Category:Homes for votes scandal

Articles relating to the homes for votes scandal, a gerrymandering controversy involving the Conservative-led Westminster City Council in London. Having narrowly maintained their control of the council in the 1986 local elections, Conservative councillors initiated a programme of selling off council homes in eight marginal wards, in the belief that owner-occupiers were more likely to vote Conservative than council tenants. Hostels in the marginal wards were closed, with some homeless people moved into condemned accommodation. The policy came to an end after it was exposed on the BBC current affairs programme Panorama in 1989. On investigation, the policy was ruled to be illegal.