Dear Sirs
Camden Council’s plans to move 761 families struggling under new benefit cuts to cities as far afield as Liverpool or Bradford (‘Camden council plans to move 761 poor families from London’, The Guardian, 13th February) would be a terrible blow for social equality in London. These families will lose the social ties that bind them into the local community; they will have to leave their friends and family members behind and such a move will cause severe disruption to their childrens’ schooling. This is a terrible blow to force on any family. It also sets a dangerous precedent, as other London councils will see this as an opportunity to move poor families out of London and cut spending on their welfare budgets. Forcing these families out will contribute to the increasing social division that is already happening in London – inner boroughs such as Camden and Islington (where I live), where private rent prices are already well above the London average, will only be affordable to live in for the wealthy and privileged, with the poor being forced to live on the fringes of outer boroughs or outside London altogether. I am concerned that this form of what is effectively social cleansing will spread from Camden to other London boroughs, where rents are high and where there is huge inequality between rich and poor, such as already exists in Islington.
Having a good social mix makes Camden the attractive, cosmopolitan borough that it is, and I urge Camden Council to use all means at its disposal to prevent these families from being moved out of the borough and out of London.
Yours faithfully,
Alex Rendall
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