May

Former shadow chancellor urges tenants to break legally binding rental contracts

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John McDonnell is the most high profile politician to back a campaign urging renters to stop paying their rent if they need to prioritise food and other living expenses.

Former Labour chancellor John McDonnell is backing a call
for tenants to break legal contracts and stop paying rent.

Along with a group of union leaders and MPs, he’s urging
renters to prioritise essential spending instead of rent.

McDonnell says: “Renters are facing immense worry and
hardship because of the pandemic. Radical action is needed to support them and
nothing should be ruled out including suspension of rents, rent controls and of
course, the longer term supply of the decent homes needed.”

London Renters Union is heading the charge to organise a
rent strike movement, following the lead of activists in the US and Australia.

It wants people to pledge online at www.cantpaywontpay.uk to withhold enough of their rent to meet their
basic needs, including food and bills. Its open letter has been signed by
Labour MPs including Clive Lewis, Kate Osborne
and Ian Byrne, who want rent payments suspended during the crisis and
the cancellation of rent debt.

The union says millions of people feel enormous
pressure to prioritise rent over buying food. It points to its recent
YouGov poll which discovered that two-thirds of people agree that there are
circumstances where those who’re struggling to make ends meet should stop
paying rent.

A spokesman adds: “We are ready to take
further collective action if the Government fails to adequately address the
growing Coronavirus rent crisis.”

Another campaign, backed by Open Labour and Momentum, is calling on the Labour Party to adopt a cancel the rent policy, and has been signed by thousands of members.

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