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Grants Shapps accuses United Nations housing rapporteur of political bias Grants Shapps accuses United Nations housing rapporteur of political bias
(7 days later)
A government minister has made a formal complaint to the United Nations accusing the UN special investigator on housing of political bias as she widened her searing criticisms of the bedroom tax to other UK housing, welfare and planning policies.A government minister has made a formal complaint to the United Nations accusing the UN special investigator on housing of political bias as she widened her searing criticisms of the bedroom tax to other UK housing, welfare and planning policies.
Conservative party chairman and minister without portfolio Grant Shapps demanded an investigation into the behaviour of Raquel Rolnik, the UN's rapporteur on housing, after she recommended the axing of the bedroom tax and suggested deprivation in Britain was getting worse – with people facing increasing difficulty in getting "adequate affordable, well-located and secure housing".Conservative party chairman and minister without portfolio Grant Shapps demanded an investigation into the behaviour of Raquel Rolnik, the UN's rapporteur on housing, after she recommended the axing of the bedroom tax and suggested deprivation in Britain was getting worse – with people facing increasing difficulty in getting "adequate affordable, well-located and secure housing".
Shapps described her call as "an absolute disgrace". Rolnik denied there were any grounds for complaint.Shapps described her call as "an absolute disgrace". Rolnik denied there were any grounds for complaint.
Shapps' blunt demands came as Rolnik broadened her attack on the bedroom tax, first revealed by the Guardian, to other concerns, including the effect of benefit caps and fears that decentralisation of planning laws in Northern Ireland might lead to "increased sectarianism and discrimination".Shapps' blunt demands came as Rolnik broadened her attack on the bedroom tax, first revealed by the Guardian, to other concerns, including the effect of benefit caps and fears that decentralisation of planning laws in Northern Ireland might lead to "increased sectarianism and discrimination".
Shapps, in a letter on Conservative party headed paper to the UN's secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, said the UK's legal system had already ruled its bedroom policy was lawful.Shapps, in a letter on Conservative party headed paper to the UN's secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, said the UK's legal system had already ruled its bedroom policy was lawful.
"I am therefore extremely surprised and disappointed to learn that the UN has directly contradicted the decisions of our courts.""I am therefore extremely surprised and disappointed to learn that the UN has directly contradicted the decisions of our courts."
He suggested the UN withdrew Rolnik's claims on the bedroom tax – or spare room subsidy – pending an investigation.He suggested the UN withdrew Rolnik's claims on the bedroom tax – or spare room subsidy – pending an investigation.
Her report was based on just 12 days of investigations, Shapps said. Rolnik had not sought to meet work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith while an official from his department had only sat in on one hour-long meeting at the Department for Communities and Local Government where the bedroom tax was only one item on a long agenda.Her report was based on just 12 days of investigations, Shapps said. Rolnik had not sought to meet work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith while an official from his department had only sat in on one hour-long meeting at the Department for Communities and Local Government where the bedroom tax was only one item on a long agenda.
Rolnik seemed to have already made her mind up and talked to the media about her recommendations even though her full report was not due until next March, Shapps said.Rolnik seemed to have already made her mind up and talked to the media about her recommendations even though her full report was not due until next March, Shapps said.
The rapporteur had made no mention of discretionary payments available to those who genuinely needed to keep a spare room, nor the 250,000 families living in overcrowded accommodation.The rapporteur had made no mention of discretionary payments available to those who genuinely needed to keep a spare room, nor the 250,000 families living in overcrowded accommodation.
Shapps demanded to know the process leading to the commissioning of the report and whether representations were received from the Labour party and groups campaigning against the measure.Shapps demanded to know the process leading to the commissioning of the report and whether representations were received from the Labour party and groups campaigning against the measure.
"By referring to the policy as the bedroom tax, and posing for photos receiving dossiers from those opposed to the spare room subsidy, I believe Ms Rolnik has shown political bias," he wrote."By referring to the policy as the bedroom tax, and posing for photos receiving dossiers from those opposed to the spare room subsidy, I believe Ms Rolnik has shown political bias," he wrote.
Before the details of Shapps' UN letter were revealed, Rolnik swatted aside his earlier claims made on the BBC's Today programme that she had not been invited by the UK government nor met ministers.Before the details of Shapps' UN letter were revealed, Rolnik swatted aside his earlier claims made on the BBC's Today programme that she had not been invited by the UK government nor met ministers.
She told a press conference in London that the government had organised her trip and that she had met communities secretary Eric Pickles and Don Foster, one of his ministerial team, and "numerous" senior officials including from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), which is responsible for the bedroom tax.She told a press conference in London that the government had organised her trip and that she had met communities secretary Eric Pickles and Don Foster, one of his ministerial team, and "numerous" senior officials including from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), which is responsible for the bedroom tax.
"All the procedures and all the mechanisms that are our duty to do, we have done," she said."All the procedures and all the mechanisms that are our duty to do, we have done," she said.
