Focus E15 single mothers

"These people need homes - these homes need people"

Bob Severn, East London Socialist Party

Twenty nine unemployed single mothers face eviction for a second time by Newham Labour council. This time from the abandoned council block the mums have occupied. The council's first eviction attempt was booted out by the court on 26 September.

Newham council in east London, run by budget-slashing Blairite mayor Sir Robin Wales, withdrew funding for the mothers' accommodation at the Focus hostel in E15 a year ago.

The flats are part of Stratford's Carpenters Estate. Focus E15 mums are teaming up with residents who want to save their homes. Newham's 100% Labour council wants to demolish the estate as refurbishment is 'too expensive'.

But the occupied flats have already been partially refurbished. Residents at a meeting in the estate's pub agreed to finish the refurbishment so the flats can again become homes.

The council's real game is social cleansing - push out council tenants and build expensive housing, part of the 'Olympic regeneration'.

The occupation has received national media coverage, and teamed up with other housing campaigns including the New Era estate in neighbouring Hackney (see last week's Socialist). This hasn't stopped the vindictive council's second attempt at eviction proceedings.

As the banners outside the block say: "These people need homes - these homes need people."

The Focus E15 mums have been invited to speak at the housing discussion at Socialism 2014.

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