Say no to finance capital-backed luxury tower block in Enfield

(Click to enlarge)

Paul Kershaw, Unite union housing workers' branch

A 29-storey residential skyscraper which fails to meet 'affordable housing' targets has been approved in the outer London borough of Enfield, in the teeth of protests from housing campaigners and resident groups.

This is one of a series of planning decisions in London that will please super-rich developers but present no hope for the homeless and badly housed.

Situated next to a busy dual carriageway that children will have to cross to reach play areas, the tower will have no social-rent homes or even homes at the higher London Living Rent.

Campaign group Better Homes Enfield say nine out of ten of the homes would be unaffordable to the majority of local people, only 8% would be at 'London Affordable Home' rates.

In Enfield, 5,000 children live in temporary accommodation, 11% of households are officially recognised as living in overcrowded conditions, and first times buyers have to stretch to spend eleven times their salary.

BlackRock

The scheme is backed by BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager and 'shadow bank', it is larger than the world's largest bank, with over $7 trillion in assets under direct management, and another $20 trillion managed through its Aladdin risk-monitoring software.

It wields huge political power, which is no doubt why it thought it worth paying Tory ex-chancellor George Osborne £650,000 a year for working just four days a month. According to the Financial Times, its boss Larry Fink is the highest paid in the sector, raking in about $24.3 million last year - plus about $50.8 million in stock awards: the pay-out to the politician will seem like chicken feed.

Labour councils are elected to stand up to corporations and fight for working-class communities. In Enfield they should speak out for social housing. If they fail in this, they should be challenged in elections by candidates who will.

The deepening housing crisis in the UK reflects government support for finance and a woeful lack of social house building. Labour was committed to a mass programme of council house building under Jeremy Corbyn, but Keir Starmer has refused to commit to continue that policy.

It is now more urgent than ever to take over the banks and finance companies that were rescued in the financial crash and launch a programme of house building at truly affordable social rents.

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.