both act against the interests. of the working class and shrivel into an even smaller group bypassed by wider developMICHES What then, should be the attitude of revolutonary socialists to the twe. for the moment there is a convergence of interest - for how long, only time will tell - between the needs of the working class, the needs of the revolutionary left, and une strategy of the two. wnat Is needed is a united front of all those who are opposed to the Healey measThe squatters' movement has grown as a result of thousands of ing over property left empty either for speculation or to fall into neglect. The attack on squatting has squatters en over lived in houses. At most one per cent of all squatters. Yet although it would be possible for they have instead been used as an and more.
local councils are using the witchhunt to blame squatters for the come in the wake of the Healey Tony Kelly from Newham isn't the only militant suffering a witch-hunt at the hands of the capitalist press. In recent weeks a carefully co-ordinated attack on squatters and the right to protest and occupy by students, tenants and trade unionists has also got underway. Strangely synchronised letters in The Times from politicians, civil servants and private individuals have been carefully orchestrated through the mass media and the gutter press into a vicious attack on squatters.
people, particularly in London, taktne nomeless seized on the actions of a tiny number of people - conveniently termed - who have allegedly takthey number less than one tenth of the owners to take legal action here, buying tood.
excuse for attacking all squatters -The Greater London Council and housing crisis and cover up the even more savage housing cuts which will They are preparing the wav for mass evictions and changes to justify the use of bands of uniformed thugs — "security forces' as an illegal eviction force to attack Islington Council, presumably working with the GLC dirty tricks department through the London Boroughs Association, now plans to force the electricity and gas boards to cut off supplies to squatters in council property. No doubt the GLC will soon be taking meas ures to stop squatters from even CONFIDENTIAL The true facts about squatting are in fact revealed in a survey carried out by Lambeth Council and revealed in a confidential report to the Housing Committee (No. H.C. 108/74-75). It reveals (paragraphs 1.2 and 1.4) that over 60 per cent of squatted dwellings in Lambeth are occupied by families. Two thirds of the squatters came from GLC Under Sheriff, Alastair Black, who claims that there are It is not squatters - the homeless who take action -wo cause it housing crisis. It is caused by spec ulators, councils and the GovernThe solution is to fight for pol icies which defend the right of housing for all:
Stop the cuts in housing. Start inflation-proof social spending - including housing, with auto matic increases for every rise in the cost-of-living-index.
Immediate requisitioning of all empty property for the homeless. - A crash programme of Government financed repairs and building. Use up the brick mountain and land bank! - Stop the Criminal Trespass Law proposals, and instead give squatters legal protection against all harassment and make owners prove need for usage of property before getting a possession order - Nationalisation of building industry without loss of jobs. End unemployment in the building inaustry - End interest payments on money borrowed for housing programmes (at present 90 per cent of GLC rents go straight to the City as in