25 April 2012

Boris Johnson Vows To Block 'Social Cleansing'

Following criticism of Newham County Council’s attempt to relocate housing benefit tenants out of its area, London mayor, Boris Johnson has said he will not have "Kosovo-style social cleansing" of the poor in the capital.

Johnson, who is seeking re-election in May, spoke out after revelations that a number of councils are being forced to look to areas including Stoke, Derby and Nottingham to provide accommodation for claimants in their backyard.

Pressed on the issue on a mayoral debate hosted by ITV on Tuesday night, Johnson indicated he would intervene as he laid out his opposition to anyone being moved who has connections in their local area either through work or their children's schooling, while backing housing benefit reforms in principle.

"We are going to make sure that people who need to stay near their place of work, whose kids are in the local school, … let me tell you directly is that the idea of persuading Londoners or helping Londoners to migrate the city is wrong."

As part of its welfare reforms, the government has introduced caps on housing benefit of £250 a week for a one-bedroom flat and £400 for a four-bedroom property. With the government housing benefit cuts starting in January, many councils are wrestling with rising numbers of people finding they cannot afford to live in central London.

Johnson added: "The government has got it wrong. Up until Mrs Thatcher there was a cap on rents. To cap the benefits and to allow landlords to keep jacking up the rent is wrong. That's why we will bring in a mayoral letting agency because as well as high rents about 11% of what you pay in rent is going to the agent ... and that's a real rip-off and we will be able to cut that perhaps 2-3% but the key thing is that rents are going up because we have not got enough homes.”

(H)