The campaign in support of squatting encompasses many organisations and opinions. Our blog aims to take a wide view on the issue and bring in opinions from across the board, though it does not necessarily represent the views of the Squash campaign.
We welcome contributions, so please get in touch if you’d like to post here. Join the debate on Twitter too.
Anti-squatting laws and the coming crackdown on occupations
A letter in today’s Guardian voices the concerns of unionists, students and MPs about possible new squatting laws. Here’s the full story. It’s been less than a year since it became a criminal offence to take shelter in abandoned residential buildings, but it appears that the government is concerned that they haven’t yet caused enough misery and distress to homeless people. It’s looking increasingly likely that new proposals to extend the criminalisation of squatting to non-residential properties may be brought forward by the end of the year. As well as the disastrous impacts that this will have on those who [...]
SQUASH NewsRound: February to March 2013
SQUASH Update; Mike Weatherley Ltd – Open for Business; Squatting the British Press; Squatting Academia; The Global Housing Crisis Continues
Anti-Squatting Law Challenged in Brighton Court
A major test of Section 144 occurred today in a Brighton Magistrate’s Court – with the criminalisation of squatting dealt a serious blow. Three people faced the charges of squatting in a residential property under Section 144 of LASPO, and obstruction of a police officer. They were arrested on 3rd September 2012, just two days after Section 144’s passage into law, in a high-profile eviction by police. All three were found to have no case to answer for obstruction of a police officer, whilst two were found to have no case to answer for the squatting charge. The case continues [...]
The Evening Standard is Lying to London
Last Wednesday, activists from the Squash campaign inserted 8000 leaflets into the Evening Standard, in an attempt to redress the deliberate misinformation being pumped out by this media mischief-maker.
Now we’re urging you to do the same.
40 top lawyers sign Guardian anti-squatting law repeal letter
The letter reads: It is just over six months since the offence of squatting in a residential building came into force. At the time the offence was proposed, government sources claimed it was necessary as the law “does not support police acting when there are squatters in someone’s home” and that “there are no powers to throw them out”. The signatories to this letter include many of the 160 lawyers who wrote to the Guardian (26 September 2011) pointing out that, as a matter of law, those statements were wrong, as such powers did exist and had done so since [...]
The Evening Standard Hates Romanians
Here we go again. Yet another foul, bordering-on-racist article in the Evening Standard, who quite clearly hate all squatters and it seems all Eastern Europeans – especially Romanians. Friday’s article on new figures released via an FOI request submitted to the Metropolitan Police (our first request was turned down when we were writing our report) claims that 45% of all squatters arrested in London, since the introduction of new legislation which criminalised squatting in residential properties last September, are from Romania. It is unsurprising that migrants who will not have English as a first language are being adversely affected by [...]
Squatting law causes more problems than it prevents
Vyvian Raoul says squatting law causes more problems than it prevents, in a guest post for the New Interntaionalist blog. Our report – The Case Against Section 144 – shows that not a single, solitary squatter arrested under the new law was found to be displacing a homeowner…
Court case won by former Friern Barnet Library activists
The Friern Barnet Library Activists have moved on to a new project in Enfield Borough in an attempt to fight austerity, homelessness and unjust squatting laws. The community activists who were previously caretakers of the Friern Barnet Library, are now residing at the Arnos Family Resource Centre (ARC). They won their court case against Enfield Council on the 11th of March 2013 at the Barnet County Court. Many of the activists arrived at court to defend the case being brought forward by Enfield Council for possession of the property. They were accompanied by several members of the Friern Barnet community [...]
Open Letter to Mike Weatherley MP and The Argus
Your attitude to private property is that of the land owners that belong in the “Medieval wasteland” you invoke, along with your Cabinet’s front bench…
Squatters Occupy Bloomsbury Hotel…
Squatters Occupy the Ivanhoe Hotel in Bloomsbury to Protest Against the lack of Affordable Housing!
SQUASH launch new report in Parliament
The event marked the launch of SQUASH’s 6-month report and impact analysis of section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO). It provided an opportunity to discuss what the MP’s, Lords, lawyers and academics could do to help, and highlight Mike Weatherley’s Early Day Motion (EDM) looking to extend criminalisation to commercial premises. Speaking were SQUASH, Crisis, Tuckers Solicitors and the Simon Community.
New report has been launched HERE
Section 144 (S144) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill (LASPO) came into force on September 1st 2012. SQUASH, concerned about the lack of an impact analysis of the law’s effect, has decided to investigate, analyse and evaluate the direct and indirect consequences of S144.
