UK UK Newswire Archive
No Evictions campaign targets council leader
14-11-2011 10:55
Nottingham City Council leader Jon Collins was targeted by anti-evictions campaigners who demonstrated outside his home on Hucknall Road yesterday. Collins was singled out as having made threats to evict the families of those found to be involved in the August riots. Campaigners have also leafleted affected families offering practical support. They call the moves to evict council tenants “spiteful” and say they should be fought.
Newswire: No Evictions campaign targets Jon Collins | No Riot Evictions | Stop Jon Collins’ vindictive evictions
Previous feature: Post-riot repression hits Nottingham
Following the August disturbances Collins and Nottingham City Homes Chief Executive, Chris Langstaff, released a statement that “Any council tenants involved in recent violence across Nottingham could face eviction from their homes.” Collins was quoted specifically targeting the parents of youths involved in “violence”.
Parents have a responsibility to control the young people living in their home. If young people living in your home have been involved in the violence over the past few days, they are putting your tenancy at risk.
Campaigners against the evictions have highlighted what they call the “hypocrisy” of Collins’ crackdown on council tenants who have not been involved in wrongdoing, whilst his council dropped any investigation into the Nottingham City Homes (NCH) scandal of corrupt reallocation of housing earlier this year. NCH was found to have “wrongly given homes to some employees, their relatives, partners and friends” in an Audit Commission report published in 2009. One such house was inadvertently occupied by squatters in 2006. They were illegally and violently evicted by NCH workers, with the support of the police.
At the time the scandal broke, Jon Collins said he was “appalled” and that he would “not hesitate” to take disciplinary action against staff found to have been involved in the corruption. However, in January this year the investigation was dropped with only one member of staff being given a “final written warning” and one agency worker being fired. None of the homes were ever repossessed and the full scale of the scandal remains unknown. The City Council have refused to involve the police in the matter.
In June, evidence of Collins’ own involvement was unearthed by the Nottingham Post: "Jon Collins’ secretary asked a housing officer for “a favour” to help one of council leader’s constituents gain a place on the waiting list for a new home" during 2005. Collins denied that he was personally involved.
Other members of the council were also called into question, notably Councillor Brian Grocock, the former Lord Mayor, who claimed an applicant was his grandson in order to get him a house sooner than he should have. The council’s monitoring officer defended Grocock because “he did not believe Mr Grocock’s actions in 2005 had broken the councillors’ code of conduct”.
The threat of riot evictions is not unique. The City Council has a policy of evicting the families of tenants who are deemed to be anti-social. In justification, Councillor Alex Norris, portfolio holder for area working, cleansing and community safety, echoed David Cameron’s mantra that “Social housing is a privilege, not a right.” This is disputed by the No Evictions campaign:
Council house tenants are merely paying a reasonable rent for their home to the local authority, unlike a private tenant who is paying an unreasonable rent to a private landlord. Who is subsidising who?
The No Evictions leaflet concludes:
If the council continues in its efforts to make families and children homeless in order to look tough on crime they can be assured that there are members of the public in Nottingham who will respond and make their disgust felt.
Leeds is Occupied
14-11-2011 00:55
Inspired by occupations of Wall Street in the US and London a group has set up camp in the City Square in Leeds. On Friday the 11th the tents were erected and by Saturday night there were around 10. In the short space of time they had banners, a kitchen and most importantly a presence in Leeds which is causing interest. Anther article about the Occupy Camp (including a camp wish list) [1].
People walking through Leeds are interested and, at times, confused as to why there are people camping in City Square and this very quickly ends up with a discussion on politics. There is obvious disgust at the current situation and the occupiers hopes to be a focus of this and build a movement to challenge the current status quo. Translating this disgust into action is a hard task but the occupiers have decided to make a start in building an alternative.
