A socialist alternative to privatisation

Local elections 4 May –

vote for…

A socialist alternative to privatisation

THE ASSERTION that the three main parties are ‘all Tory parties’ has
been dramatically confirmed in Southwark, south London, where Socialist
Party member Lois Austin is standing in the May elections.

The Liberal council, that promised to be so different to Labour, who
ran the council before them, are selling three more council estates in
Southwark. This is despite the Liberals proclaiming they supported the
fourth option, which is supposed to mean maintaining council housing.
New Labour and Tories both support these proposals, despite making some
minor criticisms.

These three estates are on prime land close to the river Thames. They
are not even selling them to a so called ‘registered social landlord’,
but to a big development company, British Land, which has £14.6 billion
worth of property holdings. Their shareholders must be rubbing their
greedy hands with glee at the prospect of getting such valuable public
land at what will be a knock down price.

Council tenants have been promised brand spanking new homes and
gardens. But as with all council housing privatisations, promises such
as these rarely materialise. It is more likely that the existing tenants
will be squeezed on to a fraction of the land they currently occupy
(some may not even get rehoused in that area), their rents will go up
and their tenants’ rights will be annihilated.

‘Regeneration’

‘Regeneration’ in Southwark has meant luxury developments for the
rich and a continued attempt to drive the working class out – ‘social
cleansing’ by another name. Lois Austin is standing in this election to
give local people a voice to stand up to the developers moving into our
community.

Lois helped build the ‘Save Peabody Homes’ campaign. Like all social
landlords in Southwark, Peabody Trust are cashing in on the land and
property values brought about by big business regeneration. Peabody is
market renting and selling flats, drastically reducing the amount of
social housing in the Cathedrals ward. Local tenants have signed up to
the campaign and are voting for Lois in the election.

Since coming to power in Southwark, the Liberals have acted no
differently to the other main parties. They have cut staff from
sheltered accommodation and home care services. They are bulldozing the
huge Aylesbury estate and selling it, despite tenants voting to stay
with the council.

Lois has rekindled support for socialism among some local people who
haven’t voted for years because they couldn’t bring themselves to vote
New Labour.

The main parties all support the privatisation of council housing and
of public services. This time there is an alternative in Southwark on 4
May and in several other areas – it’s the socialist alternative.


See Lois in a Socialist Party video campaigning for a new workers
party to represent the working class:


Video:

Protest outside TUC against Education Secretary Ruth Kelly’s new bill
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