FREE

Elgin Avenue Victory 40 Years on & New Housing Campaigns- Momentum

Paddington Arts Centre, London, United Kingdom

Event Description

A great meeting-event with speakers, discussion, stalls, exhibition material and banners remembering past squatting and wider housing struggles and to develop new initiatives and fighting policies for now.

BRING banners, information leaflets, exhibition material, photos old and new from your struggle - squatting - council tenants - private tenants - occupations - leaseholders and yourself to contribute to discussion. Come at 6.30 to set up. Build on the past, fightback NOW. More and more have been checking in so please come early with stuff and pass it on! 

The meeting marks the 40th anniversary (plus 1 day) of the victory of Elgin Avenue squatters on Oct 15th 1975 at the barricades of  9-51 Elgin Avenue W9 - which is very near the meeting venue. On that day after a prolonged bitter highly political epic struggle 200 squatters including children were rehoused as Council short life and then full Council tenancies by the GLC. After that an escalation in squatting action and resistance around the UK continued and squatting numbers reached 100,000 in the UK; and the GLC gave an amnesty to all its 10,000 squatters in 1977 - granting Council tenancies.

Piers Corbyn who was a key figure in the events will decribe what took place and key developments since then involving squatting and tenants actions including in the last year which will be reported by a nunber of speakers and participants enabling discussion. This will include current squatting-occupation and tenants-leasehold action and campaigns across London and beyond.

MEETING-EVENT CONTENT which includes a break, refreshments and information-exhibition stalls:-

1. INTRODUCTION TO EVENT:  Heiko Khoo + Piers Corbyn

2. THE THEN - Piers Corbyn: the Elgin Avenue squat 1972-1975 and more - How we won in 1975 and what follwed. This will include the issues of Licences and unlicenced squatting 1968-1972; Centre Point, Dover St Flats (W1) and 220 Camden High street 1974; the final campaign and victory from the barricades Elgin Avenue Oct 15th 1975; Squatting organisations and campaigns including 'Jubilee Squats' 1977, squatting against the Criminal Law Act 1977 - Huntley St eviction (and rehousing) 16 Aug 1978, Villa Road, battersea squatters, Squat Against Sales campaign from 1979, international solidarity actions 1978-1980, Elgin Avenue II, the sequel, from GLC election day 7 May 1981......Enquiries phone Piers via 07958713320.

3. FROM THEN TO NOW: 

=> Notes on some amazing actions from Phoenix Rainbow and others. This will include many big squat-ccupations in last few years including 'ground-breaking!' imaginative industrial / factory / office buildings, farm / land occupations and 'Ravens Ait' Thames Island squat!  

=> Some Surprise Fun for all present.

=> Information on Current squatting Law 

=> Announcment and seeking information on the Undercover policing Inquiry now underway.

4. THE NOW - Defending ALL Housing Rigts - Defending Council Housing and Fighting Social Cleansing across London and the UK. This will include short reports, news and actions on key struggles now such as (not in particular order): Local West London housing campaigns now; Aylesbury Estate Southwark (CPO enquiry re-opening 13 Oct) - Aysen Dennis; Cressingham Gardens Lambeth;  Alton Estate Wandsworth - Robin Bishop;  E15 campaign!; West Hendon Barnet!;  A WORST COUNCILS COMPETITION with specific reports on Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Southwark.....Phone 07958713320 to add names/items to these notes.

5. Uniting Campaigns and developing a programme of Demands and policies for Councils, political parties and Government action now and in future. Contributions include from DCH, Heiko Khoo, Piers Corbyn and Housing and Labour movment campaigns. THIS is intended to be an effective discussion to help advance the broad movement.

VIDEO RECORDINGS will be done of the event

A COLLECTION in support of the venue costs will be held

Information on Exhibition (ongoing) and related Event Oct 15th at ICA https://www.ica.org.uk/whats-on/london-squats-and-counterculture-1970s-now   Quite a few Ex-squatters and recent squatting-campaigners turned up to this ICA event. The Friday event was advertised and many confirmed they will be coming along on Friday!


Political backdrop:

The new Labour Leadership has launched a new national initiative to form a mass democratic movement to help fight cuts, support those in struggle and to formulate new ideas and organisations that can help develop socialist policies for the future.

A quarter of a million people made Jeremy Corbyn Labour’s Leader. And now Labour’s conference has given its resounding backing to Jeremy and his Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, to turn Labour into an anti-austerity party of hope and bold alternatives.

We have begun to change the Labour Party but we still have to show how we can change the country. Throughout the campaign, Jeremy spoke about building a social movement to work for a more democratic, equal and decent society. Now is the time to make this a reality! 

Momentum will be our grassroots network to continue the work we have begun:

  • To organise in every town, city and village to create a mass movement for real, progressive change.
  • To make Labour a more democratic party, with the policies and collective will to implement them in government.
  • To bring together individuals and groups in our communities and workplaces to campaign and organise on the issues that matter to us.

Momentum will be your network; please help build it. But right now, as we begin to organise new events and campaigns, and to launch Momentum online, we need you to help us spread the word about these plans. 

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WHEN
WHERE
Paddington Arts Centre - 32 Woodfield rd. Westbourne Park. London W9 2BE GB - View Map
TAGS
London, United Kingdom EventsConference Charity & Causes

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