Campaigners and residents from Hackney joined a crowd of thousands on Sunday to protest against the “death” of affordable housing.
Demonstrators gathered in Lincoln’s Inn Fields before marching towards Parliament to voice their opposition to the government’s planned housing bill.
Hackney MP Diane Abbott spoke briefly at the march and was heckled when she announced that Jeremy Corbyn would not be attending after sustaining a leg injury.
Housing bill set to pass despite protests
The housing bill is expected to pass through Parliament soon, with the government arguing it will save money, increase home ownership and encourage more private house building.
But it has provoked fierce criticism from opposition politicians and campaigners.
The bill contains a new “pay to stay” measure meaning the council will charge housing tenants the private sector rate of rent.
Lifetime tenancies in council houses are also set to be abolished.
Activists want to shut down Westminster bridge…#killthehousingbill pic.twitter.com/rjPQtXrIRA
— David Knowles (@djknowles22) March 13, 2016
Tom Griffiths, an organiser of the People’s Assembly Against Austerity, said: “We are deeply concerned about the housing bill. I think it’s nothing short of the death of social housing.
“Affordable housing is almost a myth in Hackney now.
“I know so many people who have lived in the area for years and years who are having to leave.”
Paulo, a teacher in Hackney, said that rising prices were affecting residents’ quality of life.
“It is making our life unaffordable. We are paying huge rents which are completely unaffordable,” he said.
Natalie Bennett joins critics of housing policy
Green Party leader Natalie Bennett told Hackney Post: “This really is the government’s attempt to end social housing in Britain.
“I think we need to see a lot more opposition, Labour in London is in a really compromised position.”
She highlighted the case of Cressingham Gardens, a Lambeth estate threatened by demolition and plans to replace the current flats with private development and a small amount of social housing.
“That community is being broken up and that kind of social cleansing is happening across many Labour councils across London.”
Not only were Labour councils not doing enough to oppose such plans, Bennett accused many Labour councils of “pushing it”.
Asked why Labour councils would want to support these projects she was less forthcoming.
“I think, you know, I don’t know, we’re on the record.”
Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell rejected Bennett’s criticisms, telling Hackney Post: “Labour councils are doing all they possibly can to try and defend their tenants against what’s happening here in terms of forced increase rents but in addition to that the failure of government to invest in council housing.
“We’re working with Labour councillors around the country to start laying up the plans for when Labour goes back into power to have a mass council housing building programme again.”
Watch our slideshow from the protest
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