Liz Davies writes for the Morning Star on the implications of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, published 26 July 2017. She concludes, “Underpinning all of these issues is an inequality of power."
"For over 35 years, national governments have systematically underfunded social housing. Council housing stock has diminished — through transfer to housing associations, right to buy and restrictions on councils’ ability to borrow and build more properties. Council tenants don’t have the same clout as richer tenants, or owner-occupiers.
People waiting for council housing are desperate, and treated as desperate. They are given one offer of social housing only, told to “take it or leave it,” however inadequate it may seem.
Add in that those waiting for council housing are disproportionately from black and ethnic minority communities and there is a real sense that black lives — or poor lives — don’t matter.”
The full article is available on Liz Davies' blog and the Morning Star website.
Liz Davies is a member of the Garden Court Chambers Housing Team. She is recognised as a 'Star Individual' in social housing by the Chambers UK Bar Guide 2017.
