Andy Burnham's speech in the Manchester People's History Museum, in which he said that a government led by him would carry out “the biggest council house building programme since the post-war period”, has raised hopes that if he becomes Prime Minister there would be a change of direction in the government's housing policy, with council … Continue reading Public funding is the means to build/acquire social rent council homes
Category: Labour government
Submission to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Council and Social Housing inquiry on the barriers to building and acquiring social rent council homes
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Council and Social Housing has launched an inquiry into obstacle to building and acquiring social rent council housing. This is our submission. The deadline has been extended to July 24th. Submissions should be sent to appgcash@shelter.org.uk . Summary Council housing is not a priority for the government. There is … Continue reading Submission to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Council and Social Housing inquiry on the barriers to building and acquiring social rent council homes
“Labour is being badly misled on housing”
Chris Hinchliff, MP Our entire political system is discredited by the abject failure to provide a decent genuinely affordable home for so many people across the UK. If Labour does not meaningfully break with decades of disappointment and deliver an effective remedy to the housing crisis, millions across the country will lose faith in the … Continue reading “Labour is being badly misled on housing”
The end of zero carbon homes?
This is from the Town and Country Planning Association Today, a group of over 60 local authorities, businesses and NGOs are calling on the government to scrap plans that could spell the end of zero carbon homes in England. In a letter to the Rt Hon Steve Reed MP, the Secretary of State for Housing, … Continue reading The end of zero carbon homes?
Above inflation rent increases can’t compensate for under-funding of council housing
Driving up rent will impoverish tenants, it won't resolve the council housing funding crisis. In explaining our opposition to 10 years of above inflation rent increases and 'rent convergence' (No to 10 years of above inflation rent increases – Labour Campaign for Council Housing ) we said that “These policies are a substitute – to … Continue reading Above inflation rent increases can’t compensate for under-funding of council housing
Council housing is the key to resolving the housing crisis
Media release January 20th 2026 In an interview on ITV a Minister has finally explained why the government opposes funding a large scale council house building programme. Daniel Hewitt asked Steve Reed why the government didn't do what the Attlee government did; its mass council house building programme. According to Reed it's because people have … Continue reading Council housing is the key to resolving the housing crisis
Local government financial settlement : this is not the break from austerity we need
LGA Labour Leader Bev Craig has said that the government's three year local government funding settlement indicates that “austerity is over”. Yet even she admits that the funding gap for local authorities has only been reduced from £6 billion to £4 billion. Look at the financial projections and you see that councils' 'core spending power' … Continue reading Local government financial settlement : this is not the break from austerity we need
Too poor for council or housing association homes
A report from the housing campaign, Crisis, in collaboration with Herior-Watt University and the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence indicates that around a third of housing associations surveyed said pre-tenancy affordability checks determined that the applicant would not be given a tenancy due to “too low an income or insecure finances”. According to Crisis … Continue reading Too poor for council or housing association homes
The government should end its support for the Tory policy of “affordable rent”
The Labour Campaign for Council Housing is calling on the government to end support for the increasingly unaffordable “affordable rent”, introduced by the Tories. “Affordable rent” (AR) was introduced by the Tories as part of their austerity programme. It allowed rent to be charged at up to 80% of market rent. Tenants were to be … Continue reading The government should end its support for the Tory policy of “affordable rent”
Build, Baby Build — But Who Really Wins?
The Government is doubling down on a system designed for corporate gain rather than public need, suggests Cllr James Valentine. From Labour Hub The Government’s new Planning and Infrastructure Bill is being sold as a game-changer for housebuilding, the legislative key to unlocking its election promise of 1.5 million new homes. But beneath the fanfare, … Continue reading Build, Baby Build — But Who Really Wins?
Labour Campaign for Council Housing 