This October, in a huge win for tenants, a new Scottish Housing Bill was passed in Holyrood
It is not surprising to see the people of Scotland rallying to demand lower rents, in fact just over one hundred years ago we saw Mary Barbour mobilise the women of Govan in the Glasgow Rent Strikes. However, in a post-Thatcher political environment where activism in many areas has been decimated by decades of anti-union and anti-protest legislation, it is a notable change to see working-class, people-led organising growing at this rate and having such a notable effect on party politics. The positive changes made in the new housing bill have largely been brought about by everyday people who believe in protecting their communities. If the trajectory of Living Rent in the last few years is anything to go by, we are bound to see much more change in our housing landscape.
What Living Rent offers is change, change that when we collectively take action we can improve our lives together. Each time a member wins a member defence case or a branch is successful in their campaign, we are demonstrating that we are serious about winning for the working class. Living Rent doesn’t just talk about hope, we fight and win for it.