"Benefit Cleansing" in London. Boris & Dave disagree

[Gromit]

// This morning the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has condemned planned cuts in housing benefit as leading to "Kosovo style social cleansing". He told the BBC that:

"You are not going to see, on my watch...thousands of families being evicted from the place where they've been living and where they have put down roots. That is not what Londoners want to see. It's not what we're going to accept." //

Are the Conservatives in disarray? Is Boris making a noise to save his Mayorship? We will see a U-Turn and the idea scrapped (in London)?

[Bobbisox]

a person from Northumberland (which I am not btw)

[Zeuhl]

Oh yes I see. Ta muchly.

Is Whitby in Northumbrianshire?

I went there once on an expedition. They smoked a good kipper and made churches out of fishing boats they turned upside down.
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[Davethedog]

Doesn't anyone think that Boris could genuinly be compassionate? Those on benifits are hardly likely to vot for him anyway.

I have always thought he had London at heart and I voted for him.

Does everything a politician does hve to have a motive beyond what he does?.

[Bobbisox]

in short dave...yes

[New Judge]

“Will councils in London reduce rents for tenants on benefits? If they don't where are they going to get people to occupy the vacated properties?”

Well Sandy, the rents for “council” properties (or more usually Housing Association properties) in London and elsewhere are set at between 20% and 30% of the market rate. As a result it is most unlikely that those tenants in receipt of Housing Benefit will be affected at all by this proposal. I cannot imagine there is a rented property in the “social housing” sector that has a rent anywhere near the limits proposed.

This proposal will affect those tenants in private properties who are currently claiming more than £20,000pa for a four bedroom house (lower limits will apply for other types of property). Many people not in receipt of benefits would love to live in London but, understandably, cannot afford the high rents involved. Instead they have to live elsewhere. It’s called “cutting your cloth”, and it seems that those in receipt of large sums in HB and who live in agreeable properties in the capital will have to learn to do just that.

Much as I like BoJo, I’m afraid this is no business of his as it is not the GLA that has to pay Housing Benefit from its budget.

[Zeuhl]

I think Boris's agenda is, at its most basic, speaking out when London's 'specialness' isn't recognised and when blanket legislation doesn't accommodate London's unique characteristics.

This is his 'speaking up for London/Londoners' stance regardless of Party lines.

In actuality, benefits shouldn't be used to distort the market. If property is beyond people's means that's the way of the world.

A quite separate issue is the provision of affordable housing in central London for key (but relatively low paid) workers or a consistent policy of London-weighting.
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[craft1948]

Live in London or stay in York.......that's a toughie....not. Why on earth would anyone want to live in London. Please don't go on about the night life and theatre etc. When I lived there for a year I visited all the places of 'culture' more than the indigenous Londoners ever did.

[Zeuhl]

Blimey Craft ... York!

How do you stand the pace?

I was wandering about central London yesterday - there is a real vibe, it's electric.

Do you have electric in York?
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[alexanderd]

Zeuhl, "electric" was invented in Northumbria the first all-electric house was Cragside

[Bobbisox]

just beside us eh alex (smugly smiles)

[alexanderd]

Hi Bobbi couldnt make it the other night they wouldnt accept my passport over the Tyne Bridge!!

[Zeuhl]

craft <Thread: London Shopping Visit>

<^ The Montague on the Garden is lovely with a great restaurant >

You Traitor! You Quisling!

I hope you are now barred from every Hotel and Restaurant in York - that's right, the Indian one AND the Chinese.

Alexander - that's interesting - I never said the Far North wasn't used for experiments and tests. It's like the Russians testing atomic bombs in Siberia.
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[craft1948]

I think Zeuhl is a fan of "It's grim up North tha' knows."....

[Bobbisox]

best pubs in the entire Northern hemisphere in York!!!!

[alexanderd]

If you find it interesting that means you didnt know it before..lack of education methinks

[Zeuhl]

I know Alexander it's true.

However, my schools and University were all ... you guessed it .... Oop North LOL
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[chrissa1]

Bobbisox, I live near Alnwick and not far from Cragside.

[China Doll]

'A quite separate issue is the provision of affordable housing in central London for key (but relatively low paid) workers or a consistent policy of London-weighting. '

^^^^ Darn tooting!

Yours
China Doll
NHS Worker
Central London

(Although acutally, if you go to south east London, it's prettier and because there's no tubes, the rents are a bit more affordable in certain areas, so it's not all bad).

[Bobbisox]

been there loads Chrissa, gorgeous at Alnwick Gardens

[jno]

no castles in London, Zeuhl? What about the much loved Elephant and Castle? Now further enhanced by an iconic skyscraper

http://i.bnet.com/blo...london_tower_side.jpg

Boris's problem is that he was voted in by the wealthy suburbanites of outer London, not the turbulent Trots of the central city. If thousands of the latter are moved out to Bromley, his majority may be under threat.