Criminalising squatting, empty homes and property guardianship
Despite a lack of direct legislative support, property guardianship has grown sharply in the last 5 years, so that now there are at least nineteen different property guardian companies offering their services to private landlords and local authorities, with the major active players the Dutch companies Camelot and Ad Hoc. Guardian companies can set restrictive limitations on licensees, such as that they are not allowed to have children, be unemployed, become ‘intentionally’ unemployed, or in receipt of state benefit, and screen applicants for those who are “deserving” rather than in need. Property guardianship crosses boundaries between housing, employment and prison; it is a scam of epic proportion.
Squattastic, Sunday 17th February
Squattastic is an organising network for squatters. There are groups in London and Bristol. With many facing increasing difficulty finding a stable home, and the threat of further criminalisation on the horizon, we encourage anyone who is squatting to head down to the next London meeting, this Sunday, and find out how everyone can support each other better. From the Invite: There will be Practical and Legal Resistance Workshops, films and an exhibition with a People’s Kitchen afterwards. It’s the usual 2-6 with extra social afterwards if you want to stay, Central London location to be confirmed. If anyone wants [...]
Grow Heathrow’s Third Birthday
HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY GROW HEATHROW! What? Grow Heathrow, the squatted market garden by Heathrow Airport, will turn 3 years old this March – it’s time to celebrate! Come along for a day of feasting, music, cake competitions, swap shops, arts and crafts, seed sewing, and celebrations. Bring your friends, family and an entry for the cake competition! When? Saturday 2nd March, from 1.27pm sharp. Where? Grow Heathrow, Vineries Close, Sipson, West Drayton, UB7 0JG Check out the photos from last year’s birthday here!
A Polite Revolution
In Friern Barnet, local people and Occupy activists came together to fight back against government cuts. The local library, which like thousands up and down the country faced closure in the name of austerity, was squatted for 5 months, restocked with books from donations, and reopened by the Occupiers and the community. The council has now agreed to hand back the keys to the community. Here’s an short film of this inspiring story, which goes to show that squatting can indeed be good for society. A Polite Revolution from Oonagh Cousins on Vimeo.
Violent Russian Squat Eviction- Activists Face Ten Years in Prison
Russian police evict historic railway station in St. Petersburg which is due to be demolished to make way for high rise flats.
19 squatters arrested and several hospitalised. Those on trial need support and help with legal fees. Find out more or donate at- russiaukasn@riseup.net
SQUASH NewsRound: Mid-January 2013
The NewsRound will be a fortnightly to monthly post, keeping tabs on articles being posted in MainStream Media (MSM) sources, as well as independent channels (eg IMC, SchNEWS) about squatting, the new law (s.144) and possible new legislation (eg commercial). For the Period: 1st January – 5th February 2013. Contains: Early Day Motion 192, Repeal s144 LASPO Petition, Friern Barnet Library Saved Thanks to Squatting, Curtailing Freedom of Information by Criminalising Squatting, Another Arrest, Attack of the Media Whores, Greece: The Attack on Greek Squats [Villa Amalias et al], Brazil: “This fight will not be done for you, it will be done by you.” , Ireland: “Squatter told he can stay in NAMA ghost estate home”, Lambeth Super Co-op, Property Guardianship company Ad Hoc in Cardiff, Haringey Housing Public Event and Freedom Bookshop Firebombed.
Squatters save Friern Barnet Library
At midday today, exactly five months since the occupation began, the community of Barnet took possession of the Friern Barnet Library. The local community – represented by the trustees of the library – are on the verge of agreeing a two-year lease with Barnet Council (LBB) to run the library with some funding from the council. At the ceremony, squatters and supporters of the Occupy movement, who have been keeping the building open and enabling the local community to run a book lending service and community centre in the building, will hand it over to the trustees of the newly [...]
Spanish Locksmiths Unite Against Evictions
Locksmiths in Spain have banded together to defy the country’s banks, who in the wake of the mortgage scandal are now receiving a European bailout to the tune of 40 billion euros.
Although they claim to be losing up to 10% of their business, Pamplona’s locksmiths are fed up with seeing the most vulnerable in society paying for the errors of the banks and the wider financial system.
SQUASH NewsRound: January 2013
The NewsRound will be a fortnightly to monthly post, keeping tabs on articles being posted in MainStream Media sources, as well as independent channels about squatting, the new law and possible new legislation. For the Period: 23rd November 2012 – 15th January 2013. Contains: Raids on Squat in Vauxhall, Resistance at Camden Garden Centre, Arrests in Leicester and Brighton, Spanish Locksmiths go on strike, Tory attempts to criminalise commercial, Adrian Nettleton’s Occupy and Explore exhibition, Heygate Estate planning committee meeting, and demonstration at City Hall to demand fair rents.
