by Paul Kershaw, Enfield and Lea Valley Socialist Party
Thousands marched through London on 18 April calling for rent control and protesting against the housing crisis. There were banners and placards from unions, estate-based campaigns, and renters’ unions.
Many demonstrators were delighted to be part of pushing these issues up the political agenda. Housing is becoming increasingly unaffordable, and problems of disrepair and unresponsive landlords were raised by protesters.
Socialist Party members raised the cost-of-living crisis which is set to deepen as the effects of war hit Britain and the call to freeze all rents as an emergency step – a measure which has already been announced in Spain and got a good response.
Our leaflet also raised the local elections in May; despite huge support for rent control none of the parties of the capitalist establishment from Reform to Labour support it. Far from freezing rents, local authorities have committed to increase rent by more than inflation for years to come. Socialist councillors such as those standing under the TUSC umbrella could freeze these rents as a start.
The gulf between the pressing problems of workers and mainstream politicians was clear; housing campaigns will be central in building a new party of the working class.