Campaigners this week made a last-ditch attempt to block the UK鈥檚 largest stock transfer to date when they lodged a petition with the European Parliament, claiming that Glasgow council鈥檚 plans breach competition rules.
Bob Allen, chief executive of Glasgow Housing Association, which is poised to take over the council鈥檚 88,000 homes if this week鈥檚 ballot result is favourable, reacted angrily to the move.

He accused the anti-transfer campaign of threatening tenants with the 鈥渆vil scary monster of privatisation鈥�.

Allen predicted that the majority of tenants would vote 鈥榶es鈥�. Tenants who had voted in favour of transfer elsewhere have not seen unreasonable rent increase or benefit cuts, he added.

Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown also lashed out at anti-transfer campaigners, accusing them of exercising 鈥渄ouble standards.鈥�

He said: 鈥淭he petition [to the European Parliament] alleges breach of European Union competition law. This is rich coming from people who want to condemn Glasgow tenants to the continuing monopoly of council housing 鈥� no choice, little investment, no tenant control.鈥�

Brown dismissed the move, labelling it 鈥渁 desperate action that showed the 鈥榥o鈥� campaign had already thrown in the towel鈥�.

Describing them as being akin to 鈥渢inpot dictators鈥�, Brown said the anti-transfer lobby were only interested in democracy if they won, and he went on to accuse them of being driven by ideological posturing rather than real tenants鈥� interests.

According to the latest figures, nearly half of all Glasgow鈥檚 council tenants have already voted in the city鈥檚 crucial stock transfer ballot.

Social justice minister Iain Gray welcomed the news and said: 鈥淚 am encouraged by the number who have already voted, but we are still only halfway through the process.鈥�

The ballot result is expected on 5 April.

The result of the stock transfer ballot in Birmingham, the UK鈥檚 second largest ever at 80,000 homes, is set to be announced a few days later.

Source

Housing Today