CHILDREN were cooped up in a symbolic shelter at City Hall in a campaign to change the law on overcrowded housing. Boris Johnson popped out of his office by Tower Bridge to lend a hand to the Shelter charity campaign

By Mike Brooke

CHILDREN were cooped up in a symbolic shelter’ at City Hall in a campaign to change the law on overcrowded housing.

Boris Johnson popped out of his ninth floor office overlooking Tower Bridge to lend support for the campaign by the Shelter national homeless charity.

The charity is highlighting 330,000 London children stuck in overcrowded accommodation as they are for battery farm chickens.

Close on 300 MPs have signed a Parliamentary motion for better living conditions for chickens.

“I applaud MPs’ concern for the welfare of the mighty chicken,” said Boris. “But it’s time we did the same for the thousands of London children living in unfit, cramped conditions and give the current legislation a 21st century makeover.”

He wants a change in legislation which at present does not include babies under 12 months when overcrowding is assessed.

Current legal definition which has remained unchanged since 1935 considers living-rooms and even large kitchens as acceptable places to sleep.

Shelter’s campaigns director Kay Boycott said: “The Government must not ignore the one-in-five London children in overcrowded accommodation. Living in confined conditions has a devastating effect on health and education. They are 10 times more likely to contract meningitis.”

The Shelter campaign has secured a petition on the Downing Street website calling for an end to overcrowding.