11 May 2011
Dear Nick Clegg, (Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Deputy Prime Minister of the Coalition)
So you took a trouncing in the local elections last week. To tell the truth, I didn’t care. Why should I? You and your party didn’t help me and my son.
We were evicted from our temporary accommodation and placed into further temporary accommodation; a two year lease with a £350 weekly rent. My job pays £6 an hour and I’ve just received a £600 quarterly electricity bill. It’s not your life but it is many people’s lives which is why I write to you one last time.
As you know there are five million people currently on the waiting list for a council flat, my family included. This means that come the next general election, there will be five million, if not more, votes up for grabs. I have pointed this out to Ed Miliband, and now I am pointing it out to you.
As I mentioned in the letter I wrote to you a year ago, (enclosed), you were the only politician to mention the need for council flats in the television debates.
Perhaps you are relieved the media ignores this as your Tory partner demolishes what’s left of state housing and subjects millions of people to high rents and recurring evictions so detrimental to health and children’s education and life chances. You mentioned health and education to Andrew Marr but no-one, not even you, mentioned housing, which is so married to these issues. Why not?
I have approached ministers about housing since 2004. A report on the Localism Bill due to land in the House of Commons soon will have devastating outcomes for generations to come if it’s passed.
As your party lies battered following broken promises, I believe you have an opportunity to help our country and gain some votes as you do so. I don’t know why I should want to help you Mr Clegg. Perhaps it’s because I did meet you and I want positive consequences to come from that.
I’m sending you a copy of the postcard I sent the coalition last July asking for withheld funds to be returned to the borough of Camden. I asked Frank Dobson to approach the coalition on my behalf. I asked Ed Miliband to use it to kick-start an opposition to Tory plans and I asked Boris Johnson to meet me, to advise me on how best to approach coalition decision makers myself.
Not one of these politicians has been prepared to help me help the borough they themselves live in. My borough may not be your concern but our country is. People are dying. You can stem the flow.
According to the UK Rich List, the number of billionaires in the country has gone up from 53 to 73. I don’t want to hear there is no money.
I look forward to hearing something. I enclose two articles I wrote that you might want to read.
I want this housing catastrophe to end and I still believe you and your party can begin to end it.
Yours sincerely,
Sue de Nim
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