“Put property to productive use”
A guest post from a visitor to a Camden garden centre squat. Having seen their positive effect on the property, she concludes:
“Let’s have pressure for those sitting on empty properties not to be protected by the law, but to act responsibly, to occupy and put them to productive use or lose the privilege of ownership.”
SQUASH NewsRound: December 2012
The newsround is a fortnightly update, keeping tabs on articles being posted in mainstream media sources, as well as independent channels about squatting, the new law and possible new legislation. For the Period: 21st November – 15th December 2012. Contains the following stories: Madeley Meets the Squatters (ITV), Guardian article on Grow Heathrow and global squatting, Gremlins take on Keylet Properties, Property Guardians Camelot et al and their dodgy license agreements, demonstration outside Foxtons letting agents and against UCL sell off of the Carpenter Estate.
Waste of Space at the 491
Many empty and wasted buildings have been turned into vibrant, open and useful spaces over the years – but the clamour for criminalisation of squatting in commercial properties has already begun.
Waste of Space may be one of the last opportunities for the public to experience arts at 491 – one last chance to visit this vibrant place
Richard Madeley Reaction # 2
In his failure to look beyond the uninformed words of the association mouth-piece, Madeley replicated the mistakes which led to this damning law coming about. “The current law is sufficient to protect homeowners, but is not understood by the public, the police, nor, it seems, politicians” stated the Law Society in consultation.
We take a closer look at what Richard got wrong…
Richard Madeley Reaction #1
Pete the Temp takes us through the experience of sharing his space with Serious Journalist Richard Madeley.
SQUASH NewsRound: November 2012
The News Round comes out every fortnight, keeping tabs on articles being posted in Main Stream Media (MSM) sources and independent channels about squatting, the new law (s.144) and possible new legislative attacks.For the Period: 1st to 20th November 2012. Contains the following stories: Mike Weatherley’s welcome to Sussex University, Al-Jazeera article on homelessness and squatting in Britain, various pieces defending the right to squat, MSM articles on squatting in commercial premises (eg Cross Keys Pub in Chelsea) and Siege of the Elephant conference.
Crisis Launches No Going Home campaign.
The homelessness charity Crisis launched it’s ‘No Going Home’ campaign this week, targeting government plans to scrap housing benefits for the under 25s. There are currently 385,000 people under 25 claiming housing benefit across the UK. Many of these people work, or are looking for work, others are sick or disabled and more than half are parents bringing up children – all of them depend on housing benefit to keep a roof over their head.
The media has squatted my brain
Pete the Temp explains that squatters probably won’t turn your home into an Amy Winehouse, suicide fetish, voodoo-cesspit – via the medium of a very good poetry vid…
SQUASH NewsRound: Mid-October 2012
The News Round comes out every fortnight, keeping tabs on articles being posted in Main Stream Media (MSM) sources and independent channels about squatting, the new law (s.144) and possible new legislative attacks.For the Period: 12 October -10 November 2012. Contains stories on the following: discussion in the MSM about extending criminalisation to commercial property, the squatted, the emerging housing crisis in B&B accommodation, rising rents and falling benefits, and the poor state of accommodation in the private rented sector, and communal living as housing solution.
How the “Co-Operative Council” is destroying housing co-ops
Lambeth Council is at an advanced stage of flogging off the last of its “short life” properties to private property developers. Evictions of the people in them are starting next month and those emptied are being sold at auction.
An Organised Gang Drove Off With My House of Commons!!
In the rubble of this market failure is the well hidden reality of abundance. But if we treat houses like cars, instead of essential things that we all need and must find a way of managing fairly, we give people the incentive to steal them.
SQUASH NewsRound: October 2012
The News Round will be a fortnightly event, keeping tabs on articles being posted in MainStream Media (MSM) sources, as well as independent channels (eg IMC, SchNEWS) about squatting, the new law (s.144) and possible new legislation (eg commercial). Contains features on: squatting former bank in Clifton, Bristol, harassment at the House of Brag (LGBT squat), Gremlin Alley squat in Cardiff, blogs on new law (s.144), and the Tory attack on social housing.
When poverty and homelessness become a criminal matter
The new law criminalising squatting starts to bite (First squatter jailed under new law, 27 September), and what a chilling headline that is – accepting as inevitable that this is just the first. We see a young man, an apprentice bricklayer, imprisoned for three months, and his two housemates awaiting sentence. It seems likely that he will lose his apprenticeship and be discharged from prison – homeless and with a criminal record.
