WITH reference to the story 'Homeless Anger' (LET, June 11), about a housing association property made available for a homeless family, standing empty and vandalised. Is there not something shameful the way politicians play political football with the homeless?

A housing association in conjunction with the council renovated a block of homes that had been due for demolition. This was done with taxpayers' money and the council actually won an award for this scheme.

Yet this specific scheme was for the purpose of providing homes for the homeless that were on the council waiting list. The association has a vacancy, the council has no customers, the house is being vandalised. Strange, with all the homelessness.

If the matter was not of such a serious nature, the council's position would be ludicrous.

To quote the council spokesman: "We have been unable to nominate a tenant as quickly as we would normally do because of lack of demand."

With egg all over their faces, the question must be asked of these Labour politicians.

Do they know what is going on, and if they do not, why not?

WALT MEADOWS, Whalley New Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.