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Mayor Boris Johnson has warned of "Kosovoan style" emmigration from London if controversial housing benefit changes are implemented. The highly charged accusation came a day after MP Chris Bryant spoke of "sociogical cleansing" of the capital - something Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg called deeply offensive language to victims of ethnic cleansing. London Councils estimate 82,000 families will have to move when payments are capped at £400 a week for a four bedroom house. Speaking on BBC London Radio, he called the cuts "draconian" and that it made "no economic sense" to force people who lived and worked in inner London out to the suburbs, and said he did not want to see an exodus of London's poorest residents to bed-and-breakfast accommodation on the south coast. The Tory mayor, who oversees a Greater London population of 7.5 million, said it was important to retain the diversity of people in the capital. Today Labour leader Ed Miliband attempted to force a split in the coalition telling Liberal Democrat MPs to "vote with their conscience". MPs will debate the planned reforms today.
Mayors three-point plan
He confirmed today that he has been held talks with Work and Pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith, the, about a three-point plan he wants in place to soften the impact on the capital. Johnson has called on the coalition to pay housing benefit directly to landlords rather than to tenants, which he claims would help landlords to lower rents. In addition, he has asked for the planned transitional fund to protect families facing eviction to be increased from £20m to £30m next year. He is lobbying for at least 90% of the money to be earmarked for Londoners. He has also asked Duncan Smith to exempt families with children and those in work, which could cost tens of millions of pounds. Johnson has drawn a clear line in the sand insisting that London would be adversely effected and government must "mitigate the impact" given the high levels of social housing. He ensured funding for Crossrail and Tube upgrade cash from Chancellor George Osborn but so far all he has managed to snare is £10m from the Department of Communities and Local Government to the homelessness budget to local council and £60m already allocated for a similar purpose. It appears the Government are prepared to reconsider facets of the plan, such as the 10% proposed cut in payouts when people have been on jobseeker's allowance for more than a year. If the legislation goes through, London could be "cleansed" in time for the 2012 Olympics, and the next Mayoral election.
"Unfair"
Tory MP Mark Field said eight out of 10 claimants in his Cities of London and Westminster seat would lose out because property prices are so high they claim more than £20,000 a year. Labour has said the cap is unfair and may force families out of their homes. Cameron has said it is wrong to pay out more than £20,000 a year in housing benefit to a single family to live in homes working people "couldn't even dream of".
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