Mercedes Villalba
Scottish MSPs supporting our statement calling for Labour to commit to ending Right to Buy in England have said:
“High-quality council housing should be the first option for prospective tenants, rather than being forced into the private rented sector where rents continue to rise and protections are minimal.
Right-to-Buy reduces council housing stock and leaves too many tenants with no choice other than to rent privately.
I back Labour Party members who have voted for the ending of Right to Buy in England to be included in the next UK Labour Party manifesto, especially as the policy has already been scrapped in Scotland and Wales”.
Mercedes Villalba, Member of the Scottish Parliament, North East Scotland
Katy Clark
I fully support Labour Campaign for Council Housing’s statement and believe ending right to buy across England is essential for bringing down waiting lists and ensuring everyone who needs a safe place to live is provided with one.
Here in Scotland, The Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 abolished the right to buy and ensured thousands of homes were protected and kept in the social sector over the next decade. Whilst this now needs to be backed by serious investment from the Scottish Government – which, to date, has not been forthcoming – it was an extremely necessary step.
Housing, like so many other necessities in our society, needs redistributed. Taking housing out of the market and allocating it on the basis of need rather than profit is not only ethical; it improves social goals and can help drive up consistent standards across housing, leading to better public health and, ultimately, a happier and more productive population.
Councils like North Ayrshire, established as Scotland’s first community wealth building council by Scottish Labour, have shown it is possible to build warmer, more attractive, more eco-friendly and more civic housing. Retaining and extending council housing ensures that community needs are put above everything else. I would like to see England follow Scotland and Wales in that regard.
Katy Clark, Member of the Scottish Parliament, West Scotland Region
Labour Campaign for Council Housing 