"We did not breach any of the mechanisms, any of the procedures. This was an official visit, invited by the UK government and organised by the UK government.""We did not breach any of the mechanisms, any of the procedures. This was an official visit, invited by the UK government and organised by the UK government."
Rolnik did apologise for referring to measure as the bedroom tax, instead of using the official term "spare room subsidy", but that was because that was "what everyone has been calling it since I got here".Rolnik did apologise for referring to measure as the bedroom tax, instead of using the official term "spare room subsidy", but that was because that was "what everyone has been calling it since I got here".
The DWP insisted she had not met the team that looks after the policy.The DWP insisted she had not met the team that looks after the policy.
"There was an hour-long meeting where there was a DWP official in attendance, which covered a broad range of issues, including welfare reform," said a spokesman."There was an hour-long meeting where there was a DWP official in attendance, which covered a broad range of issues, including welfare reform," said a spokesman.
Liam Byrne, the shadow work and pensions secretary, weighed in to combine Shapps' complaints with remarks by Michael Gove, the education secretary, on Monday, that while some of those using food banks faced considerable pressures, "it's often as a result of some decisions that have been taken by those families which mean that they are not best able to manage their finances".Liam Byrne, the shadow work and pensions secretary, weighed in to combine Shapps' complaints with remarks by Michael Gove, the education secretary, on Monday, that while some of those using food banks faced considerable pressures, "it's often as a result of some decisions that have been taken by those families which mean that they are not best able to manage their finances".
Byrne said: "This government is so out of touch that on the very day the UN is standing up for 'the most vulnerable, the most fragile' people in Britain, their ministers are blaming hardship on the poor."Byrne said: "This government is so out of touch that on the very day the UN is standing up for 'the most vulnerable, the most fragile' people in Britain, their ministers are blaming hardship on the poor."
The SNP's Scottish housing minister Margaret Burgess welcomed Rolnik's intervention.The SNP's Scottish housing minister Margaret Burgess welcomed Rolnik's intervention.
"The bedroom tax is unfair, ill-conceived and risks pushing people to the edge and we have made clear that following a vote for independence this policy will be scrapped.""The bedroom tax is unfair, ill-conceived and risks pushing people to the edge and we have made clear that following a vote for independence this policy will be scrapped."
Rolnik said her recommendation to suspend the bedroom tax came in a preliminary draft before more detailed discussion with the UK and Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish governments.Rolnik said her recommendation to suspend the bedroom tax came in a preliminary draft before more detailed discussion with the UK and Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish governments.
"My expectation is that the engagement can be very fruitful, and lead to a better report with full and solid recommendations.""My expectation is that the engagement can be very fruitful, and lead to a better report with full and solid recommendations."
She warned that housing benefit caps would make moving to the private rented sector increasingly difficult for those on low incomes, and complained that homes were now allowed to stand empty in London and elsewhere because they had been sold to international buyers as financial assets.She warned that housing benefit caps would make moving to the private rented sector increasingly difficult for those on low incomes, and complained that homes were now allowed to stand empty in London and elsewhere because they had been sold to international buyers as financial assets.
The system for helping the poor in Britain had been weakened by "a series of measures over the years, notably by having privileged homeownership over other forms of tenure", said Rolnik.The system for helping the poor in Britain had been weakened by "a series of measures over the years, notably by having privileged homeownership over other forms of tenure", said Rolnik.
She cited the government's Help to Buy scheme and failure to replace homes removed from social housing by three decades of tenants' right to buy their council homes.She cited the government's Help to Buy scheme and failure to replace homes removed from social housing by three decades of tenants' right to buy their council homes.
"It is possible to stimulate the economy and construction industry if you provide more social housing and affordable housing," Rolnik said, adding that such a recommendation would be made in her final report."It is possible to stimulate the economy and construction industry if you provide more social housing and affordable housing," Rolnik said, adding that such a recommendation would be made in her final report.
"The right to housing is not about a roof anywhere, at any cost, without any social ties. It is not about reshuffling people according to a snapshot of the number of bedrooms at a given night.""The right to housing is not about a roof anywhere, at any cost, without any social ties. It is not about reshuffling people according to a snapshot of the number of bedrooms at a given night."
Stopping short of demanding the suspension of benefit caps, Rolnik said the government must "put in place a system of regulation for the private rent sector, including clear criteria about affordability, access to information and security of tenure".Stopping short of demanding the suspension of benefit caps, Rolnik said the government must "put in place a system of regulation for the private rent sector, including clear criteria about affordability, access to information and security of tenure".
She also warned over increasing stigma being shown toward Gypsies, Travellers and Roma struggling to find accommodation. She had concerns too about provision for refugees and asylum seekers.She also warned over increasing stigma being shown toward Gypsies, Travellers and Roma struggling to find accommodation. She had concerns too about provision for refugees and asylum seekers.
Rolnik did say Britain had set an example in the way it had renovated old social housing estates and praised its mixed communities and lack of segregation.Rolnik did say Britain had set an example in the way it had renovated old social housing estates and praised its mixed communities and lack of segregation.
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