The Bedroom Tax is destroying our Human Rights, writes Cllr Patrick Vernon

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The Bedroom Tax is destroying our Human Rights, writes Cllr Patrick Vernon.

I was with members of Brent Housing Action where we took sleeping bags, pillows and pyjamas to the plaza by Wembley Central Station on the High Road on Saturday 6th of June as part of the national protest day against the Bedroom Tax.

Read more – Campaigners bed down in Wembley

I am glad that UN is now investigating the impact of the Bedroom Tax on low income households. It would appear that the Coalition Government are potentially breaching Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states:

‘(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, and housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.’

The UN special rapporteur on housing Raquel Rolnik is in the UK at the moment. – Read more

I hope she comes to Brent and also to Hackney where I am a Councillor in Hackney to meet families, campaigners and councillors who can share their experiences and perspectives.
The Bedroom Tax has the same impact as the Hut Tax that was introduced in Africa by colonial administrators which became an extension of modern slavery and where in South Africa particularly became the blue print for Apartheid.

An equality impact assessment of the implementation of the Bedroom Tax would clearly show that this has a disproportionate effect on women and BAME families.
We need step up the campaign to stop the tax as its eroding our human rights and creating a new type of ethnic cleansing in our major cities.

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