Memorandum-to-the-Prime-Minister-on-Unaffordable-Housing

It is not enough merely <strong>to</strong> comply with company law that puts <strong>the</strong> shareholders first and that leaves <strong>the</strong> lowest
paid workers without a pension, holiday or sick pay on a minimum wage below <strong>the</strong> poverty threshold and
enables <strong>the</strong> shareholders of wealthy companies <strong>to</strong> profit from <strong>the</strong> subsidy provided by taxpayers in tax credits,
housing and council tax benefits.
The Local Authorities
The blunt instrument of <strong>the</strong> hammer can be found as a computer under <strong>the</strong> fingers of <strong>the</strong> local government
officials, who are <strong>the</strong> Soldiers.They have no option but <strong>to</strong> send out on behalf of councils impersonal letters of
enforcement that are <strong>to</strong>tally blind <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> circumstances of <strong>the</strong> vulnerable constituents <strong>to</strong> whom <strong>the</strong>y are
addressed.
Mr.Watson, semi-literate living alone, committed suicide. His is a very extreme example of vulnerability. But
<strong>the</strong> pattern of crucifixion is repeated daily. I rarely go <strong>to</strong> court in support of a family threatened with eviction
without a letter from <strong>the</strong>ir doc<strong>to</strong>r saying <strong>the</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r is being treated for depression. I have listened <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> tears
of a lone parent who, in addition <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> threats of eviction and court appearances for rent arrears and threats by
<strong>the</strong> bailiffs of prison for council tax arrears had been fined for <strong>the</strong> truancy of a son with emotional and
behavioural difficulties.We won all <strong>the</strong> appeals for her and she was acquitted on <strong>the</strong> truancy charge, which
removed <strong>the</strong> stress until <strong>the</strong> next time.
Conclusion - <strong>the</strong> light shines in <strong>the</strong> darkness
Jesus allowed himself <strong>to</strong> be tried, convicted and crucified <strong>to</strong> point <strong>to</strong> a better way of ordering society than
allowing <strong>the</strong> powerful a free rein <strong>to</strong> trample on <strong>the</strong> powerless. In many ways, despite <strong>the</strong> appalling descent in<strong>to</strong>
chaos by <strong>the</strong> Christian Churches at some all <strong>to</strong>o obvious times in our his<strong>to</strong>ry, that message has been realistically
applied by very many of his followers. Our benign influence in his name breaths through <strong>the</strong> work of many
charities and such great statements of principle as <strong>the</strong> American Constitution and <strong>the</strong> Universal Declaration of
Human Rights devised by <strong>the</strong> United Nations in <strong>the</strong> aftermath two cruel world wars.
Capitalism and <strong>the</strong> free market, however, are morally neutral. It is <strong>the</strong> practice of <strong>the</strong>m by fallible people that
produces both benign and malignant consequences. A comparison between Al Capone and Joseph Rowntree
makes <strong>the</strong> point.
The powerbrokers of <strong>the</strong> national and global economy have yet <strong>to</strong> show that <strong>the</strong>ir skill at creating wealth can be
matched by <strong>the</strong> sense <strong>to</strong> ensure its just distribution.The House of Lords report on <strong>the</strong> Global economy quoted
<strong>the</strong> White Paper on globalisation - Eliminating World Poverty: Making Globalisation Work for <strong>the</strong> Poor. It is stated that
whe<strong>the</strong>r globalisation works well or works badly will depend on policy intervention:
‘Managed wisely, <strong>the</strong> new wealth being created by globalisation creates <strong>the</strong> opportunity <strong>to</strong> lift
millions of <strong>the</strong> world's poorest people out of <strong>the</strong>ir poverty. Managed badly and it could lead <strong>to</strong>
<strong>the</strong>ir fur<strong>the</strong>r marginalisation and impoverishment. Nei<strong>the</strong>r outcome is predetermined; it depends
on <strong>the</strong> policy choices adopted by governments, international institutions, <strong>the</strong> private sec<strong>to</strong>r and
civil society.’
All those powerbrokers should take note of <strong>the</strong> observations of Anthony Sampson, Andrew Marr and
Zacchaeus 2000 Trust - <strong>Memorandum</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Prime</strong> <strong>Minister</strong> - May 2005 107