The Workers Party of Britain – London Branch stands with the tenants who gathered in London today to demand rent control and immediate action on the housing crisis. The courage and unity shown by these demonstrators is a reflection of the growing frustration of millions of working people across Britain who are struggling under an unjust and broken housing system.
Housing in Britain has become a privilege for the wealthy and an instrument of profit for landlords, developers, and investors. Skyrocketing house prices and rents have pushed many families to the brink of poverty, with homeownership increasingly out of reach for working people.
Meanwhile, we face a dire shortage of affordable homes, forcing tenants into overcrowded, unsafe, and exploitative living conditions.
The current Labour leadership has failed to address this crisis meaningfully. Their vague promises and inaction show they are unwilling to challenge the interests of landlords and big developers. They refuse to commit to rent control, build the council housing we desperately need, or address the corporate greed that has created a housing system unfit for the majority of Britons. The same is true of the Tory government, which has actively deepened the housing crisis by prioritizing private profit over public need.
The Workers’ Party of Britain offers a real alternative. We understand that housing is a human right, not a commodity.
To solve this crisis, we will:
• Implement robust rent controls to cap rents at genuinely affordable levels and prevent exploitation of tenants.
• Build millions of high-quality council homes, giving working people access to secure, affordable housing.
• Regulate the private rental sector, ensuring decent living standards and protection for tenants.
• End the speculative practices driving up house prices, so homes are built and maintained for people, not profit.
We also recognize that the housing crisis is rooted in decades of neoliberal policies from both Labour and the Conservatives, which have sold off council housing, failed to invest in social housing, and allowed unregulated private developers to dominate the market. Unlike the establishment parties, we are committed to reversing these disastrous policies and putting power back in the hands of working-class communities.
Today’s protest sends a clear message: working people will not be ignored any longer. The housing crisis is a crisis of capitalism, and only a socialist alternative can deliver the rent control, affordable homes, and secure tenancies we need.
The Workers’ Party of Britain stands shoulder-to-shoulder with tenants and working-class families in this fight. Together, we will create a housing system that serves the many, not the few.
In solidarity,
The Workers’ Party of Britain
