STANDING UP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ON OXFORD’S STREETS !
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In July Oxford Labour tried to criminalise rough sleeping, begging and busking in Oxford City Centre. They were stopped at the 11th hour by an intervention from the UK's leading human rights organisation Liberty.
Labour are now trying to re-introduce the measure.
They vote this Thursday.
And guess what happened yesterday – a SECOND LETTER FROM LIBERTY telling them they've still got it wrong.
TWO LETTERS FROM LIBERTY!!!!!!!!!!!! SHAMEFUL, INEPT AND ARROGANT.
LIBERTY SAY LABOUR HAVE NOT MADE THE LEGAL ARGUEMENT TO AWARD ITSELF THE NEW POWERS. THE GREENS AND LIB DEMS SAY THE MEASURES ARE UNWORKABLE AND WILL DRIVE VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS AWAY FROM ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
JOIN US FOR A UNIQUE PIECE OF STREET ART DEMOSTRATION AS WE FORCE LABOUR TO LISTEN TO REASON.
I'm getting into Oxford between 10:50am – 1145am with some SPGB a future that works leaflets and a couple copies of the latest edition of Socialist Standard ….James HGood luck.
For the record, Oxford Labour) Council did vote through last night the new curbs on busking and begging in the city centre.
Oxford council's approach is out of step with how councils and police are handling begging elsewhere. In Birmingham (and to a lesser extent, Coventry and Stratford, and probably other places), the police are working closer with homeless agencies and enforcing the law only as a last resort. This approach is helping some individuals in that it's allowing support to be put in place without being interrupted or hampered by prison stays, fines etc, even though it's come about partly because of streamlining of services necessitated by funding cuts. There are no ambitions to end rough sleeping, though, just an acceptance that it's a part of society.The main piece of legislation used against beggars is the Vagrancy Act, which was first enacted in 1824! Despite the more softly-softly approach in the Midlands, prosecuations under this act are on the increase, especially in London, in line with the increase in rough sleeping. I expect Oxford council's decision to persecute beggars is because of fear that visible homelessness will make the city 'look bad', affecting the tourist trade.
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