The Radio 4 PM programme on 13th Jan exposed the council to rare national publicity on the issue of mass demolition of the north.
Reporter Luke Walton exposed the situation of over 12,000 demolitions nationally and only 2,000 homes built. He reports that Gateshead Council see little prospect of private building for at least 3 years. Gateshead Council claim they are building houses people want. In actuality they have built no replacement houses in Saltwell and Bensham at all and in the places that have had development houses are been 6 and 10 times the average local annual salary. Most of these new properties are standing empty. Drilling down into the questions asked by Gateshead Council in their surveys of local opinion reveal such gems as "do you want more open space" and "should there be more choice of housing in the area". The question "do you want your home demolished to make way for luxury appartments you can't afford" was sadly not included! The point being that questions were weighted to get support for demolition without mentioning demolition.
Little wonder that some Labour MPs label the process as "ethnic cleansing" of the working class from inner cities. Our residents association would not take such a dramatic stand but a recent report by Labour's favourite think-tank the IPPR said that the government were perceived to have "abandoned the white working class".
Over the water in Newcastle the "success" of demolishing the homes of hard working families was paid for by Labour losing the city council. Some nine council seats were lost just down to de-populating Labour voting areas.
Nationally the budget for market renewal is falling year by year. Private developers are not building. In Lancashire and the North West, with many marginal Labour seats, demolition of thousands of homes will make a number of MPs aware that demolishing your own voters property is not the best way to get them to vote Labour. An abrupt end to pathfinder is on the cards.
Links
Radio 4 PM Programme
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