoughtful one on Social Housing.

Final item was the launch of the West Midlands branch of the Labour Housing Group whose inaugural meeting takes place next month.

This was an excellent day. Many thanks to our speakers but also to our LHG Chair, Cllr John Cotton, and all the executive members of the LHG who have spend so much time and energy organising such events.

(Hat tip to Ross Houston for stealing some of his photos and comments from the @labourhousing twitter account)

#Lab16 Labour Housing Group fringe

 

After the "Unions together" fringe on Sunday I cycled (using the Liverpool Council rented City Bikes) from the conference centre to my 2nd housing fringe that evening at the historic Cunard Buildng in Pier Head.

The Labour Housing Group is a socialist society affiliated to the Party. The meeting was sponsored by UNISON Labour Link and the chair was Paul Eastwood.  The theme of the fringe was "Local Labour Projects Challenging Tory Inaction on Housing".

I missed the speech by keynote speaker, John Healey MP, but arrived in time to hear Cllr John Cotton explain how they have managed to build 2000 truely affordable homes in Birmingham (must find out why we can't do the same in Newham?).

Jenny Osborne, from TPAS, argued that the greater involvement of residents in procurement processes would save Housing Associations and Council's huge amounts of money.  This makes perfect sense that those who actually receive housing management services will have good ideas about how that service can deliver efficiencies. Again, must chase up Newham Housing Residents Scrutiny which hardly never meets.

Final speaker was Cllr Frank Hont, who is the Housing Lead in Liverpool City Council. I had the privilege of knowing Frank when he was a widely respected regional secretary for UNISON.  Frank talked about the housing challenges that Liverpool faces but also had a swipe at the "London centric" housing policies that the Government keeps pursuing.  He also critised some housing associations for being remote and poor landlords.

In the Q&A I asked the panel if they agreed that the reason that some Housing Associations were  bad landlords was because they were undemocratic and union busters. No wonder some treat residents so badly if they don't even respect the human rights of their workers? 

John Healey MP replied to my question by saying that in his past experience as a Housing Minister, you could set standards for housing associations for various things and this could include worker rights in the future and that while they may moan and complain they would deliver. 

 

Afterwards I chatted to LHG members about asking Housing Associations in their boroughs if they recognise trade unions and if not - why on earth not?