Lawyer calls on Labour to repeal s.144
Alistair Mitchell, a barrister from Foregate Chambers, recently found himself being courted by Andy Burnham from the Labour Party for their support. Outraged by the injustice of section 144, he has called upon the party to campaign for the repeal of this draconian legislation. Here is his letter: Dear Andy, I was appalled that the Labour Party failed to oppose the passing of s.144 LAPSO to criminalise homeless people who squat. Indeed, your Shadow Justice Secretary went out of his way to support the new law with a statement on your website. S.144 was passed with just 90 minutes of [...]
SQUASH NewsRound: Issue 1, September 2012
Squash News Round will be a fortnightly event, keeping tabs on articles being posted in MainStream Media (MSM) sources, as well as independent channels (eg IMC, SchNEWS) about squatting, the new law (s.144) and possible new legislation (eg commercial). Issue No. 1: September 2012. Contains the following articles: MSM coverage of the new law (s.144 LASPO) coming into effect, Irene Gardiner and her case in Wales, arrest of Alex Haigh (first person prosecuted), reaction to first arrest, and housing blogs claiming the new law is not effective enough.
Update from Eviction Resistance Network
This round-up is cross-posted from the Eviction Resistance Network blog. We’ve been keeping track of squat related activity since September 1st when squatting in residential building was made illegal. Here’s a quick round up: GLASTONBURY A few days ago we reported that 5 individuals were, to our knowledge, the first to be arrested under the new law. Coincidently, it has also been revealed that proposals to make more emergency accommodation for homeless young people in Somerset have twice been turned down by planners. We understand the Squatters Legal Network are keen to support those arrested. Here’s more information from the [...]
Criminalising Squatting – Privatising Empty Space
On the 1st September the act of squatting in a residential building became a criminal offence under Section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO). This unprecedented piece of legislation was enacted to a flurry of government statements claiming ‘justice’ and ‘protection’ for “hard-working homeowners” against the “misery of squatting”. At once both mimicking and feeding vitriolic media campaigns, Justice Minister Crispin Blunt claimed that “by making this change, we can slam shut the door on squatters once and for all”. By Monday the 3rd September we saw police with battering rams in Brighton
Legal challenge to new squatting law
This post is by Leigh Day & Co legal firm who are coordinating the legal challenge and was originally posted on their blog here A mother of four from Wales is taking legal action challenging the new anti-squatting legislation, coming into force today (1 September 2012), in a bid to stay in the house she has lived in for 11 years with her children. Irene Gardiner (49) has lived in her home, a cottage in Newchapel, near Llanidloes, as a squatter for 11 years. Her two younger children Hazel (15) and Sol (13) live with her and attend the local [...]
Updated advice from the Advisory Service for Squatters
If you are currently squatting, or believe you may otherwise be affected by the new laws, we recommend that you read the following advice and resources from the Advisory Service for Squatters.
Criminalising squatting hurts the poor and benefits the rich
From Saturday, a massively unjust, unnecessary and unaffordable new law will come into force in England and Wales. In the middle of one of the worst housing crises this country has ever seen, up to 50,000 squatters who are currently squatting in empty properties across the UK face becoming criminals, and this because they are occupying abandoned residential properties to put a roof over their heads.
This post is cross-posted from the Guardian blog.
Tell us your story: the Squash Campaign is collecting case studies
The Squash Campaign is collecting case studies of people impacted by the new law criminalising squatting. Many communities will be shattered by this new law. Some children will be impacted. People will be made homeless as they are forced to leave properties that will be left to rot. We are especially interested in stories of people who have been in their homes for years, in buildings that have been left empty. Are you or do you know any squatters who would be willing to share their stories with us?
Squash Picnic Attendees facing SOCPA charges
The following piece has been written by Ashleigh Marsh who is currently being prosecuted under SOCPA legislation for her role is taking part at a picnic and sleep-out on the Xxth October 2011, in order to visually show the effect that the criminalisation of squatting would have on between 20-50,000 people in England and Wales, ie having to sleep rough. Ashleigh is active in her community, for example working to get a new skateboard park built for local people in Woolwich, one of most deprived areas in London. SQUASH fully support Ashleigh and her two co-defendants as they face charges, [...]
Council pays £440,000 so security firm can exploit tenants
In the UK the homeless have traditionally been allowed to legally occupy long-term empty property. These rights were critical at key moments in history (such as after the WW2 when Britain experienced a housing crisis and squatting was rife). Squatters’ rights came to an end on March 27th when the government criminalised squatting in residential properties. The new law will come into effect in a matter of months…
Bristol Squattastic statement: Whatever they say…
Fight the anti-squatting bill! Assemble 1pm outside Metropolis, Stokes Croft. Saturday 14th April
Squatting criminalised by ‘sham democracy’
This calls for an organised response. As has been recognised by SQUASH: “This has always been a right-wing attack to defend and enhance private property rights over the human right to shelter and we now have to defend ourselves”. That defence does not play itself out in the upholstered arena of sham-democratic institutions such as the House of Lords. It happens on the streets, and in empty properties up and down the country…
Squatting in residential properties to be criminalised in months
What a joke! All of it, the whole process. Last night the House of Lords passed a clause hidden in the legal aid bill to criminalise squatting in residential properties essentially making thousands of homeless people criminals overnight. A whole section of the very poorest and most vulnerable in society have been made criminals and again the debate took place extremely late in the day. The harsh reality is that the government keeps enough peers at Parliament late at night if they face any risk of defeat while the rest of the Lords (Labour, Crossbenchers, Bishops & others) rarely stay [...]
