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Gordon Brown on the European campaign trail earlier this week |
PM BROWN TO CNJ: ‘I’LL FIX HOMES’
Our reporters take big housing question to the top
PRIME Minister Gordon Brown finally appeared to open the door to long-awaited investment in Camden’s council homes – after being collared by the New Journal.
As he swept across north London trying to rally Labour members working on today’s (Thursday’s) European election effort, we seized the opportunity to face the PM and hit him with straight questions.
Asked by us whether he thought it was right that current Town Hall policy amounted to raising money by selling off council properties at auction, Mr Brown twice responded by saying that local authorities like Camden should be negotiating with his Labour government for the money.
In a taped interview with the New Journal, Mr Brown said: “I think what we need to do is to get the council to respond to our invitation for more money for council housing, for social housing.”
Senior councillors were last night (Wednesday) calling on the Prime Minister to flesh out his comments and be absolutely clear about what he is offering Camden.
But if Mr Brown is true to his word, it would eliminate all the excuses for the Town Hall’s hugely unpopular programme of selling off council properties, which has gathered pace in recent months.
His response has also led to questions about how hard the Liberal Democrat and Conservative council in Camden tried to broker a deal with housing ministers before they began “family silver” house sales.
The Lib Dems insist they have done all they can and council leader Councillor Keith Moffitt said last night (Wednesday): “The Prime Minister is obviously under a lot of pressure at the moment and it might be difficult for him to be clear in an off-the-cuff remark.”
He added: “We are expecting a new housing minister after a reshuffle and we always make contact when they come in by setting out the situation in Camden. In doing so, we will refer to the Prime Minister’s statement.”
The coalition is already under pressure to suspend any further sales, but reminders of how, with a lick of paint and a few repairs, the homes on the “for sale” list could be used to house families on the 15,000 strong waiting list have so far fallen on deaf ears.
And in separate auctions this month and next, two more batches of homes will fall out of public hands for good at auction.
They include three flats on the Russell Nurseries estate in Aspern Grove, Belsize Park; a house in Ulysses Road, West Hampstead; and a flat in Harrington Street, Regent’s Park estate.
Our reporters tackled the Prime Minister on Tuesday afternoon, following an invitation for its sister paper, the Islington Tribune, to meet him at Labour MP Emily Thornberry’s constituency office in Barnsbury.
It was a fleeting, stage-managed visit but a golden opportunity to finally find out where the Premier stands on council housing.
Face to face with Mr Brown, the New Journal asked: “In Camden, they are having to sell off council properties in order to fund investments in housing – do you think that’s a good idea?”
He replied: “There is a need for more houses. We have put aside money for social housing over the next few years and I hope the local authorities take up the opportunity to get more money from the government. We have advanced money to this year so that we can move social housing forward.”
The New Journal: “But at this moment they are selling off council homes to make up this money – do you think that’s a good idea?”
Mr Brown: “I think what we need to do is to get the council to respond to our invitation for more money for council housing, for social housing.”
During another tense week at Westminster where battles over personalities and expenses continued to take precedent over debates on policy, the Prime Minister appeared almost surprised to have been asked a serious question – and not one about Britain’s Got Talent.
He also appeared to be aware of the seriousness of his comments, coming after five years of stalled talks between the council and the government.
There was little time for Mr Brown to expand as he was whisked away by grumpy-faced minders but his promise of investment will not be forgotten. Tenants have already vowed to beat a path to his door if there isn’t urgent action and it will be difficult for the PM to renege on the latest commitment.
Sceptics were scoffing about the often unfulfilled promises that are made in the heat of election campaigns – especially when poor results are predicted. Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone made similar promises in his final days in office. Some believe Mr Brown was simply referring to a pot of just £100million set aside for every council in country to share – but tenants say the council must be firm enough to make sure Mr Brown delivers.
Meric Apak, from the Camden Federation of Residents and Tenants Associations, which has objected to sales of council homes, said: “On the one hand we have Camden insisting – until last week – that government had categorically said no to the cash, and that there was none on the table, and now Gordon Brown is effectively saying that the money is there for the taking but Camden needs to come to a negotiation table and ask for it.”
He added: “This is obviously fantastic news and a step in the right direction but we need to watch out for the ‘catch’. The answer now is for Camden to join its tenants in asking the government to cough up the money it took and should have refunded years ago.”
Labour leader Councillor Nash Ali said: “If Gordon Brown is saying this, then you wonder what the council has been doing, who they have been speaking to.
“It is scary the number of homes they are selling – and with the current property market the way it is, they are giving them away.
“All this when the main issue raised at my surgeries is overcrowding and housing.”
Oi you, why aren’t you clapping?
AS soon as he arrives, clap. When he walks up to you, clap. Shake his hand when he shakes yours but otherwise keep clapping. Keep clapping until he is inside the building and stop only once he is up the stairs.
The instructions, as one of Labour’s press heavies told volunteers on Tuesday in the final minutes before Gordon Brown emerged, were clear. Clap. Clap. And clap. And so when Gordon Brown’s car pulled up, the applause began as if a conductor’s baton had swished at the crowd.
It was like the PM’s visit to Emily Thornberry’s offices had been orchestrated to look good for the cameras by Malcolm Tucker, the controlling spinmeister from the political satire, In The Loop.
Nobody in Barnsbury was as rude as Peter Capaldi’s character but this brief appearance had been ruthlessly stage-managed ahead of today’s European elections, minimising the risk for embarrassment.
You’ll get 10 minutes with the PM, we were told by another press man. Then it was five minutes. Then it was a couple of questions each. Then it was just one. One chance to quiz him – and as a chap from the Evening Standard was told, he won’t be drawn on David Cameron’s expenses. His rules.
National reporters put up with this limited access because they are concerned they will be cut out of the loop altogether if they challenge it.
In the car over from a school visit, Ms Thornberry had briefed the PM on local politics in enough detail that he was armed with exactly how many people are waiting for council homes and recent developments at the Town Hall. As he sat there, with what appeared to look like the dust of foundation make-up on his face and an occasional forced grin, this new found knowledge made him sound like a guru of north London politics. In truth, it was more like a five-second memory test for him.
And then in minutes, he was up and gone. Two palms and narrowing eyes hit us as we tried to get in a bonus question. “No, no – that’s enough.”
It was a shame, as Brown seems comfortable in his support for council housing. He might have found more gain in expanding further.
But then again, there was a clapping crowd waiting outside. |
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