CORBYN: SEIZE HOMES OF THE RICH
Empty London mansions ‘should be requisitioned to house blaze victims’
HOMES left empty by the rich should be requisitioned to house the victims of the Grenfell fire disaster, Jeremy Corbyn said yesterday.
It was unacceptable for poor people and the homeless to be left looking for somewhere to live while absentee owners sat on investment properties, leaving them unoccupied as they soared in value, the Labour leader told MPs.
The wealthy West London borough of Kensington, where the tragedy occurred, was a ‘tale of two cities’ between a rich south and a poor north, Mr Corbyn claimed. Putting forward the controversial proposal that the state should take over luxury empty homes in the capital so the homeless can move in, he said: ‘Properties must be found – requisitioned if necessary – in order to make sure that residents do get rehoused locally.
‘how is it acceptable that in London you have luxury buildings and luxury flats kept empty... while homeless people look for somewhere to live? I think we have to address these issues.’ Mr Corbyn made his demand for empty homes to be requisitioned as MPs gathered in Westminster hall to question ministers about the blaze.
They would normally expect to hear a ministerial statement on a tragedy of this scale in the Commons but this is not possible because Parliament has not yet formally reopened following the snap general election.
Mr Corbyn said hundreds of thousands of people living in tower blocks will be ‘frightened, traumatised and very, very worried’ following the Grenfell Tower blaze. he added that he felt ‘very angry’ that so many people had lost their lives in a tower block where the fire precautions did not work.
Mr Corbyn later put out a statement to say: ‘Kensington is a tale of two cities – it is among the wealthiest parts of this country but the ward where this took place is one of the poorest.’
he said an inquiry into the disaster must be speedy and all residents should have access to legal aid. he added: ‘residents must also be rehoused, using requisition of empty properties if necessary, in the community they love.’
Tory MP andrew Bridgen accused the Labour leader of preaching a Marxist agenda.
‘It is unsurprising following their self- delusion that they won the election that Mr Corbyn and his allies are lurching even further to the left,’ he said.
‘suggesting requisitioning private property when empty student accommodation is available locally is completely in line with his Marxist belief that all private property should belong to the state.
‘It is just a hint of Corbyn seeking to attain through mob rule on the streets what he has failed to achieve through the ballot box.’
senior Labour MPs, including former deputy leader harriet harman, welcomed Mr Corbyn’s proposal.
Miss harman wrote: ‘Loads of empty flats in Kensington. Jeremy Corbyn right that government should requisition to rehouse Grenfell survivors.’ Tottenham MP David Lammy tweeted: ‘Lots of homes left vacant in Kensington and Chelsea by overseas investors. I would like to see them requisitioned by the government to rehouse victims.’
Mr Lammy, whose friend Khadija saye is feared dead in the fire, called for a criminal investigation and demanded that corporate manslaughter charges be brought.
Miss saye, who lived on the 20th floor and is still missing, posted on Facebook at 3am saying that she felt faint. residents have claimed their warnings that the building was a fire risk were ignored.
‘This is the richest borough in our country treating its citizens in an appalling way and we should call it what it is. It is corporate manslaughter,’ Mr Lammy said. ‘There should be arrests made. It is an outrage.
‘There must be a full investigation and people must be held to account.’
Labour MP Mary Creagh said: ‘It wasn’t some natural disaster. This is a man-made disaster.’
‘He is seeking mob rule on the streets’