A joint letter to the Guardian
A year ago, we launched LCEH to ask the Labour Party to include, in its next manifesto, a pledge to end homelessness – something it has never before done. This is not a pipe dream. Leading homelessness charities such as Crisis and Shelter believe that we can end homelessness too. Yet we believe also that only the Labour Party can deliver on this in government.
Under the last Labour government, homelessness fell substantially, but it was not eradicated. Moreover, homelessness under the Tories is soaring, with rough sleeping in London now more than twice what it was in 2010, according to DCLG statistics.
So far, we have been grateful for the support of many Labour politicians, including James Murray (Deputy Mayor of London for Housing), and our patrons, Teresa Pearce MP (Shadow Minister for Housing) and Tom Copley AM (Labour housing spokesman, GLA). However, we now want Labour to make formal its support for our aim of ending homelessness.
To make a Labour pledge to end homelessness real, we ask the Party to consider five key policies which will go towards eradicating homelessness. We also ask that the next Labour government enacts these policies in the order set out below:
- A government-led national structure involving all of the major organisations, including statutory and community sector organisations, dedicated to ending homelessness.
- Implement more efficient preventative measures and early intervention programs to stop homelessness becoming entrenched and end the cycle.
- Create a more effective registration system and information database of rough sleepers and hidden homeless to begin the process of rehousing.
- Enshrine the right to a home for everyone and begin the process of rehousing all of the UK’s homeless population, including those with complex needs.
- Launch a substantial and sustainable programme of public and social house building.
These are times of huge upheaval for our country and we believe Labour is best placed to unite the nation. Radical, socialist solutions are needed urgently to address homelessness and all of the ugly manifestations of grotesque inequality in this country.
In the words of Aneurin Bevan, spoken on the eve of the 1945 General Election: “We have been the dreamers. We have been the sufferers. Now we are the builders.”
Signed:
Cllr Sam Stopp, Chair – The Labour Campaign to End Homelessness
Ryan Maynes, Head of Policy – The Labour Campaign to End Homelessness
Rebecca Wilson, National Outreach Coordinator – The Labour Campaign to End Homelessness
Philip Freeman, Campaigns Coordinator – The Labour Campaign to End Homelessness
Alex Angelakis, Communications Officer – The Labour Campaign to End Homelessness
Martin Smith, National Organiser – GMB
David Hamblin, Chair – GMB Young Members Network
Pauline Ludwinski, GMB London
Wes Streeting MP
Jess Phillips MP
Tulip Siddiq MP
Jeff Smith MP
Ben Bradshaw MP
Ivan Lewis MP
Ian Lavery MP
Jonathan Ashworth MP
Tom Copley AM
Florence Eshalomi AM
Nicky Gavron AM
Navin Shah AM
Martin Edobor, Chair – Young Fabians
Benjamin Butterworth, Chair – London Young Labour
James Bloodworth, Mitcham and Morden CLP
Richard Angell, Director, Progress
Rachael Harris, National Committee Member – Momentum
Luke Akehurst, Oxford East CLP
Cllr Warren Morgan, Leader – Brighton and Hove City Council
Cllr Phillip Glanville, Deputy Mayor – London Borough of Hackney
Rachel Megan Barker, Women’s Officer – Hendon CLP
Anna Phillips, Youth Officer, Croydon South CLP and Secretary, London Young Labour
Georgia Power, Chair – Nottingham South CLP
Cllr Matt Strong, Manchester Withington CLP
Marian Craig, Renfrewshire South CLP
Jack Phipps, Brent North CLP and London Young Labour Campaigns and Membership Officer
Cameron Bevan-King, Vice-Chair – West Midlands Young Fabians
Mo Ahmed, Stretford and Urmston CLP, Young BAME Labour
Maria Finnerty, West Ham CLP and Welfare Officer for London Young Labour
Cllr Paul Wilkinson, Chair – Gedling CLP
Luke John Davies, Secretary – Birmingham Fabian Society
Adam Wisdish, Sheffield Hallam CLP
Abena Oppong-Asare, Erith and Thamesmead CLP
Jack Cornish, Lewisham Deptford CLP
Cllr Keith Bobbin, South Basildon and East Thurrock CLP
Danny Filer, Dulwich and West Norwood CLP, UCLU Labour President
Cllr Joe Rayment, Deputy Leader – Bath Labour
Cllr Lloyd Duddrige, Ilford North CLP
Alex Cheney, Beckenham CLP
Cllr Sarah Russell, Vice-Chair – Derby North CLP
Rebecca Winson, Basingstoke CLP
Felix Preson, Youth Officer – Braintree CLP
Rose Grayston, Interim Secretary – Open Labour, and Croydon Central CLP member
Samuel Pritchard – National Young Labour Committee, and member of Labour’s National Policy Forum
Joseph Whitley. Mid Derbyshire CLP
Adele Douglas, Vice-Chair, Manchester Central CLP
Tom Leach, Gloucester CLP
Tom Leach, ward representative, Gloucester CLP
David Meller, Stockport CLP.
