Archive for the ‘articles’ Category

Article on trends of the Far Right in South Asia

Posted: June 26, 2013 in articles
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Back in 2010 I wrote a Masters’ Degree thesis on the rise of the Far Right in India (and an Open Democracy article). From a Development Studies perspective, it was a contradiction as to why an economically successful and democratic post-colonial state such as India could create and sustain a massive Far Right movement. Since then, I’ve been following political developments in Burma as they try to transition towards more democratic government. The recent rise in attacks on minority groups in Burma, and the rise of Far-Right groups prompted me to write an article looking at the similarities between these movements in India, Burma, and Sri Lanka.

Far right religious nationalism is growing in South Asia. Fuelled by the experience of colonialism, the resulting internal tensions since independence, and powerful civil society movements. Read the Full article here.

For-Profit Social Housing Providers

Posted: June 11, 2013 in articles
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In this month’s 24 Housing (a magazine for housing professionals), I’ve looked into what’s happened since the introduction of ‘For-Profit’ providers in social housing.  Read the full article here.

Illegal Evictions – Rising Phenomenon

Posted: May 30, 2013 in articles
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Practical justice in housing law can be a difficult thing, which is one of the reasons why I wrote this post for Bright Green Scotland. It takes you through the legal rights you do have versus the practical problems in exercising these rights. I’m also working on a follow-up article about some work being done between a Council and local Police force on improving their response to illegal evictions. Watch this space.

“Since the start of the recession there has been a rise in illegal evictions, and with the changes to Housing Benefit coming in next year there could be an even bigger rise.” Read the full post on Bright Green Scotland.

Open Democracy article on diversity in local government

Posted: May 10, 2013 in articles
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Much can be said about an organisation by its definition of ‘young’.  While 18 to 25 years is widely accepted as the default,18 to 30 pushes the box closer towards young adults, grown up and settled down.  However, in local government, a ‘young councillor’ is considered to be anyone under the age of 35.  So why is it that young people are largely absent or in a significant minority in local government?

Read more here.

Guardian Article on the General Power of Competence

Posted: April 18, 2013 in articles
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UK government is known as one of the most centralised in the world. One way which the current government claimed to be giving power back to local government was through the ‘General Power of Competence’. This was a long awaited bit of legislation (first contained in the 1983 Labour Party Manifesto) which means councils can now do anything that isn’t forbidden (whereas before they had to be given permission through an Act of Parliament). Unfortunately, it’s not been as big a change as local government would have hoped.

Read more here!

Bedroom Tax investigation for Inside Housing

Posted: March 30, 2013 in articles
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Another project I was working on at Inside Housing, but which has only been published this week. A survey and analysis of 73 housing associations, councils, and a handful of ALMOs (Arms-length Management Organisations) on the impact of the Bedroom Tax (aka the under-occupancy penalty).

Check out the full story here: Tenants choose to stay and pay Bedroom Tax.

A week at Inside Housing

Posted: March 24, 2013 in articles
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Last week I did a work experience placement at Inside Housing magazine, a trade mag mainly aimed at social housing professionals. It was a week dominated by the Bedroom Tax and the Budget, and a great place to work at.

Here’s a selection of  articles with bylines from the week:

Tory council to force 21-year-olds to share rooms – where digging into the background papers to a press release really came in handy.

Bedroom tax faces second legal challenge – a good story we were first to report on.

Landlord apologises for ‘patronising’ welfare advice

Scottish landlord signs deal with north east group

Universal credit threatens eviction amnesty

HCA staff strike over pay offer

Developers pledge to build more homes 

 

Landlord Law Conference 2013

Posted: March 17, 2013 in articles
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Tessa Shepperson and the folk at Landlord Law and EasyLaw Training put on a conference this week to provide an overview of housing law for landlords. I provided the live blog, which you can see here. Particularly interesting for me was learning about the differences between tenancies and licenses – something which came up a lot when I was researching my post on property guardians.

The Return of the Committee System

Posted: March 5, 2013 in articles
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For four years I was a City Councillor, serving on the opposition benches under an incredibly frustrating Cabinet system. Here’s an article I written for the Guardian on councils abandoning the ‘Cabinet system’ and returning to the ‘Committee System’.

“Committees are back in local government. Despite the idea once being derided for creating camels instead of horses, a small but influential group of councils are returning once again – under the powers of the Localism Act – to the system of collective decision making by an appointed group.” Read more here. 

Community finance movement could take on payday peddlers!

Posted: March 4, 2013 in articles
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I wrote this short post after seeing a 500% interest advert is the window of a payday lenders in Hackney a while back. A vibrant community finance movement could help tackle the problems caused by high-interest loans peddled to the most vulnerable.

“In 1966 the film Cathy Come Home depicted the struggle of a once happy family thrown into poverty and misery after father and husband Reg is injured and loses his job.” Read more

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