The effects of the credit crunch and the slowing economy could see two million families stuck in the queue for help, local authority leaders have warned.

Councils are already struggling to cope with increasing demand for housing association accommodation, and the number of households waiting for it has grown from one million in 2001 to 1.6 million in 2007.

Hundreds of thousands more are expected to join them by 2010 as high house prices, fewer mortgages, increasing numbers of repossessions and a slowdown in housebuilding bite.

Housing Minister Caroline Flint warned the Cabinet this week that housebuilding was "stalling" and that prices could fall by up to ten per cent "at best" this year.

Councils today called for freedom to increase their housing stock by being able to borrow freely and remortgage assets to reinvest.

Lembit Opik, Lib Dem housing spokesman, said: "Ministers should feel ashamed for presiding over a doubling in the social housing waiting list since Labour came to power."

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/latestnews/Waiting-list-for-social-hou...

2 weeks ago, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela announced the nationalisation of a steel company that apparently supplies the US military. Then today, discredited allegations about links to FARC guerillas resurface in the form of selective leaks from documents apparently on computers seized in Colombia's invasion of Ecuador.

Isn't that a coincidence...

Animal Rights Activists protest against sadistic horse slaughter in Mexico’s San Bernabe

As a part of a global campaign on Tuesday 20 May 2008, members of Bunny Huggers will be taking to the streets in Edinburgh, to protest the extreme brutality used in slaughtering horses in Mexico, and in particular the Market of San Bernabe.

International call for actions on the 31th of May and the 1rst of June against borders, States, closed centers, prisons and their guards.

The free movement of persons doesn't form an exception to a world in which everything is subjected to control.

To the numerous laws that subject us, the States have added the migration policy. This allows them, amongst others, to know who's where and when, but also to decide where we can and cannot go. Moreover these laws serve political and economical interests and give shape to the identity of the "foreigner".

The apparatus "Europe" is being added to the weaponry of the States to justify their repressive campaigns, while they wash their hands in innocense ("it's not us, it's Europe!").

It's the migrationpolicy of this "Europe" that tends to "zero immigration" since the Seventies. But the migration was, of course never completely stopped: it has always existed and will always exist. First of all because Power doesn't control everything (yet), but also because capitalism has interests in illegal migration. The invention of the category "without papers" is not an accidental consequence, but the clear result of a political will. Confronted with this reality the leaders of today all pass on to a "more realistic" policy; one of economical migration.

On the 20th of May a new guideline will be voted by the European Parliament, in order to harmonise the migrationpolicies of the European countries. The most remarkable new measures are (amongst others): the maximum detention-time in a closed center will be 18 months; the banishment for five years of all deported people from the Schengen-countries...

This new guideline doesn't surprise us. It's not a consequence of a democratic failure, but an integral part of its functioning. A system (be it representative or not) that is based on borders cannot exist without camps, nor without a judicial apparatus.

This is just weird. All over the news we have everyone from the council to the Scottish Gov to the Rangers Supporters Association going on about how dreadful a small group of the Rangers fans in Manchester last night were. The phrase "no excuse" features in most quotes. And who are the only people quoted anywhere saying "Maybe the police could have handled things better?". The Scottish Tory Party!!!

In fact, they're going much further than a "maybe":

Scots Tory deputy leader Murdo Fraser said the decision to deploy riot police was an "over-reaction" which may have inflamed the situation.

...

Mr Fraser, a Rangers fan, said the Greater Manchester force had "serious questions" to answer about its tactics.

He said: "I thought there was an over-reaction in terms of deploying riot police which possibly enflamed the situation and I think there has to be an inquiry here looking at how ready were the police for so many fans to come and visit the city.

Quotes taken from this BBC story

I'm not commenting on the rights or wrongs of anyone's actions last night - personal experience suggests the likelihood is both sides bear some of the blame but I wasn't there and I don't know. I'm just slightly freaked out by the Tories being the only people to say it!

Black Flag is probably the longest-running anarchist magazine in the UK and it has recently returned, refreshed from a 2-year hiatus. Issue 227, published on May Day, is the second issue since the return and contains much of interest to activists in Scotland.

The Guardian does one of its occasional nods towards the existence of radical politics in this article asking "what happened to the anti-globalisation movement".

From The Register.

An anti-scientology website has had its advertising pulled by Google. Amusingly, some of the adverts on the page had been for the Church of Scientology. Google of course own YouTube, whose censorship of Scientology critics is credited with kicking off the "Anonymous" protests.

The second dawn raid in less than a week happened on the 12th of May. Bridget and her daughter Osaivbie O'Koro are the first 'legacy' case refusal family detained, a family which has been living in Scotland since 2004. They were taken to Yarlswood, instead of Dungavel as Dungavel is set to close. Removal directions are for 10am on Friday 16th May. We have only three days to arrange legal representation to try and stop the flight. This family needs your help, please take urgent action now! Instructions for helping are listed at the end of the article.