Below is Focus E15’s response to yesterday’s Homes for Britain rally in Westminster.

Yesterday there were two rallies to end the housing crisis.

One was in Westminster led by Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem, Greens and of course Nigel Farage and his UKIP party – a rally hastily called before the party scramble for the upcoming election.  The other was in an estate in Barnet where hundreds of members and supporters of grassroots campaigns came out to fight for the Sweets Way Estate, debated housing and opened up 2 more homes for residents to re-occupy.  ‘Homes for Britain’ had contacted Focus E15 campaign not to speak on their rally alongside these parties, but to ‘borrow’ one of our banners.  We do not exist to legitimise false campaigns.

These demonstrations represent two different fights in Britain – the fight being led by those who already have a voice and the fight being led by those who don’t.  The Focus E15 Campaign call on people not to vote for any party which has pledged to continue austerity.  This fight will not begin and end with a few broken pledges in parliament, with a few choice words spoken at a rally in Westminster.  It has already begun with the Sweets Way Estate, Focus E15 Campaign, with New Era, Our West Hendon, The Aylesbury Estate and many more.  The fight will continue with every eviction resisted and petition created, house occupied and banner made.  It will be led by those directly affected and it will win.