On this day, 10 July 1945, the left-wing Daily
On this day, 10 July 1945, the left-wing Daily Herald newspaper spoke out against the Brighton Vigilantes, a group of World War II ex-servicemen who began squatting empty homes. “The motives that inspire the authors of this movement are humane and understandable,” its leader stated: “yet it is obvious that, if the movement were allowed to grow, a chaotic and dangerous situation might result. There are too many ill-disposed persons in this country who would only too readily attach themselves to such a cause in order to use it for their own ends. Those ends might be a variation of Chicago gangsterism or an attempt for political purposes to disrupt the law and order of the land.” The group was also denounced by the Communist Party. The Vigilantes' campaign started in seaside towns where large houses were left empty all year to be rented out at high prices during the holiday season. To try to recuperate the movement, the government swiftly took action to enable local auth...