Labour cannot resolve the housing crisis without more funding for councils

A “net positive” social housing policy will not resolve the housing crisis. Speaking at a National Housing Federation summit, Shadow Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook clarified the Labour leadership's outlook on housing policy when in government. By a “significant” reduction in RTB discounts and focusing the Affordable Homes Programme “overwhelmingly” on social rent homes “we will … Continue reading Labour cannot resolve the housing crisis without more funding for councils

Inside housing launches campaign for 90,000 social rent homes a year

The magazine Inside Housing is calling on political parties to commit in their general election manifestos to 90,000 social rent homes a year for 10 years. Below is our letter to the editor welcoming the campaign. "To Martin Hilditch Editor, Inside Housing Dear Martin The Labour Campaign for Council Housing would like to express its … Continue reading Inside housing launches campaign for 90,000 social rent homes a year

Ending Right to Buy is a necessary step towards resolving the housing crisis

In defending her support for Right to Buy Lisa Nandy recently said that “telling working class people they can't own their own home is just unacceptable”. If she meant their council home, that rather contradicts what she said at last September's Labour conference; “the idea of a home for life handed on in common ownership … Continue reading Ending Right to Buy is a necessary step towards resolving the housing crisis

Architect Peter Barber calls for end of Right to Buy

Well known and award winning architect, Peter Barber, has signed our statement calling for Labour to commit to ending Right to Buy. He recently appeared in a Channel 4 programme on housing. Here are some extracts from it. “We should have a social housing programme on the scale were were able to manage after the … Continue reading Architect Peter Barber calls for end of Right to Buy

Right to Buy: privatising collectively owned housing

Lisa Nandy recently said that “telling working class people they can't own their own home is just unacceptable”. If she means their council home that rather contradicts what she said at last September's Labour conference; that “the idea of a home for life handed on in common ownership to future generations is an idea worth … Continue reading Right to Buy: privatising collectively owned housing

Councils lose more than a property when a home is sold under Right to Buy

The case for ending Right to Buy is well known. Scotland and Wales ended it with no great resistance. It remains in England where there are less than 1.6 million council homes left and despite some manipulation by councils designed to reduce the numbers on the waiting lists, there are still more than 1.2 million … Continue reading Councils lose more than a property when a home is sold under Right to Buy

Will Lisa Nandy be a housing reformer or just a headline grabber?

"Lisa Nandy’s insinuation that opposition to the right-to-buy equates to opposition to working-class people owning their own home is disgraceful and divisive" says Carol Hayton Lisa Nandy has used an Interview in the Times, published on 29th July, to recycle her suggestion that opposition to the Right to Buy is simply, “a totemic issue for … Continue reading Will Lisa Nandy be a housing reformer or just a headline grabber?

The house building oligopoly will not resolve the housing crisis

“Though it is hardly a secret that we inhabit a world dominated by business oligopolies, during the crisis and its aftermath this reality and its implications for the priorities of government stood nakedly exposed. It is an unpalatable and explosive truth that democratic politics on both sides of the Atlantic has choked on it.” Adam … Continue reading The house building oligopoly will not resolve the housing crisis

“Time to invest (now more than ever)”

Inquiry into the need for investment in existing and new council housing The All Party Parliamentary Group on Council Housing has launched an inquiry into the need for investment in existing and new council homes. It was launched with a meeting in the House of Commons. To promote the discussion a number of academics in … Continue reading “Time to invest (now more than ever)”

Retrofitting at speed and scale

This is a speech by Georgina Schueller to a Housing Rebellion event on the South Lambeth estate. We can see the climate emergency is worsening, with more extreme global weather events. We must do everything in our power to try to conserve our environment, and our buildings, and stop the rapid depletion of our natural … Continue reading Retrofitting at speed and scale