Jack Reason, Rochford and Southend East CLP
Rob Durdin, Ealing Central and Acton CLP
Richard Lowe, Alyn & Deeside CLP
Alex Higgins, Branch Secretary, Hillrise Ward, Islington North CLP
Sam Johnson, Stockport CLP, Secretary UCLan Labour Club
Jonathan Goggs, Hampstead and Kilburn CLP
Nicky Stubbs, Bath CLP
Robin Wilde, Sheffield Hallam CLP
Linda Burnip Stratford-on-Avon CLP
Claire Waters, Sutton and Merton CLP
Cllr Jumbo Chan, Brent Central CLP
Cllr Lisa Barnes, Brightside & Hillsborough CLP
Michael Oatway, Vice-Chair – Leicester Labour Students
Ben Symak, Birmingham Selly Oak CLP
Liam McCafferty, Torfaen CLP
Dr. John Lapage, Southampton Itchen CLP
Cllr David Sedgwick, Denton and Reddish CLP
Lily Jayne Summers, Swansea West
Cllr Dr Aysha Raza, Ealing North CLP
James Jacobs, Broxtowe CLP
Cllr Vikki Singleton, Blackpool North & Cleveleys CLP
James West, Secretary Derby South CLP
David Howell, Chelmsford CLP
Paige Collings, Chesterfield CLP
Tom Snape, Chair – Keele Labour Students
Mark Jackson, Chair – Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven CLP
Jack Galea, Bromley and Chislehurst CLP
Dr Damian Mather, Bury North CLP
Cllr Chris Wills, Chair – LGBT Labour North West
Tom Campbell, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr CLP
Rob Wilkinson, Pudsey CLP
Yvonne Hartlebury, Preston CLP
Lewis Addlington-Lee, Campaigns Officer – Birmingham University Labour Students
Hannah O’Rourke, Vauxhall CLP
Andrew Moir, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton CLP
Jeremy M T Sutcliffe – Chair – Oldham Co-Operative Party
Cllr Matt Ward – Aldridge-Brownhills CLP
Stephen Naulls – Cleethorpes CLP Youth Officer
Cllr Dom Anderson, Derby North CLP
Umaar Kazmi, Rushcliffe CLP
Ben Ramsdale – Liverpool Wavertree CLP
Gareth Gough, Campaigns Assistant – Bristol West CLP
Emily Walker, Wentworth & Dearne CLP
Joshua Tuck, Yeovil CLP
Cllr Alice Smart, Leeds Central CLP
George Aylett, North East Somerset CLP and Young Labour National Committee
Yue Ting Cheng, Committee Member – Open Labour
David Menon, Blackpool South CLP
Jamie Rodney, Youth and Students Officer – Eastwood CLP
Lydia Okoibhole, Internal Campaigns and BAME Liberation Officer – Leeds Labour
Charlotte Nichols, Vice-Chair Campaigns – Young Labour National Committee
Cllr Lee Scordis, Colchester CLP
Cllr Jonathan Pryor – Leeds North West CLP
James Wood, Ealing Central & Acton CLP
Rob Vernon, Youth Officer – Macclesfield CLP
Matthew Felgate, Secretary – South West Surrey Labour
Dominic Breen, Youth Officer – Finchley and Golders Green CLP
Luke Bassett, Vice-Chair – Sheffield Young Labour
Derek Auld, East Lothian CLP
Nathan Oswin, Membership officer – Leicester South CLP
Josef Zolna, Social Action Officer – Exeter Labour Students
Ben Procter – Vice-Chair, Eastwood CLP
Cllr Lorna Russell, Hampstead and Kilburn CLP
Ben Wesson, Warwick & Leamington CLP
Jon Proctor, North Tyneside CLP
Beccie Ions – GMB Young Members Secretary, Dewsbury CLP
Lauren Louise Day-Cooper, Birmingham Sellyoak CLP
Jenny Eckersley, Berwick on Tweed CLP
Chris Ward, Gedling CLP
Cllr Adam Harrison, Holborn and St Pancras CLP
Andrew Mitchell, Wallasey CLP
Jen Davis, BAME Officer – Greenwich and Woolwich CLP
Jenny Eckersley, Berwick on Tweed CLP
Tom Hinchcliffe, Campaign Coordinator – Leeds East CLP
Chris Williams, Mansfield CLP
Jon-Connor Lyons, Manchester Central CLP
Gill Williams, Renfrewshire South CLP
Stephen Harper, Garston and Halewood CLP
Zach Evans, Newport East CLP
Samuel Marlow-Stevens, Bath CLP
Cllr Katherine Dunne, Brentford and Isleworth CLP
Cllr James Beckles, West Ham CLP
James McAsh, Camberwell and Peckham CLP
Thom Kirkwood, Hampstead and Kilburn CLP
Honor Cohen, Co-Chair – LGBT+ Labour
Jos Bell, Chair – Socialist Health Association London