More photos from Friday's Census court hearing and Remembrance
13-11-2011 23:19
Italy: The fall of the empire
13-11-2011 20:33
News from Calais: week of evictions, dozens out in the street again
13-11-2011 20:01
No Evictions campaign targets Jon Collins
13-11-2011 18:55
A group of 20 people took part in a demonstration outside the Hucknall Road home of Nottingham City Council Leader Jon Collins today. The protest was a response to Collins’ threats to evict the families of council tenants found to have been involved in the riots, and his Council’s involvement in the Nottingham City Homes scandal.
The “corrupt landlord and enemy of the people” was targeted at his home to give him a taste of his own medicine. We unfurled a banner saying ‘No Evictions’ and handed out a few hundred flyers informing Collins’ neighbours about the issues. Many didn’t know about what was happening and were supportive.
The No Evictions campaign believes that the threat of evictions is “spiteful and should be fought, and that the families involved be supported every step of the way.” Evictions are an extra punishment to the harsh sentences already being given by the courts and one that would only apply to people living in council housing.
The City Council, led by Jon Collins, has a long and dubious record when it comes to its use of council housing, with a history of “wrongly giving homes to its employees, relatives, partners and friends”. Earlier this year the investigation into the misuse of council homes by it’s housing service was dropped by the Council with no houses repossessed and all but one of the suspended staff back in their jobs. The Council also refused to call on the police to investigate.
Jon Collins was personally implicated in the misallocation of council housing. His secretary asked a housing officer for “a favour” to help one of council leader’s constituents gain a place on the waiting list for a new home.
The government says that people who allow their children to take part in riots don’t deserve to live in housing “subsidised” by the tax payer. However, a council tenant is not ’subsidised’. Council house tenants are merely paying a reasonable rent for their home to the local authority, unlike a private tenant who is paying an unreasonable rent to a private landlord. Who is subsidising who?
Grant Shapps, the Housing Minister wants to change the law so that council tenants convicted of offences which are not connected to where they live can be evicted in new fast track procedures, in addition to fast track evictions already planned for people who behave anti socially in or around their homes. The decision to evict whole families based on the actions of one member is nothing less than collective punishment.
If the council continues in its efforts to make families and children homeless in order to look tough on crime they can be assured that there are members of the public in Nottingham who will respond and make their disgust felt.
SMASHEDO Tour in Edinburgh 16/11
13-11-2011 18:55
Smash EDO are touring the country gathering support for the 2012 Summer of Resistance, a summer of anti arms trade direct action in Brighton. The workshop will include a rundown of the campaign so far, a direct action workshop and a chance to plan actions for next Summer in Brighton. Come along and find out how to get involved.
SmashEDO touring Northern England
13-11-2011 14:55
Smash EDO are touring the country gathering support for the 2012 Summer of Resistance, a summer of anti arms trade direct action in Brighton. The workshop will include a rundown of the campaign so far, a direct action workshop and a chance to plan actions for next Summer in Brighton. Come along and find out how to get involved.
The summer of resistance will be a summer of antics and opposition to Brighton’s very own peddlers of death. Start working on your cunning plans now and join in!
Since 2001, EDO/ITT’s products have been used to attack civilian populations in Afghanistan, Gaza, Iraq, Lebanon, Somalia and Pakistan. ITT, EDO’s parent company, has a track record of clients that includes the Nazis, Franco and the Pinochet regime. ITT continue to lobby Western governments to pursue military action in order to boost their profit margin. EDO/ITT may be only one cog in the global war machine but shutting them down will throw a spanner in the works.
Since 2004 Brightonians and thousands of supporters from around the world have demonstrated their rage at the factory through a variety of methods. Weekly noise demos, pickets, blockades, rooftop occupations, lobbying, street theatre, mass demonstrations and sabotage have all been used to pile pressure on EDO to leave. Despite being subject to a successful civilian decommissioning during Israel’s 2009 brutal assault on Gaza, the factory somehow clings on.
The summer of 2012 is the time for you to come and take action! We want you, your mates or your affinity group to come to the factory and express your outrage as creatively as you like. We welcome a diversity of tactics and no action is to big or too small. We will provide accommodation, support and advice wherever necessary.
