Senior Labour MP Sadiq Khan And Simon Hughes Warn Against 'Knee Jerk' Evictions Of Rioters From Social Housing

Government Warned Against 'Knee Jerk' Evictions From Social Housing

Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan has become the first senior Labour figure to warn against councils going for the "cheap headline" and evicting the families of rioters from social housing.

He warned that the families of those caught up in the violence may also suffer as a result of evictions. "All I'm saying is just be cautious about having too quick knee jerk responses to very, very serious issues", he told Sky News on Sunday morning.

"If somebody has not acted responsibly, acted recklessly, acted criminally there is a discussion and debate over whether the rights they have 'the obligations' they have should be taken away from them. I think it's right and proper that local authorities have the power if they need to to, for example, if somebody's commiting anti-social behaviour a social landlord can remove them from their housing. I think we've got to be very, very careful though, to go for the cheap headline in the newspaper and as a consequence... the rest of the local community's suffering."

The Government's own figures show it costs around £20,000 to evict a social housing tenant.

Khan's warning chimes with that of Simon Hughes, who warned against "knee jerk" responses. Writing in the Observer, he said: "We need to demonstrate ambition to have a responsible society where all people understand and are aware of their obligations to each other. This means we must not cut taxes for the rich or take away public support for the needy."

Wandsworth Council have already served an eviction notice to a family whose son was caught up in the riots. His mother, charity worker Maite de la Calva told the Mail on Sunday she was not responsible for his behaviour: "We, as parents, are not responsible for the decisions our children make. I am the householder and it is my name – not my son’s – on the tenancy agreement."

Tony Belton, a Labour party councillor in Battersea, said the council were being "unfair": "I was appalled by the rioting in Clapham Junction, where I have lived for more than 30 years. Those found guilty should be jailed and will carry the shame with them for the rest of their lives.

"Yet the council leader has chosen to ignore the basic principles of justice in a rush for newspaper headlines.

"If Daniel Sartain-Clarke is guilty he should face the full force of the law - and where any council tenant commits a serious crime it is right that they face eviction from their property. What is completely unfair is Cllr Govindia judging this young man guilty before he has faced any trial - and then vindictively threatening to make his mother and a blameless eight-year-old child homeless as extra punishment.

"Maite de la Calva, Daniel's mother, works hard to support members of her community in the Shaftesbury Christian Centre. Throwing Maite and her eight-year-old daughter out of their home will weaken this neighbourhood, not make it stronger."

But home secretary Theresa May earlier backed the evictions, telling Sky News "those parents should have been making sure that their youngster was not involved in this activity".

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