The Conservative general election candidate for North Devon has claimed giving tenants, rather than landlords, housing benefit is “like giving an alcoholic keys to the wine cellar”.
Philip Milton, who has let out properties to people on housing benefit in North Devon for ten years, was speaking about the problems landlords face with people who have financial difficulties.
He told the North Devon Journal: “If the Government had asked around they would have found the change to the system was not right.
“In my view, landlords could receive housing benefit for two years and if the relationship is working well the tenant could then ask to receive it directly.
“To me the current system is like giving a child ownership of a sweet shop or giving an alcoholic keys to a wine cellar. It is a trust issue — this is not being autocratic.”
Full story page 37 Journal today.
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And what is Geoffrey Cox's view on this? If it is the same as this Milton twat then the Tories won't get my vote. Without a small amount of financial help (which I add to out of disability benefit)to pay my rent I would be homeless. So if this is the Tory view shared by all candidates then I'll remember it on 6th May.
ReplyDeleteThe scandalous comments by Philip Milton about alcoholics and irresponsible mothers frittering their Housing Benefit away on food for the children makes clear the need for a strong tenants orgaisationa and good local claimants unions. Please contact me after 9 May if you want to help out. 0845 3139397 gerrard.sables@phonecoop.coop
ReplyDeleteIt seems that Philip Milton is the epitome of a corrupt landlord class that I thought had died out with Queen Victoria. I can imagine him swaggering up Barnstaple High Street, large iron keys in one hand, cudgel in the other. Perhaps the solution is to end the manipulation of vulnerable tenants by corrupt landlords and (shock horror) build houses actually owned by the council?
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