Thousands of people took to the streets in London on Sunday to demonstrate against the Government's Housing and Planning Bill, which could see council tenants forced to move out of their homes due to sharp rises in their rent.
The bill will require councils to change how they bill tenants with a combined income of more than £30,000 and £40,000 in London. Critics say that it will make rent and house prices soar, destroying council and social housing.
Demonstrators met at midday on Sunday in Lincoln's Inn Fields, in London, in a march of solidarity against David Cameron's controversial bill.
Protesters carried banners and placards reading "Anti-social housing policy from the House of Ill Repute", "Kill the Housing Bill" and "You're heartless, We're Homeless" as they passed the Houses of Parliament.
#killthehousingbill protest pic.twitter.com/rfj8hq9MXj
— Wiktor Rutkowski (@wiktor_r) March 13, 2016
Solidarity with everyone protesting to #killthehousingbill. It is an attack on our communities - it must stop! pic.twitter.com/DY0sozBA3N
— I'm a JSA claimant (@imajsaclaimant) March 13, 2016ADVERTISEMENT
Thousands marching in the sunshine, what a fab demo #KilltheHousingBill @killhousingbill #TUSC pic.twitter.com/TJyszkX9d8
— TUSC (@TUSCoalition) March 13, 2016
10,000s on Waterloo bridge say #killthehousingbill pic.twitter.com/df4DiMXHJm
— Nick Dearden (@nickdearden75) March 13, 2016
https://t.co/4sbAI3CqR4 #killthehousingbill commentary on #HousingBill - not fit for habitationRd&Rt @PoliticalSift pic.twitter.com/t4vKt5Uzd3
— Fred Gallucci (@gibblegbble) March 13, 2016
.@David_Cameron hope you're seeing this on your doorstep today & paying attention #killthehousingbill #killthebill pic.twitter.com/ogISWmUcJD
— Rich M (@RhetoricalRix) March 13, 2016
Here to stay #killthehousingbill pic.twitter.com/TerviPod19
— Young Greens (@YoungGreenParty) March 13, 2016
Message to the Tories. Look around you. More & more people are sleeping rough. Homes not jails #killthehousingbill pic.twitter.com/t2HycbQU31
— HotelWorkersUnite (@HWUnite) March 13, 2016
Among the protesters was a teacher living in Islington who told the Press Association that the bill makes her feel like a second class citizen.
Camilla, who did not want to give her surname, said even though she is a professional, she worries about not being able to afford high rents.
The 39-year-old said: "It makes you feel like a second class citizen based on the fact that you don't earn a six-figure salary. And because of that you don't deserve a safe home.
"It makes it very hard to focus on your job and your relationships and anything else in your life because you're constantly worried about where you're going to be for the next six months."
Politicians Natalie Bennett and Diane Abbott were among the thousands protesting today.
#killthehousingbill march crossing Thames. Houses should be affordable, secure homes, in communities. #humanright pic.twitter.com/VNGrdsunp9
— Natalie Bennett (@natalieben) March 13, 2016
On the march in support of council tenants fighting the Tory Housing bill #KilltheHousingBill pic.twitter.com/hxYbGtkyPY
— Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) March 13, 2016
A spokesperson for the Kill the Housing Bill campaign said: “The Tories’ Housing Bill aims to destroy council housing, and will hit everyone on low or middle incomes trying to rent or buy.
“It condemns millions to a lifetime of insecure, expensive private renting. Everyone deserves a decent home, but landlords, developers and the rich will be the only ones to benefit from this bill.”
The government has defended the bill.
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis told Sky News: “Once you get above £30,000 which is the median income, we will taper so people who are earning just above £30,000 will only be paying a few pounds more.
“There will be a taper. We will be outlining the details of that in the weeks ahead with people in the sector to make sure we get that right.
“But there are tens of thousands of people earning over £50,000 a year and we think it is right and fair that they pay their fair way.”
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