Cllr Joshua Fenton-Glynn, Calder Valley CLP
Cllr Mike Rowley – Cabinet Member for Housing, Oxford City Council
Peter Cruickshank, Oldham East and Saddleworth CLP
Cllr Adam Wilkinson, Halifax CLP
Jo Rust, former prospective parliamentary candidate – West Norfolk CLP
Charlie Garnett, Battersea CLP
David Scane, Dulwich and Norwood CLP
Cllr Darren Paffey, Southampton Itchen CLP
Ian Saville, Brent Central CLP
Cllr Richard Price, Rother Valley CLP
Lisa Bloor, Hyndburn CLP
Cllr Stephen Lambert, Newcastle Central CLP
Amy Jeffrey, Morley & Outwood CLP
Cllr Bernard Collier, Brent Central CLP
Cllr Matt Kelcher, Brent North CLP
Sabrina Huck, Young Labour National Committee
Liam Benjamin Preston, former prospective parliamentary candidate – Brentwood and Ongar
Cllr Jools Heselwood, Leeds City Council
Michaela Vyse Leeds Central CLP
Zoë Kemp JLM – Jewish Labour Movement
Matthew Goddin, Secretary – Ilford North CLP
Alexander Adranghi, Former Young Fabian National Chair
Hugo Sugg, Worcester CLP
Cllr Michael Pavey, Brent North CLP
Cllr Shama Tatler, Brent North CLP
Cllr Nigel Haselden, London Borough of Lambeth
Karen Alcock, Chipping Barnet CLP
Cllr Mili Patel, Brent North CLP
Ben Gartside, Manchester Withington CLP
Cllr Suzannah Reeves, Manchester Withington CLP
Emma Clifford, Gloucester CLP
Abdiwali Duale, Ealing North CLP
Cllr Garry Bridges, Manchester Withington CLP
Sean Kelly-Walsh, Leicester South CLP
Cllr Neil Nerva, Hampstead and Kilburn CLP
Cllr Jon Burke – Hackney North & Stoke Newington CLP
Cllr Christopher Wellbelove, London Borough of Lambeth
Cllr Julie Reid, Gorton CLP
Cllr Tom Miller, Brent Central CLP
Ursie Downes, Islington North CLP
Ian Kugler, Croydon South CLP
Cllr Paul Gadsby, Chief Whip – Lambeth Labour Group
Cllr Edward Davie, Chair – Lambeth Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Cllr Matthew Bennett – Cabinet Member for Housing, London Borough of Lambeth
Cllr Malcolm Clark – London Borough of Lambeth
Cllr Kacl Holborn, Dulwich and West Norward CLP
Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Chair – Lambeth Labour Group
Cllr Fred Corwell, London Borough of Lambeth
Cllr Joanne Simpson, London Borough of Lambeth
Cllr Richard Cotton, Holborn & St Pancras CLP
Cllr Vaila McClure, London Borough of Lambeth
Rosie Sourbut, Youth Officer – Bath CLP
Laura Wright – Withington CLP
Lynn Morris, Canterbury CLP
Hannah Lyons-Singer, Hornsey and Wood Green CLP
Sam Hussain, Middlesbrough CLP
Catherine Whaley, Islington South CLP
Matthew Hurst, Kingston and Surbiton CLP
June Neilson, Ayr CLP
Kathy Baguley, East Worthing and Shoreham CLP
Adrian Hindle, North East Derbyshire CLP
Cllr Dr Paul Harvey, Leader – Basingstoke Labour Group
Kathy Baguley, East Worthing and Shoreham CLP
Stuart Brown, South West Hertfordshire CLP
Cllr Michael Borio, London Borough of Harrow
Jack Sutcliffe, Vauxhall CLP
James Doran, Darlington CLP
Alex Shaw, Jarrow CLP
Cllr Joe Ferreira, Erith and Thamesmead CLP
Cllr Luke Murphy, London Borough of Lambeth
Omar Raji, Hornsey and Wood Green CLP
Susannah Bain, Islington North CLP
Nazza Ahmed, Maldon CLP
Akif Ramen, West Ham CLP
Vanessa O’Driscoll, Bristol North West CLP
Mark Crawford, Islington South CLP
Kate Stevenson, Charnwood CLP
Barry Young, Dulwich and West Norwood
James Insch, Cotswolds CLP
Cllr Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth City Council
Lindsay Melia, Walton CLP
Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of the Meadway Labour Group
Cllr Naushabah Khan, Gillingham and Rainham CLP
Cllr Alan Hall, Lewisham Borough Council
Jerry Weber, Chair – Warwick and Leamington CLP
Linda Gamston, Rotherham CLP
Cllr Alan Hall, Lewisham Council
Cllr Jonathan Slater, Lewisham Council
Emilie Ancelin, Runneymede and Weybridge CLP
Richard Angell 