Look to the past to revive the north-east | Letter
Judith Martin suggests young people could spend time doing something constructive in deprived areas of the UK
Admirers of Ken Loach will have seen Horden in his film The Old Oak, along with other parts of the north-east that were devastated economically by the loss of industry (‘Take this house or you’re homeless’: families sent to a Durham town from London, 31 December). In the film, a pub landlord enables the integration of a refugee family; in reality, it’s more likely to be charities or councils, which are already on their uppers.
Why, when a house can cost as little as £16,000, is anyone living in temporary accommodation? Thatcherite dogma decreed that only the private sector could fix any problem, and John Prescott’s Pathfinder programme led to the demolition of thousands of “market failure” houses in areas like these. But why cannot councils acquire these redundant houses? Why is it left to private investors to make money out of these situations?
[#item_full_content]
