Event takes place despite Your Homes Newcastle’s appeals to police and council’s concerns

Arm’s-length manager Your Homes Newcastle took on the far-right National Front when it attempted to stop its planned march through the city.

The organisation’s chairman, Bill Midgley, wrote to the chief constable of Northumbria police in a bid to halt the march last Saturday.

Midgley said social landlords had a duty to speak out against anything that might raise tensions in their area of operation.

The march eventually took place without incident as police kept the National Front separate from protestors.

Midgley said the ALMO had been “very concerned” about the potential impact of the march.

He added: “We have responsibility for housing ethnic communities in Newcastle. We have a responsibility to all tenants. Most of them want a quiet life and it’s our role to help create that.”

The appearance of far-right organisations was a “growing problem” in north-east England, he said, and a number of tenants had complained to Your Homes Newcastle about the march.

Speaking in advance of the march, he had warned: “Allowing this march to proceed will send a much louder message than any of the work undertaken to promote racial harmony.”

Newcastle council had also voiced its objection to the event after receiving more than 40 complaints.

A council spokesman said: “A similar march last year upset many people. In a democracy there are other ways in which political differences can be aired without the dangers of potential conflict and distress.”

Source

Housing Today

Postscript

An umbrella body for homeless charities has written to the leaders of the three main political parties urging them to push homelessness up their election agenda.

Jenny Edwards, chief executive of Homeless Link, feared the issue was being exploited by the far-right British National Party in its election campaign. Edwards said: “We are disappointed none of the main parties have addressed the issue. The BNP’s broadcast was the first time it had been raised. It would be unfortunate if silence from the main parties allowed others to exploit worries about the issue by making a false link to immigration.”