Criminalising squatting is the real crime
It’s a curious move during the worst housing crisis in modern memory, to turn homeless people who shelter in empty homes into criminals looking at a year in prison or a £5000 fine.
This from the government whose leader promised that austerity would not hurt “the vulnerable, the poorest in our society”.
New video: Cost of Criminalising Squatting
This video from Squash shows the cost of criminalising squatting, both human and financial. As the video says, the Lords still have a chance to stop criminalisation on Tuesday, when Clause 145 (formerly 136) is debated again. Do get in touch with them and let them know clause 145 is no way to handle a housing crisis; please share this video widely.
You know something stinks when its only debated at midnight
SQUASH campaigners have just returned home from a three hour stint in the House of Lords public gallery. After an hour discussion on scrap metal the debate on squatting finally took place just before midnight. Considering the hour the honourable noble speeches couldn’t have gone any better. Baroness Miller who had tabled five amendments in opposition to Clause 136 – which seeks to criminalise squatting in residential properties – denounced the injustices of this ill thought-out clause, and explained why this clause needed radically rethinking. Baroness Lister and Lord Bach (both Labour) spoke forcefully on the devastating impacts that this [...]
And those amendments in full…
These are the amendments we’re tabling in full, with explanations why we support them. They’re been tabled by a friendly peer and will be debated in the House of Lords next Tuesday 20 March. That will be a very important day: it could mean the criminalisation of squatting in residential buildings; it could mean a stay of execution for squatting. We’re doing everything we can to make sure it’s the latter, and we think these amendments will help…
The final push: what you need to know to save squatting
We’re now at the most critical stage of the campaign, our very last chance to stop the criminalisation of squatting. Next Tuesday 20 March, Clause 136 of the Legal-Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) bill will be debated and voted on in the House of Lords. If it’s passed it would sanction a £5000 fine or up to a year in prison for those squatting in residential buildings.
Find out what you need to know to help make sure that doesn’t happen…
Channel 4: Minister with no sympathy for homeless
“Whether it is a creative community looking for studio space, or homeless individuals desperate for a bed, squatting has long been part of Britain’s housing landscape. When the massive Huntley Street squat in Bloomsbury was evicted in 1978, protests were staged across the world in solidarity.
But all that could all change after next week. The House of Lords will vote on the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, clause 130 of which relates to the criminalisation of squatting.”
The report was featured on Channel 4′s news on Friday, and shows some positive aspects of squatting, like doing up a derelict property as shown in the video. It also questions how criminalising the homeless, at a time when their numbers are increasing, will help with a housing crisis.
Bad time to ban squatting
The Lords will soon have their final chance to reverse the government’s attempts to criminalise squatting in Clause 136 of the Legal Aid Bill.
With 720,000 empty houses and a stream of new figures on increasing homelessness, this is a bad time to outlaw squatting.
Where it’s at: an update on the parliamentary process and our campaign to stop criminalisation…
As LASPO enters the House of Lords, the campaign to stop the criminalisation of squatting is entering its most critical phase.
This is a look back on LASPO’s progress through parliament, an update on where it’s at now and advice on what you can do to help make sure squatting doesn’t become a criminal act…
Squash on the radio
Dissident Island very kindly invited us onto the radio to talk about stopping the criminalisation of squatting. Not a bad little round up of where the campaign’s at, sandwiched between some super-dirty dubstep and Police and Thieves sounds…
Squatting law will only criminalise the homeless. Let’s demolish clause 136
When the Ministry of Justice consulted about squatting, 2,126 responses came from “members of the public concerned about the impact of criminalisation” and only 25 were from “members of the public concerned about the harm squatting can cause”. The people, as ever, are kinder than their government.
