“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
Lisa Nandy invents a strawman to justify a bad policy
Lisa Nandy in her charm offensive with the Telegraph said that Labour had “taken on and called out” those on the Left who argue that “homeownership is not a Labour thing to do”, which was “completely wrong”. Ownership of assets was the “biggest and most consequential divide” in the country, she said, with the recognition … Continue reading Lisa Nandy invents a strawman to justify a bad policy
“The grim wait for vacant social housing”
A Labour Party member in Wiltshire is supporting our campaign to end RTB and will be submitting our model motion to her CLP for the Labour Conference in October. She tells us about the experience of homelessness which results from the shortage of council housing. “I've experienced homelessness with my two children and the grim … Continue reading “The grim wait for vacant social housing”
The finances and sustainability of the social housing sector
The Levelling-up, Housing and Communities Committee in the House of Commons has launched an inquiry into the finance and sustainability of the social housing sector. It explains: "This inquiry seeks to examine the finances and sustainability of the social housing sector in England. In recent years the financial pressures for social landlords have increased as … Continue reading The finances and sustainability of the social housing sector
Our model housing resolution: key policies to begin to resolve the housing crisis
Carol Hayton explains why Labour's current housing policy will not resolve the housing crisis and why our model resolution includes the key policies necessary to begin to resolve it. The process for the submission of amendments to the draft National Policy Forum documents has concluded. We now await, with extreme interest, the final NPF report, … Continue reading Our model housing resolution: key policies to begin to resolve the housing crisis
Right to Buy as a housing policy has been a disaster
Lorna Fielker, Cabinet Member for Adults, Health & Housing and Depouty Leader of Southampton Council has supported our campaign for Labour to commit to ending Right to Buy. This is a letter to Lisa Nandy. Dear Lisa, It was lovely to meet you at the Next Generation session in Manchester earlier this year. Thank you … Continue reading Right to Buy as a housing policy has been a disaster
The gentrification of social housing
Tom Murtha writes that "the very nature of housing association development today leads to gentrification". I am sometimes accused of having a rose-tinted view of the past when I talk about housing associations losing their social purpose and traditional values. I find this strange, as I am one of the few still active who witnessed … Continue reading The gentrification of social housing
Questions on Labour’s housing policy
The housing content of the National Policy Forum document is supposed to “shape the Labour Party's policy agenda”. The draft document it has produced, will be discussed by NPF members and, amended by them, will go to a “Clause 5” meeting on which the NEC, CLPs and affiliates sit, together with the Shadow Cabinet. That … Continue reading Questions on Labour’s housing policy
Labour Campaign for Council Housing 