We have done a model resolution which you are welcome to use, for Constituency Labour Parties and for union branches in support of our call for Labour to commit to ending Right to Buy. The text is below.
Model resolution for CLPs/Union branches
Labour should commit to ending Right to Buy
This CLP/union branch recognises that one of the main causes of the housing crisis has been the loss of council homes as a result of the Right to Buy policy introduced by Margaret Thatcher in her 1980 Housing Act. That’s why in England there are less than 1.6 million council homes left. Many homes sold under RTB end up in the private rented sector; an estimated 40%. This drives up the housing benefit bill because of the much higher private rents.
Each sale is not just one less home available for those on the waiting list, but lost rent income, which means that councils have less resources for maintaining and renewing their existing stock.
With more than 10,000 homes a year sold, and at least 2,000 demolished, councils have to build more than 12,000 council homes just to halt the loss. This is a number which has not been built since 1990.
In Scotland and Wales the policy has already been ended. The 2019 and 2021 Labour conferences overwhelmingly passed resolutions which called for the ending of RTB. It was incorporated into the 2019 Manifesto. At the 2021 conference Lucy Powell said that it is the right thing to do and that is what the members want.
Ending RTB is cost-free and will stop the loss of rental income to councils. It would mean that for the first time since it was introduced all new build would increase the number of available homes and enable the waiting lists to begin to fall.
We therefore support the statement of the Labour Campaign for Council Housing which calls for Labour to commit to ending RTB when in government.
(For CLPs: We agree to write to the Party leadership calling for them to make this commitment.)
(For union branches: We agree to write to the national union asking it to support the statement.)
If your CLP/union branch passes this resolution please inform us by email at labourcouncilhousingcampaign@gmail.org
You can download a copy of the statement, with signatories, here: rtb-statement-6.pdf (wordpress.com)
Labour Campaign for Council Housing 