Hove MP slams Brighton squatters

10:46am Friday 18th May 2012 in News

An MP has condemned the squatting of an empty department store.

Mike Weatherley, Conservative MP for Hove, who campaigned for a recent law change making some forms of squatting illegal, said the occupation of the Co-op building in London Road, Brighton, this week was “inevitable”.

The Squatters Network of Brighton is holding an International Squatters Convergence in the city until Sunday, May 20.

The group has not confirmed that it is behind the squatting at the Co-op but its logo has been drawn on windows inside.

In a statement yesterday Mr Weatherley described the event as “a festival of chaos”.

He said: “For far too long, squatters have been a plague on our city – they should get out and stay out.”

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Comments(22)

AmboGuy says...
11:05am Fri 18 May 12

Make sure your homes are secure when this bunch of wasters descend upon us.

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inadaptado says...
11:26am Fri 18 May 12

AmboGuy wrote:
Make sure your homes are secure when this bunch of wasters descend upon us.
I'm sorry, but you will have to be more specific. Which bunch of wasters are we talking about here? Is it the street drinkers, the squatters, the weekend drinkers, the football hooligans, the stag/hen parties, the language students, or The Argus commenters? Because, honestly, I don't know which one is more scary.

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mtmoocher says...
11:26am Fri 18 May 12

For far too long, property speculators have been the scourge of this City......
If not for Mr Weatherly & his cronies, there should not be a need for squatting.

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Fercri Sakes says...
11:28am Fri 18 May 12

He's knows it's inevitable due to the effects his party's policies are having on people in this country.

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FC says...
11:31am Fri 18 May 12

I agree. Get the squatters out. They make out they're "doing a service" by occupying empty buildings. Well, fine if they weren't so filthy, aggressive and idiotic. We wouldn't care if you made the place nice, tidied up after yourselves and weren't just a massive burden. Squatting should be made ENTIRELY ILLEGAL.

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Fercri Sakes says...
11:35am Fri 18 May 12

So Mr Weatherley, I'll tell you what's also 'inevitiable' with your party in power:

Higher unemployment
Longer waiting lists
Higher crime
Higher suicide rates
Less border staff
Less police
Less nurses
More homelessness

Just as 'inevitable' as homeless people occupying empty buildings. You just seem more concerned with property owners than the rest of us.

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Thisusername says...
11:54am Fri 18 May 12

Ha ha terming it a 'festival of chaos' makes it sound quite fun! Last night the squatters were leaning out of the windows shouting at passers by in a curious mix of playfulness and aggression. That is until a couple of drunk Scots came by and started shouting 'jump'! The trustafarians soon scurried back inside and didn't utter another peep! Im no rabid right winger, but acting like this isnt going to endear them to the local residents.

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true-brightonian says...
12:01pm Fri 18 May 12

According to his Facebook page, Mr. Weatherley "likes" both Iron Maiden and the Noise Abatement Society. The man is not only a bigot, he also holds contradictory views, and relies on the support of Alice Cooper. He cannot be trusted.

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Goldenwight says...
12:10pm Fri 18 May 12

inadaptado wrote:
AmboGuy wrote: Make sure your homes are secure when this bunch of wasters descend upon us.
I'm sorry, but you will have to be more specific. Which bunch of wasters are we talking about here? Is it the street drinkers, the squatters, the weekend drinkers, the football hooligans, the stag/hen parties, the language students, or The Argus commenters? Because, honestly, I don't know which one is more scary.
Surely he's talking about Conservative Party electioneers? Or maybe even groups of their MPs, which very thought makes me shudder...

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Andy R says...
12:17pm Fri 18 May 12

What happens in London Road is none of Weatherley's business. What's this guy actually done for Hove - other than use his position for a massive ego trip and indulge his vindictive grudges?

No, seriously, what has he DONE??

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Crystal Ball says...
12:22pm Fri 18 May 12

I wonder if the 'workshops' they intend to hold will be about using a bar of soap and getting a non faux-Rasta haircut?

