One of the country’s largest trade unions has launched a London-wide campaign in Barking in reaction to the government’s housing policy.

Barking and Dagenham Post: Dagenham GMB political officer Andrew Achilleos hands out leaflets to Barking residentsDagenham GMB political officer Andrew Achilleos hands out leaflets to Barking residents (Image: Archant)

The GMB kicked-off their Homes Under Attack campaign at Barking market on Saturday, as the Tories’ Housing and Planning Bill makes its way before parliament.

Union members claim the introduction of the bill could leave some of the borough’s tenants paying up to £943 per month for a one-bedroom council property, £1,283 for a two-bed, or £1,537 for a three-bed.

The campaign aims to fight against the bill while offering advice to residents and Dagenham and Rainham MP Jon Cruddas is among those getting behind it.

“Housing is the number one issue facing London, and I fully support the GMB’s Homes Under Attack campaign,” he said.

“There is a lot of debate about affordable rents at the moment both locally and nationally, so I think campaigns like this, which seek to highlight the gap between low wages and rising rents are vitally important.

“The fact is that people are being priced out of the city which is leading to a large transient population, and local communities are suffering as a result.”

The GMB claim the bill will mean increases to council rent, continuing un-controlled private rents and could see people being forced out of the areas that they grew up in.

A spokesman for the union said: “This government is taxing working people, limiting their ability to bargain for fairer terms and conditions at work, and it is pricing current residents out of the major cities.

“Something needs to be done. Many people aren’t even aware of the massive impact these changes will have on them.”

The union said they chose to launch the campaign in Barking and Dagenham Barking as the borough is the capital’s biggest builder of affordable housing but has the highest rate of registered homelessness.

For more information email the GMB on homes.under.attack@gmail.com