The timing could not be more vicious. The chronic shortage of social housing, the cuts and the economic depression create a perfect storm of a housing crisis. Homelessness is up 15% nationally in the last year, and rough sleeping in London is up 8%. Shapps has promised funding to resolve homelessness but this money is a drop in an ocean of chaos; it will be wiped out by cuts elsewhere…
Adding up the cost of privatisation…
Perhaps the council can’t see that squatters are uniquely positioned to be the missing link in the equation they can’t solve. Fixing up houses is second nature to long-term squatters, and many are used to living in conditions that would be unsuitable for families. The blight of long term empty homes can be a thing of the past if people that are prepared to refurbish homes for themselves are allowed to move in and get on with it. What makes the council blind to such a common sense solution?
If the government has their way this pro-active, hands-on approach to putting life back into empty homes will very soon become a crime. Maybe they can’t add up either…
Squatters move to stop council sell-off
Lewisham People Before Profit has occupied 5 houses which Lewisham Council wants to sell-off.
In a bid to stop five family houses being sold off at auction today activists entered and peacefully took control of the houses earmarked for “disposal” by Lewisham Council.
Squatting, South American style…
This video from the New York Times shows the true face of squatting: people who have been let down – and, like the buildings they occupy, left to rot – by their government.
People taking matters into their own hands, people finding their own solutions.
It’s all in the timing…
Squatter season is officially open. Over the past fortnight, you may have noticed a ramping up of anti-squatting stories in newspaper reports and opinion columns.
This is no coincidence, in fact the timing is almost comical…
Nice one, Gorms…
Last week, the artist Anthony Gormley gave an impassioned defence of squatting, as reported in an article by Alex Needham for the Guardian. In it, Gormley tells us that he’s against the criminalisation of squatting because of what he thinks is the real crime: the housing crisis…
Another response to the Daily Mail
This is from the Advisory Service for Squatters clearing up some of the lies and nonsense most lately peddled in the Daily (Hate) Mail’s attack on the homeless.
Nick Clegg’s lobbying group opposes criminalisation…
This law “is contrary to the interests of UK taxpayers.
“It would provide a valuable state funded benefit to wealthy tax avoiders.
“This influential lobby has the ear of Conservative Justice Minister Crispin Blunt.”
Could this be love?
Ok, ok, love for the Lords is a bit much, but could it be that our campaign of common sense and compassion is beginning to have an effect?
On Friday, the Evening Standard reported that Lib Dem peers are vowing to oppose plans to make squatting a criminal offence, by tabling an eminently sensible amendment.
Quick: dig a moat…
This week Chris Moncrieff wrote an article in the Daily Mail, in which he whipped up fear in the usual ways, offered not a single fact and shouted: the Moldovans are coming!
Chris’ article was entitled ‘It won’t be long before an Englishman’s home is someone else’s castle’, evoking the image of east Europeans overrunning the parapets, and reinforcing the siege mentality that readers of the Daily Mail seem to lap up…
Treacherous Weatherley – Schnews reports how anti-squatting MP exposes himself
The SchNews website reports on anti-squat crusader MP Mike Weatherley’s claims about support from homelessness charities. Mike Weatherley, the Tory MP for Hove & Portslade – architect of the squatting bill - has spent much of his first 18 months in power attacking the homeless in his own constituency under the guise of a crackdown on ‘lifestyle squatters’. For the most part his campaign has been dominated by a collection of factually inaccurate soundbites. His ‘facts’ about squatting have been repeatedly rebutted (including in an open letter from 160 lawyers) but Mike soldiers on. One argument Mr ‘Fair’ Weatherley has used [...]
The Great British Property Scandal (C4)
Presenter George Clark finds an open window and climbs through to squat in the empty building for the night – not something you might expect to see in a Channel 4 documentary…
BBC goes squatting…
As the government plans to make squatting illegal in residential premises in England and Wales, former squatter Robert Elms considers the practice’s long history, and the issues it raises about the need for shelter versus the rights of property owners…
Time Out: Should Squatting be Made Illegal?
The media has been full of scare stories of people’s homes being stolen. These tales seek to deliberately misrepresent and mislead. It’s already illegal to squat in the home that someone lives in. This has absolutely nothing to do with protecting homeowners; it is about extending the protections to cover property speculators who keep houses empty simply to up their profits, and it will be open to abuse by landlords who want a fast means to evict precarious tenants…
Shift: the spatial politics of squatting in the UK…
This document addresses the following questions: Firstly, why bother at all? Why is it important that squatting isn’t criminalized? And secondly, why bother meeting the government on its own terms? Is engagement not contradictory when we’re aiming to build real alternatives to the current system?
NUS Student Activism 2011 Conference: why is squatting relevant to students?
On Saturday Squash will be representing at the NUS Student Activism 2011 conference, at Goldsmiths. Come down and say hello. We’ll be giving a talk at 2pm entitled ‘Trespass! Why criminalizing squatting could affect students…?’ Here’s why we think students should be concerned about the government’s plan’s to criminalise trespass…
Your gauntlet, Mr. Weatherley?
