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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 23 November 2007

Snob? Everyone has a right to own their home

• IN his letter to your newspaper last week, Councillor Guthrie McKie suggested I was being “snobbish” towards social housing.
Given that my family come from a council estate in northern England, and equally that I’m very proud of the strong estate communities such as Torridon House and Carlton Vale in my ward, I think that is a rather daft assertion to make.
I am very grateful for the housing support that my family received when they needed it the most.
But that doesn’t mean that I am not willing to ask questions and challenge the status quo when necessary. It was a willingness to break with the past that allowed millions of people – my family included – to enjoy the benefits and security of home ownership.
Of course, communities must support the most vulnerable by providing them with housing when they need it. But a responsible community also encourages, where able, our neighbours to aspire to independence from others and from the state. The housing debate on November 7 was an attempt to have a grown-up debate about Westminster’s excellent new housing strategy. It is a pity that, as usual, the Labour Party seeks to mouth only platitudes which do nothing to improve lives of residents. Cllr McKie might consider dropping the facile, class-based, patronising arguments that he continues to cling to. Guthrie: stop throwing stones and let’s have a sensible debate about both the benefits and challenges that social housing brings.
Cllr LEE ROWLEY (Con)
Member for Maida Vale ward
Westminster Council

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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