On this day, 4 January 1960 thousands of council tenants in St Pancras, London began a rent strike against rent increases by the Conservative council. As in most rent strikes, women played a leading role. The strike lasted 8 months and culminated in pitched battles with hundreds of police against evictions. Eventually Labour and the Communist Party persuaded tenants to change tack and instead elect a new Labour council who would reverse the increase - but they never did. However concessions were achieved in the struggle.
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