“What really gets my goat is when Weatherley says “show me a squat which has been made better by the squatters” on his website or, most recently, on the BBC Politics Show. Mike said he was laying down the gauntlet to squatter groups: here is one response…”
This pernicious choreography hints at a more sinister logic…
This pernicious choreography – from summer consultation to rushed last-minute amendment – also hints at a more sinister logic. On Tuesday morning, the housing minister, Grant Shapps, tweeted the following: “St Paul’s: Right to protest NOT a right to squat. Looking at law to see if change needed to deal w/ camps like St Paul’s & Dale Farm faster.” Shapps’ casual and lazy equation of protest and collective assembly with the rich and varied history of squatting reveals, it seems to me, the ultimate target of the government’s legal revanchism…
John McDonnell’s speech from Tuesday
It was a nail-biting debate on Tuesday night, and despite the fact that the vote was lost, some Members spoke extremely eloquently in opposition to the criminalisation of squatting. Reproduced below is John McDonell’s speech – you can read the full transcript from the debate here. We would like to thank those MPs who were brave enough to stand up for the vulnerable, and we hope that the Lords will pay attention to the words of those like McDonnell who clearly showed why these laws are deeply wrong. Making new laws, especially ones that can put people in prison for [...]
It’s a choice between homelessness and a criminal record
Most squatters do not pose a threat to ordinary homeowners, but they are a potential embarrassment to a government whose best response to the housing crisis is to make homelessness illegal, which is rather like solving a food shortage by making hunger illegal. Laurie Pennie criticises the governments recent ammendment to criminalise squatting over on the New Statesmen.
Squash Parliament
They say ’7 days is a long time in politics’. A week ago today we found out that the government was introducing a sneaky last minute clause to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill that would criminalise squatting in residential buildings. Yesterday the clause was voted through in Parliament by 283 to 13 against. The amendment to the clause brought by John Mcdonnell and Crisis was defeated by 23 to 300 against. The clause will now move to the House of Lords where it will face its first proper scrutiny. On Monday night hundreds came for a [...]
#StopClause26
We didn’t all get arrested last night! This is what you can do today to stop clause 26 to prevent the criminalisation of the homeless. 9am – Gather outside Westminster Housing Options Service, 101 Orchardson Street NW8 for a workshop on how to register homeless by The Simon Community 12noon – Gather outside Parliament – Rally to show opposition and workshop on how to lobby your MP by Squash Campaign on the law concerning squatting as it stands, and of the impacts New Clause 26 would involve by a Housing Lawyer 3pm – Squash has booked a room in Parliament [...]
Between people and property: why the anti-squatting amendment must be opposed
The following piece is by Jacob, writing for The Third Estate. The state, we are told, defends two things in the law: people and property. That is, the state are bad dialecticians, who forever stupidly butt their heads against the fact that these two things, people and property, often come into conflict. And of course, for the most part they come out on the side of property, at once proclaiming that protecting people is the same as protecting the “rights” (although never “abilities”) of people to own property. Thus this manifest contradiction is, apparently, “solved”. The solution comes with a [...]
Event: Student solidarity with squatters – 02/11/11
Student solidarity with squatters, in the face of Conservative plans to outlaw occupations…
Why we need to ‘keep squatting legal’, and why ‘guardianship’ is no solution
Over at Ecologist Laura Laker looks at some of the issues around the current housing crisis and how squatting – in this context – poses more solutions than it does problems. “The UK faces a housing crisis, with a growing population and spiralling rental costs made worse by the recent financial crisis. However, where many find it increasingly difficult to buy or even rent, a large number of homes in the UK remain vacant. A Halifax survey published in December 2010 estimated there were 296,000 homes in the UK left empty for more than six months; some estimate as many [...]
Take a look in at Squatters Town…
Even the briefest reading of history is enough to dismiss the idea that squatting is either a modern phenomenon or a hangover from the 60s and 70s; squatting has always existed as a solution wherever there are people without any other option for decent housing. This newsreel from 1946 is a beautiful example of both how squatting can work and how far the debate has declined…
The Demonisation of Squatters
The following piece is by Vyvian Raoul, guest posting over on io magazine. Raoul is a London-based squatter, and talks here about the demonisation of squatters, political hysteria and why the real scandal is the number of empty properties across the country. News needs to be two things: new and true. In terms of the latter, most of what gets reported about squatting misses the mark somewhat. And, to an extent, it’s understandable: squatters aren’t exactly queuing up to give interviews to the mainstream media, so misconceptions and murkiness, stereotype and sensationalism, abound. But no other area of investigative journalism [...]
