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Squatters turn Keen's home into comedy club
Tim Stewart06.07.09
Squatters who took over the constituency home of Labour MPs Ann and Alan Keen have turned it into a comedy club.
In a fresh humiliation for the couple dubbed “Mr and Mrs Expenses”, left-wing comic Mark Thomas topped the bill at a “benefit gig” in their front room. Thomas entertained the squatters and other protesters in the semi-detached house in Brentford, west London.
As he took to a makeshift stage in front of a Christmas tree with a picture of the Keens on top, Thomas described the venue as “brilliant”.
The 60-front audience sat on the floor surrounded by building materials and all the way up the stairs with the front door left wide open as Thomas told them: “I think this will go down as the most memorable show of the year – doing a gig in two MPs' squatted home.”
In his opening gag, Thomas suggested that the Olympic Village “should be used as dormitories for MPs to save on their expenses”.
Political activist Thomas was followed on stage by fellow comic Will Hodgson and “social surrealist poet” Attila the Stockbroker, who recited a poem about asylum-seeking Daleks.
Mrs Keen is MP for Brentford and Isleworth while her husband is MP for neighbouring Feltham and Heston.
The Keens have told neighbours that they are taking legal action to repossess the £375,000 house they insist is their main home – even though it was left vacant for months.
The couple claimed £140,000 in Parliamentary allowances for their designated “second home”, a luxury apartment just nine miles away in Westminster.
In a letter to neighbours, they complained that they feel “violated” by the ten squatters taking over their home in protest at their expenses.
The latest embarrassment for the Keens saw the comedy gig raise about £100 for the squatters' causes.
Up to 20 squatters are taking it in turns to live in the Keens' house ten at a time and one of them, 27-year-old Sam' declared the comedy night a great success.
He said: “We know Mark from various demos over the years and invited him. He thought it was a brilliant idea, came along at very short notice and was great.”
The Keens' letter apologised to neighbours for “disruption to your life” and said the couple felt “distressed” and “violated” by the occupation.
But the squatters say neighbours have handed them around 50 copies of the letter with their own mocking replies added by hand.
One reads: "To the Keens, you are no longer our MPs. Why don't you both stand down and give the ratepayers the money you stole from us?”
The squatters have not been served with any eviction order and appear to be planning to stay.
A wishlist' on the front door lists items the squatters say they need, including food, water, screws, rope, mattresses, soap, beer and wine – and local residents have been busy providing food hampers and other requested supplies.
Hounslow council wrote to the Keens two weeks ago, threatening to seize the four-storey house as an “abandoned dwelling” after it was left empty for months - but the squatters got in first.
Sam', a former vegetable market manager who is now an unemployed full-time political activist, said: “The Keens claim to feel violated at having their empty home taken over.
“But the whole country feels violated by MPs' expenses claims. We are very happy here and there has been no sign of court papers from the Keens.
“There are 11,000 people on the housing register in Hounslow. It's immoral that houses can be left vacant for so long.”
Among those who have unexpectedly welcomed the squatters, neighbour Paul Slattery said: “I have never actually seen the Keens on the streets of Brentford and I only live 50 metres up the road.”
The house has no electricity and wires dangle from the walls and ceilings. Although the water supply has been switched on, the house does not have a bathroom.
The squatters put up banners outside reading: "Reclaiming your taxes" and "500,000 homeless, one million empty homes".
Reader views (19)
Myself and a colleague sent a Food Hamper to the squatter team last week and it was one of the best things I have ever done. We put a picture of the Keen's on the hamper box and apparently the picture is now sitting on the top of the tree in the house which makes me feel even better.
So if like doing something directly against the MP's then support the squatters!!!
Hopefully the Keen's will do the Honourbale thing and leave London for good and then hopefully leave the country and NEVER return.
- Mark Jordan, Chobham,Surrey
The taxpayers of this land feel Violated too !
- A.Taxpayer, London
haha i went to this for abit, funny stuff. but ann claims this is her main home and its like a building site.
- Dan B, brentford
Shame they couldn't take the comedy club on tour, like to the Keen's 'second home' now that would be hilarious! Mr & Mrs Expenses will surely soon be going on extended holidays given that they are not the sort of MP's to actually work for their pilfering perhaps an opportunity might arise in the near future?
- Ed, Hants
Very fitting because these two are the two biggest comedians in Labours London hellhole !!!
- Nick Holland, glasgow
The house has passed from one type of leech on society to another. The house should be reclaimed by its rightful owners - the taxpayers.
- Rogan, Irving
In his opening gag, Thomas suggested that the Olympic Village “should be used as dormitories for MPs to save on their expenses”.
Brilliant idea. Start a petition and make it happen. After all, the superfast train to central London only takes a short while.....
- Ricie, London
At the a demonstration against the fiddling MP's good luck to you all and fantastic to hear that Mark Thomas is involved. Look out for the postman and the seizer notice from Hounslow council you know where to forward it onto.
- Patricia, London
"Sam, an unemployed full time political activist..." sounds every bit as much of a parasite as the MPs.
And I thought Atilla the Stockbroker and all his 'right-on' kind had vanished for good. It's all a bit too much like the Young One's isn't it?
- Tony, London
Keep up the good work - our elites do not see any problems with their behaviours and will not remove their snouts. It takes decent squatters to show true leadership and fight back for the rest of us apathetic citizens. Thank you.
- Bob H, St Reathem
At last a story to warm the cockles of your heart,-I would like to see all the freeloaders empty houses occupied by squatters,-these greedy MPs are a disgrace to humanity.
- Jacob, Canterbury England
Ha Ha Whose having the last larf now!!!
- C Cusano, Bedford
"left-wing comic Mark Thomas"
Left wing, yes. Comic? I don't think so - have you heard his act?
- Nr, Bromley
ALL "second" homes have been paid for by tax payers and should be sold and the proceeds returned to the treasury. The Keens - like all other MPs - are the scum of the earth.
- R.F., Yorks, UK
Serves the MP parasites right! Made my day reading this!
Wombles Keen have been "violating" Joe Public for far too long.
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK
Excellent. The greedy Keen pigs deserve all the scorn and dirision coming their way. I hope the squatters stay forever. Other greedy corrupt MP's had better watch out
- Trevn, Abu Dhabi
Hilarious.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants
Ha, ha! That's comedy for you!
What an epic idea!
- Jc, London
I welcome this new trend in using tax funded proprty left idle by MP's for the benefit of the homeless. No sympathy at all for the Keens, best they sell up and leave these shores and ponce off another society.
- Steve, London
