On 14 June 2017, Grenfell went up in flames and seventy-two people lost their lives. Three years later, two-year-old Awaab Ishak would die from a respiratory condition caused by mould. And in 2023, it was reported that we are seeing record levels of children experiencing homelessness. This is twenty-first century Britain, where millions are trying to build their lives on crumbling foundations. Britain’s in a housing emergency. Campaigner and activist, Kwajo Tweneboa has been on the frontline of this housing crisis, highlighting the shocking conditions so many are forced to live with. He knows better than anyone the brutal realities the UK is facing, from the decimation of our welfare services to the rising poverty rates as the cost-of-living crisis continues. This is how we rebuild. Our Country in Crisis looks back at decades of poor decisions and highlights the modern-day the impact of the loss of social housing as a safety net. This housing emergency cuts across generations, class and education, and is devastating our health, destroying communities and ruining lives. But it is not irreversible. Radical action is possible and Kwajo Tweneboa and his urgent, ground-breaking book are leading the way.
