Fight for a socialist alternative to Starmer’s Labour
Johnny Reynolds, South East London Socialist Party
Living and working in London, the cost-of-living crisis is felt most keenly through housing. Working people in the capital typically spend more than half of our income on rent.
Conditions are often poor, repairs delayed, buildings deteriorating, even for those in council housing. Hundreds of thousands are on years-long waiting lists, many more can’t even get accepted.
A big majority polled support rent caps. Actually, councils could already be using existing powers to introduce effective rent controls by placing conditions on landlord licensing and registration. Councils also have the means to use financial reserves and borrowing to invest in building new council housing. The problem is that existing councillors, from all the establishment parties, refuse to take on the profit interests of the big developers.
Nationally, as of 2025, over 1.4 million homes have planning permission but are not under construction. Developers hoard the land as a financial asset, in part to keep prices and profits high, even when there is a clear need for high-quality, environmentally friendly council housing.
Housing problems don’t exist in isolation. This is a system that prioritises profit over need. High rents exist alongside low wages and insecure work. We need councillors who are prepared to stand up to that system, and use their position to help mobilise a struggle to demand resources for our communities from Starmer’s government.
That’s why Socialist Party members are among those standing as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) on 7 May. Fighting for the things we need to make our communities decent places to live: well looked-after green spaces, fully funded local NHS facilities, free flexible high-quality childcare, schools with funding and resources, expanded and free public transport, and more.
The capitalist bosses keep hiking their prices to protect their profits. Starmer’s Labour government can find billions more to spend on war and destruction. We need to take the wealth off the super-rich to fund the services we need!
Vote TUSC on 7 May and get involved in the fight for socialist change.