Tinkering won't build homes
It is an interesting sport, watching the Conservatives in action. Since the advent of David Cameron, groups such as Shelter and the issues we are involved in have been picked over by Conservative politicians in search of sticks with which to beat the Government. It is a somewhat discomforting experience being out-outraged by a Tory frontbencher.
But their current approach, politically effective while it may be, has clear limitations when it comes to influencing policy. Today’s report about the difficulties experienced by homeless people being discharged from hospital is a good example. The issue is undoubtedly a real and important one: not only is the lack of secure housing for people on discharge from medical treatment a personal tragedy for the individuals themselves, it’s also a net cost to the taxpayer, who has had to foot the bill for treatment which is likely to prove ineffective for patients without a stable and decent place to convalesce.
The trouble is the Conservatives are very careful not to commit themselves to the sort of policies that would actually solve the problem. Yes, there are some promises about tinkering with the system administratively. But the real problem is not the difficulties of joining up health and housing or even of solving the sometimes intractable issues presented by homeless people themselves, but the shortage of homes to give them. Even if the systems worked perfectly, even if people in need dealt with the problems that may have been the immediate cause of their homelessness, the simple truth is there are not enough houses to go round.
And this is where the danger for the Conservatives lies. Picking on street homelessness as an obvious symbol of the failings of modern welfare is all very well. But sooner or later, someone will start to draw the connection with the rise in housing need and the resistance of Conservative local authorities to the building of new homes, particularly where those homes would go to poorer, less popular groups in society. Already, since the Conservatives have taken control of London boroughs such as Hammersmith and Fulham, and Boris of City Hall, we have seen a reduction in the targets for social housebuilding. That pattern is repeated elsewhere in England.
Perhaps that disjunction between words and actions will not be sufficient to halt their seemingly inexorable march towards power in Parliament. But it should give closer observers cause for concern.
September 15th, 2008 at 7:56 am
This is very true, well most certainly in the area I reside and being a Conservative held majority since 1974. During this time, the local policies have been to build high priced housing, not enven affordable to joe average. Not to mention that they have not invested the millions, which they obtained from selling off the housing stock, back into social housing.
Dare I say it, but it must be deemed as policies to ensure those most wealthy move to the area, which would and does ensure Tory votes.
The trouble is that those of us on the ground floor do not get heard and are treated as insignificant. Poverty issues are used as mere wordplay by those who could make real differences.
I could go on, but all polictical parties are to blame and should be ashamed, because in real terms they have done very little to ease the insecurities, they have created in the housing market.
I wonder what has changed since “Cathy comes home” the answer must be nowt, has the uk holds large run-down estates and thousands of children are suffering horrendous housing conditions. They say “society has moved forward” for whom I ask??