Reblogged from Kate Bellgrave:
Don’t often do celebs here, but since this one pretty much fell across the lens
and because everyone else is doing Brand and Webb and whatnot – here’s Melvyn
Bragg saying the bedroom tax is a waste of space at today’s bedroom tax protest
outside the House of Commons (sound quality is a bit crap as I was still faffing
with the directional mic when Melvyn wafted into frame):
Said Melvyn:
“I agree with this demonstration. I think it’s (the bedroom tax) is doing a
lot more harm than good. And I’m glad you’re here today. It’s a pity there’s
such a panic on inside the House of Commons. I agree with this demonstration.
It’s a tax on very poor people and often very disadvantaged people and it’s
completely unfounded. The sooner they get rid of it, the better.”
Way to go Melvyn. Up yours, Cameron.
The panic Melvyn referred to was caused, apparently, by a bomb scare at
parliament. I’d been queuing to get in to hear an hour of the bedroom tax debate
(Iain
Duncan Smith had already done a runner from it), but then security told us
to leave and ushered the whole protest up the road. The police cordoned off the
entire area, then un-cordoned it after about an hour. Have put a bit of video of
that in at the end.
Here
are the vote results. Grim. Time for Labour to instruct its councils and
housing associations to simply refuse to collect the tax and to introduce
no-evictions policies across the board. Been time for that for a while, of
course. Ho hum.
And
here’s a full list of Labour non-voters. Includes my own – Joan
Ruddock. Have said it before and I’ll say it again – people are on
their own with this. Political class doesn’t give a shit.
