Squash campaign to repeal the squatting law contact your MP network it

Hi there!

On 4th March, SQUASH launched a new campaign and report at a meeting in the House of Commons of concerned MPs, Lords, lawyers, homelessness groups, academics, campaigners and squatters.

The campaign is calling for a repeal of Section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill (LASPO), the new criminal offence of squatting in a residential building. A petition has been set up here.


We are pleased to tell you that the pressure is building. This week 40 lawyers signed a letter which was published in The Guardian calling for a repeal of the law as SQUASH research has found that:
None of the arrests so far have involved squatters displacing people from their lived-in homes
All arrests have involved people squatting in empty properties of which there are now over 1 million in the UK
All those who have been handed custodial sentences so far were all previously homeless
The offence was not necessary to protect home occupiers, it is not being used for that purpose.


Furthermore an Early Day Motion has been tabled in Parliament by John McDonnell MP also calling for a repeal. This is where we are asking you for a favour. We would really appreciate it if you could write a letter to your MP or use our template below urging them to sign it. If you don’t know who your MP is you can use TheyWorkForYou website to find out.

Template letter:

Dear “Your MP Here”,

As your constituent I am writing urging you to sign an Early Day Motion recently tabled that recognises the damage being caused by the new squatting law (Section 144, LASPO) which was brought in on September 1st 2012.

The link to the Early Day Motion is here: http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2012-13/1238 which has support from 40 top lawyers who all signed a letter published in The Guardian which can be read here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/mar/25/squatting-law-should-be-repealed

Recent research carried out has shown that as feared, homeless and vulnerable people are being disproportionately affected. Some have gone to jail and even worse it looks likesomeone may have died outside an empty bungalow as a direct result of the new legislation.

On top of this – zero people have been caught in someone else’s home – as was predicted by hundreds of legal experts prior to criminalisation including The Law Society. This directly contravenes the whole reason the law was pursued in the first place.

The law has removed a necessary last resort for many – considering the current housing crisis and huge rise in homelessness. Furthermore, it is encouraging property speculators and foreign investors to keep properties empty – of which there are now over 1 million in the UK.

With a new wave of welfare reforms to come in on April 1st the option of housing yourself in an empty property must remain a possibility for the most vulnerable in our society.

For a full analysis please read the latest SQUASH campaign report here:http://www.squashcampaign.org/repeal-law/the-case-against-section-144-2/

Yours Sincerely,

All the best,

Squash
Squatters Action for Secure Homes

info@squashcampaign.org
press@squashcampaign.org
07415 516 105
www.squashcampaign.org

http://www.squashcampaign.org/