Wednesday 23 October 2013

Westminister Wit or Wanker & 'Made in Chelsea' Comment

THE housing chief of a flagship Conservative borough has stepped down after comparing social housing tenants to the ‘Made in Chelsea brigade’.
Jonathan Glanz, cabinet member for housing at Westminster Council, stepped down after comments on a Conservative blog which said social housing tenants lived in houses usually only available to the very rich.
‘Trust funds are often associated with the Made in Chelsea brigade, the young people portrayed in the ITV television series who spend their days dining out and sipping champagne on London’s King’s Road,’ he wrote.
‘It may be a stretch but in some ways, their fortunes are not entirely dissimilar to some of the benefits enjoyed by social housing tenants in some of country’s most expensive areas.’

Philippa Roe, leader of the council, said they had agreed that Mr Glanz should step aside from his cabinet position.
‘I recognise that in Mr Glanz’s recent article about social housing tenants, his intention was to raise a serious point about the cost of housing in central London but I also recognise that his comments, as reported, may have caused offence,’ she said.
‘Many social housing tenants face significant financial pressures and are in no way comparable to those portrayed in Made in Chelsea.’

Mr Glanz has so far been unavailable for comment.

No comments: