Tory Housing Minister creates fear for home owners

No less than 159 leading legal academics, solicitors and barristers who practise in housing law have accused Conservative politicians, including Grant Shapps, the outspoken Housing Minister,  of "making misleading statements and failing to challenge inaccurate reporting'  thereby furthering 'the myths being peddled around squatting".

In a letter to the Guardian the legal experts point out "that it is already a criminal offence for a squatter to occupy someone's home, or a home that a person intends to occupy" and "are concerned that such repeated inaccurate reporting of this issue has created fear for homeowners, confusion for the police and ill informed debate among both the public and politicians on reforming the law."

The lawyers are adamant that there is no need for a change in the law to make squatting a criminal offence because the existing law already does this.


One has to wonder why are these Conservative politicians are stirring up such concerns unnecessarily and pursuing such pointless campaign at a time when homelessness has risen 17% in a year?

Could it be that the Tories are  protecting their rich friends' property interests by extending the law on squatting or are they deliberately turning public opinion against the poor?


Leslie Morphy, chief executive of Crisis, said two weeks ago: ‘Today’s official figures prove once again we now face a sustained increase in homelessness but, worryingly, this research predicts the worst is yet to come.

‘The coalition government is dismantling the buffers against poverty and unemployment that have traditionally kept a roof over vulnerable households’ heads. Homelessness is rising and we fear cuts to housing benefit and housing budgets, alongside reforms in the Welfare Reform and Localism Bills will cause it to increase yet further. We need the government to change course now or risk returning us to the days of countless lives facing the debilitating effects of homelessness.’