Inside Housing article: ‘There’s no such thing as squatter’s rights…’
Over on Inside Housing Simon Brandon looks at the Government’s announcement to ‘slam the door on squatting and so-called squatters’ rights‘, and questions what Ministers hope to acheive by criminalising an estimated 20,000 people in the midst of a housing crisis and with local services already stretched to breaking point. Repeat it over and over, like Dorothy declaring ‘there’s no place like home’: ‘There’s no such thing as squatters rights’
In defence of squatting
Squatting, a proud tradition in the UK which involves individuals taking over empty/abandoned properties is under threat.
A new government consultation to criminalise squatting in the UK has just ended and any criminalisation plans are likely to be pushed through in the new year.
This isn’t the first time the Tories have tried to criminalise squatting but these current plans couldn’t come at a more crazy time.
Student solidarity… with squatters?
The following post is by Vyvian Raoul, originally posted up on the Counterfire site. Conservative plans to criminalise trespass have wider repercussions than outlawing squatting. Whether it’s an unintended side-effect or a deliberate fringe benefit, imagine the future of protest without occupations. By now, you may have seen the Conservative housing minister, Grant Shapps MP, on Question Time, talking about social housing. No-one asked him for his thoughts on trespass, but some apt questions might have included: how does criminalising squatting help with a housing crisis? Are the 160 property lawyers who signed a letter accusing you of deliberately misleading [...]
This is where it starts getting lively
In light of Crisis’ new research into squatting and homelessness the government’s proposals for the criminalisation of squatting seems increasingly misguided and wrong.
Yet the ‘consultation’ process has magnificently failed to acknowledge the vast majority of groups who will be affected by the proposed legislation.
Instead the consultation has been directed and addressed only to those who already consider squatting to be a problem.
Home-Made: the misery the government can cause
Ever wanted to know who the squatters really are?
Well here’s a beautiful cartoon by, telling the story of some of the victims of the government’s attack.
In support of squatting – the neighbours talk
Check out this great new video giving some perspectives on what it’s like to have squatters for neighbours. Circulate at will!
Travellers and Squatters
We are the last links with independence and self sufficiency in an over organised country…
We elude to a great extent the tentacles of officialdom which seek to enclose everyone within their grasp, plotting their lives by standards, times and dates.
Freedom we are told is everyman’s heritage – yet how few achieve it and how few exploit it.
Squash’s guidelines for responding to the consultation
The government’s consultation on the proposed criminalisation of squatting is currently taking place. The consultation is supposed to allow the government to formally take public opinion and suggestions into account.
Here we have provided resources for you to understand it and quickly submit an email response to the government. The deadline is the 5th October 2011.
Advisory Service for Squatters’ Response to the Consultation
The ASS provides legal and practical advice to squatters and other homeless people, and have been doing so since 1975.
Here they offer their comments on the government’s consultation paper ‘Options for dealing with squatters.
The government consultation attacking squatting is a very ill-informed document.
Fitzrovia, 130 years of Squatting
The Really Free School squats in Guy Richie’s house in Fitzroy Square and then the Black Horse in Rathbone Place hit the headlines a few months ago.
In fact these follow in a long tradition of squatting in the area.
In 1980 pop singers Boy George and Marilyn were among those who squatted at 21 Carburton Street before achieving fame. There were other squats in Warren Street and Great Titchfield Street at the same time.
Who is a squatter?
A fairly normal afternoon at ASS (Advisory Service for Squatters), and a fairly typical call…
The bloke, and his pregnant wife, are renting from someone whose tenancy doesn’t allow them to sub-let. The landlady is demanding more money and threatening to come back and kick them out.
He went to various places for advice. The council told him that he had no rights (untrue) because the tenancy was illegal (untrue) and suggested he might want to look into “squatters rights”.
Squatters in Britain: vulnerable, demonised, and soon to be criminalised?
Lili and Melissa and Pete of the campaign group Housing Solidarity respond to the government’s proposals to criminalise squatting. The following article was originally posted over on open democracy, feel free to go over and join in the debate in the comments section. Last month, the Ministry of Justice released a consultation aimed at gathering information on the extent of problems caused by squatters as well as views on a proposal to introduce legislation making squatting itself a crime. The views of squatters themselves rarely feature in mainstream debate, allowing myths and misunderstandings to persist, which feed a process of demonization [...]
George Monbiot says something eminently sensible about democracy…
Last year the government launched a consultation on criminalising all squatting in residential buildings; 96% of the respondents argued that no change in the law was necessary.
But on 1 November, just five days after the consultation ended, the government jemmied an amendment into the legal aid bill, already halfway towards approval.
This meant that the House of Commons had no chance to scrutinise it properly, and objectors had no chance to explain the issues to their MPs…