Mass action by squatters has forced an opca split in Lambeth Council's ruling Labour group. This provides big opportunities for the squatting movement to take the struggle against evictions and for 'Decent Housing for All' into the heart of the trade union movement in Lambeth.
Together with the Trade Union Inquiry into Speculation, launched by Islinglon Tenants Campaign from their struggle against Prebble's estate agents, this struggle can and tenants movement to mobilise Red Weekly 1 January 1975 Page 2 large sections of the London labour movement on the question of housing.
MEETING On Tuesday, 3 December, over 600 suallers and toants crantned intc Jambeth Assembly Rooms to meet Lambeth Council Housing Committee The moeting was forced on the Council, because squatters who occupied the November mecting of the Housing Committee lad exposed the existenor or a secret accument on nowane poury This document secks powers for a final solution lo horaclessness in Lambeth -and given the huge cuthacks in housing budgets, it is likely Ust other London boreans will evict them all made uninhabitable and prison-like reception centres would be reopened. Lac of the proposed Criminal Trespass Law us also envisaged, which as a press statement of the all-Lambeth Squatters points out, would make criminals of homess people it a criminal offence for anybody to be in property when the owner doesn't want then there so the following actions would become crimes: occupations of lictories. and demonstrabions and pickets on private or state property.
At the 3 December mecting the Council tried to impose its authority from the start. The Couneil sepresent The first stage of the Council's plan is offering famibes a 'spocial tenancy" in short life housing if they are squatting pormanent All empty council property would he Squatters:
erly atives took the slags, announced their agenda, and gave their own stale "justifio ations for attacking the homeless.
The squatters" responso was to ampose their authority to project a salution in the interests of the homeless and working people generally. Throc squatters songs were sung and then put the demands of the All-Lambeds 1. No eviction of cither tenants or squatters, 2. Docent housing for all No to the division betwee Families no winge people 3. The waiting list, points ayate, housing programine and francial stracture of the Housing De pantment to be made poonc 4. The Council must make a public statement demanding Dron the Labour Govern ment the powers to requisition all empty private property in Lantbeth. 5. A puble statement ordering the ending of council vandalisation of council prop 6. The Council must publicty oppose the proposed Criminal Trespars Law.
Then Je berse to warm up. Labour councillors from Norabad who have been so trom one Lanour coup on Bu Council joined squatters in a Chance arenck an the Council's offensive against bomelo people. Tonants expressed their support a the squatters. We had turned a phoney discussion into a demonstration of ou collective strength and determination, and now are more able to extend the stroet organisation, the anti-miction squads, and to build united action with council tenants When the Leader of the Council refused to withdrow the 129 eviction orders now in the pipeline, we walked out -to the final song: "It's the same Lie borough over! From Vauxhall to Acre Lane/ll's the rich that pet the houses/ and the agoallers get the blame,' The elloot of all this has been tu stall the Council. This provides the squatting movement with some time to get the matter raised in the trade anions, and to get a labour rilovement inquiry into the whole of the Council's housing policy in Lambeth Andy Netcalfe and Piers Corbyn