I’D like to give The National’s readers an example of what makes a good community.

In my constituency, a new tenants and residents group has been established within the last few months. This group came about, mainly, through the actions of two local council tenants – Kevin and Sandy McNellie-Welsh. They live in what many people (wrongly) classify as a problem area – the west end of Paisley. However, as they and many of the local residents will tell you, it is not so different from many urban areas across Scotland. It has its share of problems such as unemployment, some poor housing and on occasion there is some crime. However, it also has a loyal group of residents who are proud to be from this part of Paisley. They are fed up with the area only being reported in negative terms and no real attempt being made by the media or others to look at the bigger picture and what positives there are.

This was one of the main reasons why Kevin and Sandy decided to form the tenants and residents group. They wanted to see if their neighbours felt the same as them and believed that the root to creating a better community was not waiting for the council, the police or another agency to act but for the community itself to get together with a single voice and start working to improve the local area.

Through the support of my office, local SNP councillors and the local community council, Kevin and Sandy knocked on doors, put up posters and called a meeting. From this the Paisley West Tenants and Residents Association was formed aiming to build a more vibrant, cohesive and safer community. This group has now met a few times and the desire for change, to stand up for their area, is still going strong.

This looks like it could develop into a great community, with local residents working together to improve their area. Yet, if those involved didn’t know from one year to the next if they would still be living in their council homes, would they invest their time, energy and commitment to this cause? Would they think, “Well we could be out of here in two to five years depending on whether the council renews our tenancy or tells us we are no longer suitable to be council tenants, so why should we miss out on the regular things others do, whether watching soap operas, going to the pub or just staying in? After all we might not be part of this community soon, so why bother?”

Well, thanks to the Tories, that is the dilemma now facing council tenants in England. The Housing and Planning Bill was passed through the UK Parliament last week when all eyes were on the junior doctors’ strike in England.

This is legislation derived from a party that doesn’t understand council housing. The Tories are keen to push those with jobs or above average earnings out of council housing into the hands of the banks (via mortgages) or more likely into the hands of private landlords. There is a concern that some private landlords have little regard for their tenants and I wonder if there is any coincidence that Tory MPs (27 per cent of whom are landlords, according to their declaration of interests) voted against an amendment to make sure private lets were fit for human habitation?

This could turn council housing into a housing of last resort, with tenants only being those who couldn’t afford to move elsewhere. It would create the very sink estates that the Prime Minister is threatening to bulldoze elsewhere in England. The move by the Tories to introduce fixed-term council tenancies will drive a wedge between tenants and their communities. Why would tenants want to spend their spare time going to committee meetings, campaigning for more resources, and organising community events if they had no security of tenure and didn’t know if they would have to pack up and move out of the area?

This would have an impact on community organisations as local residents decide it’s not worth the time, effort and energy to build a better community if they and their families couldn’t stay there. It would also increase the stress on many communities already suffering under Tory austerity with low wages, high unemployment, benefit sanctions and reliance on foodbanks. Add insecurity of tenure to this litany of Tory social policy failures and don’t be surprised if communities start to crumble and fall apart.

The legislation which brought this in was also the first time that Scottish MPs were excluded from taking part in the House of Commons under the English Votes for English Laws procedure.

Although this affects only legislation in England there could be implications for Scotland. There is the possibility that this policy and others like it – policies aimed at breaking up communities – could find their way into our political environment. If the Tories start pushing this, then how long before Treasury rules are changed and pressure put on any future Scottish Government to follow suit?

This is a dangerous act by the Tories – one driven by political dogma and one that could rip communities apart. We need to be aware of the road the Tories are travelling and the threat it may pose to us in Scotland.

In contrast the SNP has already met its commitment to build more affordable homes, including over 5,000 new council houses, and plans to do more with a target of 50,000 new affordable homes if elected for a further term. We need to support all our communities and give people the right to choose council housing if they wish. Providing affordable homes with secure tenancies where tenants know they can stay as long as they need to would encourage them to look after and invest in their community, environment and their own future. This can only come about if we invest in council housing rather than turn it into a housing of last resort, as planned by the Tories.