treats them Like dirt. the properties paying rent to it. she pays E1.50 a week terrifying.
But it is also creating millions of any acher borough in London. And it Most councils-even Labour-controllod ones like Islington -expect the home less to crawi on their bellies and be grateful For any miscrable hole-in-the-wall that the authorities aro preparod to give them.
That is why they hate squatters so much hecause squatters act on the subversive idea that people are entitled to decent housing as a right slington is one of many boroughs that have declared war on squatters As part of this policy, perfectly good bouses and flats which have been taken over by the council and are awaiting ro declopment are gutted, Floor boards are ripped up, toilets smashed, and wit dows and doors sealed with corrugated Iron. The aim of these orgies of destruc tion is to preect squatters occupying In many cases attempts have been made to 'gut" properties which are actor ally inhabited by squatters, But recent ly the Ilington Council has reachod an all-time low they have taken to gutting houses which are pocupied by homeless families placed there by the council and 'TERRIFYING The Gordien reported a typical case of this last week. Susan Wilianis is a 23year old unmarried mother who has a hap disorder, and requires the usc of crut ches to walk. Two ycars ago she was evict ed from a squst, and moved by Itington council into an unoccupied lat, for which On Monday 4 November, Isliceton's putting squad paid a visit to the house in Guardian: "The first 1 knew of the gutting was when I saw a demolition van outside I board the smashing of gloss as one of them got in through a basement window acil then I heard their ripping up floor boards They thought 1 wara squatter and took the duor off the only tollet, It was Hose putting operations are carriod out by lump labour building contractors who are notorious for their chuggish incthods. Just recently a mombor of the Islington law ceatre who dared to get in their way was punchod in the bov This is the sort of barbarity that a local council has to stoop to once it decides to try and foist capitalist's housing crisis on to the backs of the working class Of all the councils wich opposed the Housing Finence Act the place of honaur cleariy goes to Clay Crass The Clay Cross councillors fought a campaien which lasted just over two yoars. And what a contrast it provides with the actions of other Labour-contral WIL
ey.
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Moves are also under way to make At the time of the Housing
ISLINGTON NALGO SERVICES CLAY CROSS