How to get involved:
1.Talk to your mates/your group and think of ideas for action
2.Pick a date in the summer months of 2012
3. Email/call the campaign 07538093930 e-mail: smashedo@riseup.net
Confirmed dates so far:
- November 13th – Manchester – OKasional Cafe (www.okcafe.wordpress.com) – 7pm
- November 14th – Sheffield – Occupy Sheffield – (http://www.occupysheffield.org.uk/) 1pm and 7pm
- November 15th – Liverpool – Next to Nowhere ( http://www.liverpoolsocialcentre.org/index.php/calendar/month.calendar/2011/11/28/-.html) – 7pm
- December 3rd – Manchester and Salford Anarchist Bookfair (http://www.underthepavement.org/bookfair/) – People’s History Museum – Time TBA
- December 4th – Newcastle – Star and Shadow (http://www.starandshadow.org.uk/on/201/12/04/?os=2) – 4pm
SmashEDO Tour comes to #OccupySheffield 14/11
13-11-2011 13:53
The summer of resistance will be a summer of antics and opposition to Brighton’s very own peddlers of death. Start working on your cunning plans now and join in!
We will be at Occupy Sheffield at 1pm and 7pm on Monday 14th November
Simon Kirby mp covers up Sussex Police Corruption
13-11-2011 13:08
Simon Kirby mp covers up Sussex Police Corruption. Simon Kirby mp said he would help a 76 year old man who is very sick who expose a major case of Police CorruptionBilly Bragg to sing at Occupy Sheffield and other events this week
13-11-2011 13:06
Events at Occupy Sheffield this week include talks about the campaign against the arms trade with Israel organised by the Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign with speakers from Smash EDO, on Monday at 1pm and 7pm. A visit and songs from Billy Bragg on Tuesday at 1pm. On Thursday there will be a talk from the Sheffield Equality Group on "You can buy happiness - how closing the wealth gap would help everyone" at 7pm.
Scottish Crown Office - Unfit for purpose
13-11-2011 12:55
Scottish Crown Office - Unfit for purpose?
Here is a summaryof the way that the Scottish "justice" system has treated Robert Green from the outset.
12 February 2010
Whilst walking peacefully down a side street in Aberdeen at ten in the morning on the way to meet the electorate and
More hunt violence in South East
13-11-2011 11:31
Sabs attacked by hired thugs on the South Downs and Eridge Hunt on SaturdayFull article | 1 addition | 2 comments
Police eviction bid - live streaming from Portland
13-11-2011 10:13
Dramatic scenes live from Portland, USA, as police prepare to evict Occupy protest.Brixton Demonstration against racist Police
13-11-2011 02:55
Over 200 people gathered outside Brixton Police Station this afternoon to protest against racist Police. They were joined by leading campaigner for social justice and race equality Lee Jasper.
Passengers on passing buses reached through open windows for leaflets and cars sounded their support.
Smiley Culture, Kingsley Burrel, Demetre Fraser, Mark Duggan and Jake Michaels, Sean Rigg, Cynthia Jarrett, Dorian Mackie and so many others. All dead after interaction with the Police.
Ricky Bishop was murdered ten years ago, 22nd November 2001. His mother Doreen still fights for justice.
African Resistance Now – http://inpdum.org/
http://uhurunews.com/
#OccupyLSX solidarity with the revolutionaries of Egypt
12-11-2011 18:49
About 40 people responded to a callout for a 'tour of shame' of the arms companies who accompanied Cameron to Cairo days after the fall of Mubarak.
The tour left the camp at about 3.30pm and called at the offices of Qinetic and BAe.
Police harass activists traveling by coach to nov9 protests
12-11-2011 17:42
The police were stopping many coaches with students and activists traveling to the November 9 student protest.(Italy) The militarisation of the Susa Valley: final act
12-11-2011 17:38
Berlusconi’s moribund government has finally managed to pass a decree – with the opposition’s approval – that formalises the current state of militarisation in the Susa Valley.