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Archie Bun says...
12:37pm Fri 18 May 12

So no squatters when labour were in power for ten years? This is not a party politics issue. It's a freeloaders issue. Why does this International 'festival' have to happen in Brighton? Perhaps once they are all in the building we can barricade the doors and keep them in there?

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HJarrs says...
12:40pm Fri 18 May 12

While this is all good knockabout stuff, it is clear from walking around that over the last couple of years there has been an increase in the number of people living in vans and caravans on the side of the road. While a few no doubt are living a particular lifestyle, I worry tha we are seeing the UK equivalent of the US where many people lose everything and live out of the car. We have a homeless problem due to 30 years of a lack of building of enough housing (and doubly so of housing that could be considered decent). There may be some anti-social squatter out there, but Mr Weatherly's energy would be better directed at getting more decent housing built. This is an issue to both Labour's and Conservtive's shame.

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MoronSpotter says...
1:37pm Fri 18 May 12

Well said Archie Bun! I believe I saw squatters during Labour's last stint in power... honestly, you get some right thickos in here sometimes, don't you?

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vince m says...
1:58pm Fri 18 May 12

There is no housing shortage in this country. There are hundreds of thousands of empty homes in other parts of the country, available at affordable prices or to rent.
What these people are looking for is a low cost or free home in the most expensive part of the EU.
And until recently, it was perfectly possible for a family from anywhere in the world to turn up at the local authority with a **** and bull story and expect to be rehoused at taxpayers' expense. Any attempt to house them outside the South East being bitterly contested. Meantime, local folk are unable to find anything affordable because of this queue jumping. Squatters are the least of the problem.

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mimseycal says...
2:11pm Fri 18 May 12

Keep hiding behind your prejudices Vince ... saves you having to actually think ;)

Housing is but one issue. Where the housing is, what the local infrastructure is, schools, post office, water pressure, jobs, support network (family & friends) ... there are many many factors aside from the affordability of housing ... which is far from all that affordable I'll grant you.

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HJarrs says...
4:19pm Fri 18 May 12

vince m wrote:
There is no housing shortage in this country. There are hundreds of thousands of empty homes in other parts of the country, available at affordable prices or to rent. What these people are looking for is a low cost or free home in the most expensive part of the EU. And until recently, it was perfectly possible for a family from anywhere in the world to turn up at the local authority with a **** and bull story and expect to be rehoused at taxpayers' expense. Any attempt to house them outside the South East being bitterly contested. Meantime, local folk are unable to find anything affordable because of this queue jumping. Squatters are the least of the problem.
These hundreds of thousands of empty houses must be somewhere near Jeapody, which is also where there seem to be a lot of jobs!

In the late seventies to early eighties in London there was such poor demand for social housing that students were given flats and houses. How times have changed.

You are right that we are one of the most expensive property markets in the EU, but why is this? I would suggest that 30 years of laissez faire policy that has allowed two house price booms, the deregulation of the private rented market, the end of council house building and small quantity of housing association properties built, are largely to blame. Also, too many people seem to think housing is an investment rather than a place to live. It has taken over 30 years to get to this position, possibly 15-20 years to sort it out if we start today. Do you think Mr Weatherly and his party will do that?

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FalmerFever says...
4:40pm Fri 18 May 12

The Council are to blame for leaving the one time Co-Op building empty for so long,once they noted we are to have a Green Mayor they knew it was the right time to move in

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mimseycal says...
4:42pm Fri 18 May 12

Does the council hold the deeds on that building?

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aat99 says...
5:21pm Fri 18 May 12

Get the council out of Kings House, into the Co-Op building. Sell Kings house off for flats as it's in a prime location that will demand a premium and then use the rest of the cash to rebuild King Alfred ... simple ...

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AmboGuy says...
5:29pm Fri 18 May 12

Is this the event where squatters from all over Europe are coming here? How can they afford to travel here if they have no money to pay any rent????

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Grumpyguy says...
8:19am Sat 19 May 12

I look forward to a statement from Dr Lucas and to action by the Green local authority. I am sure that they both recognise the urgency of the situation and will want to be seen as decisive.

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