The Labour Party Conference passed the motion below unanimously on 25th September 2019, and the Party is now committed to the Homeless Bill of Rights.
Councillor Debs Stainforth of the East Worthing & Shoreham CLP put forward as their policy motion to the Labour Party Conference 2019 a motion in support of the Homeless Bill of Rights. The unions selected homelessness as one of their eight preferences for subjects to discuss at the Conference, and this motion was composited with other motions including those sponsored by our friends the Labour Homelessness Campaign.
Composite motion 19 now reads in part as follows:
Conference calls on the Labour Party:
• That the Labour Party adopt the Homeless Bill of Rights and thereafter in all its policies, practices and procedures that affect the homeless endeavour to comply with the letter and the spirit of the Homeless Bill of Rights, and promote it within the membership. The Homeless Bill of Rights is a compilation of basic rights drawn from European and international human rights law, but made specific to the situation of the homeless and it includes those of people in emergency and temporary accommodation and the “hidden homeless”.
https://homelessrights.org.uk/the-homeless-bill-of-rights/
This fantastic initiative has the chance of embedding the Homeless Bill of Rights and the principles behind it at the heart of the Labour Party’s policy making and possibly the next manifesto. Please support it!
The Homeless Bill of Rights was drawn up by homelessness organisations across Europe. It embodies international human rights standards in a document addressed specifically to the situation of the homeless. Including those in temporary and emergency accommodation. It has been adopted by seven European cities including Barcelona. It is a set of standards, a promise to the homeless that they are equal in dignity and respect with us all, an endeavour to make the human rights that we all have effective and real for those of us without a secure home. In international law, everyone has the human right to a home. We must make this a reality for everyone, and in the meantime we stand against the criminalisation and stigmatisation of the homeless.