Mick Whitley, Labour MP for Birkenhead, is supporting our Open Letter for resolving the local government and housing crises. Here are extracts from his speech to Parliament in response to the budget. “The British public understand what this government does not, that you cannot cut your way to growth. They remember how the Tories ideologically … Continue reading Mick Whitley calls for ‘wealth tax and genuinely progressive tax reforms’
Category: Labour Party
Politicians “must dare to be bold” – the self-made economic straitjacket for a Labour government, should be abandoned
Our Open Letter on resolving the local government and housing crises quoted a Guardian editorial which said that the next government would either “have to repudiate Jeremy Hunt's cuts or enact them”. A similar point has been made by Jim Pickard and Sam Fleming in the Financial Times (‘Hemmed in’: Labour stores up trouble with … Continue reading Politicians “must dare to be bold” – the self-made economic straitjacket for a Labour government, should be abandoned
Decarbonising housing is not an optional extra
Media release Labour Campaign for Council Housing Labour's Green Prosperity Plan After weeks of will they won't they, and contradictory statements from different members of the shadow cabinet, Labour's Green Prosperity Plan has been cut from £28 billion to £15 billion, of which only £5 billion is in addition to Tory spending plans. The “fiscal … Continue reading Decarbonising housing is not an optional extra
Resolving the local government and housing crises: An Open Letter to the Labour Leadership
At our meeting in December to discuss the local government and housing crises it was agreed that we would produce an Open Letter to the Labour leadership on action necessary to prevent the collapse of local authorities and to begin to resolve the housing crisis. With a general election not far away and local government … Continue reading Resolving the local government and housing crises: An Open Letter to the Labour Leadership
Labour’s choice: “repudiate Hunt’s disastrous cuts or enact them”
The Autumn statement offers austerity to local government and nothing for council housing “...the Labour Party has largely retreated to a similar pro-market and low-tax agenda as the Conservatives but with an emphasis on equality of opportunity and choice. This is a mistake which is amplified by the historic chance offered by the Tories poor … Continue reading Labour’s choice: “repudiate Hunt’s disastrous cuts or enact them”
Zoom meeting: the financial crisis of local government and its impact on housing
The financial crisis of local authorities is spiralling out of control. Councils are running out of money as a result of the loss of grant from central government, increasing demand for services, high inflation, and the increasing cost of paying for temporary accommodation because of rising homelessness. A recent emergency meeting organised by Eastbourne council, the District … Continue reading Zoom meeting: the financial crisis of local government and its impact on housing
The financial crisis of local government and the housing crisis
"Labour council groups, CLPs and affiliated unions need to raise the alarm and demand that Labour commits to increased funding, both for local government services and for council housing." Will a Labour government come to the rescue of local government? What is it proposing to do to stop the collapse of local authorities and to … Continue reading The financial crisis of local government and the housing crisis
70% home ownership target – wrong in principle and undeliverable
Just before Lisa Nandy was moved sideways from her job as Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling-up, the Highbury Group on Housing Delivery (“an independent group of specialists from the public, private and independent sectors from housing, planning and related professions”) wrote to her on Labour's housing policy. We reproduce some extracts below. You can … Continue reading 70% home ownership target – wrong in principle and undeliverable
Promises of new towns keep being broken – here’s why Keir Starmer’s are likely to go just the same way
Peters Apps writing in the i-paper says The Labour leader has put new towns at the centre of his pledge to ‘get Britain building again’. But without council housing and state money experts fear the project is ‘doomed’ “For the first time in nearly half a century we will show the imagination to build new … Continue reading Promises of new towns keep being broken – here’s why Keir Starmer’s are likely to go just the same way
Section 106 agreements will not fund building on the scale we need
Increased central government grant for council housing is necessary and possible "The 100,000 social rent homes a year, and more, that are needed to liberate a new generation from the private rented sector, will not be built without central government grant." Keir Starmer has said that Labour will build 1.5 million homes over five years; … Continue reading Section 106 agreements will not fund building on the scale we need
Labour Campaign for Council Housing 