Labour vows to stop Tory flagship Right to Buy housing scheme and fix the ‘biggest crisis for a generation’
Shadow Minister promises to build a million new homes with half set aside for social housing
LABOUR last night vowed it would suspend the Tories’ flagship Right to Buy housing scheme to fix the “biggest crisis for a generation”.
Shadow Minister Teresa Pearce said it made no sense given the chronic shortage of available council homes for hard-working families.
The Sun on Saturday reported how 13,000 homes were flogged off to tenants at a discount last year – and only one in six homes were replaced.
Ms Pearce, the Shadow Housing Minister, said: “The Right to Buy only makes sense in a time of surplus, in a time of shortage it makes no sense at all.
“The difference between us and the Tories is they think housing is about property but we know it’s about homes and life chances.”
Revealing how Labour would fix the housing crisis if it got back into power, Ms Pearce vowed to build a million new homes with half set aside for social housing.
She added that three-year agreements in the private rented sector would “become the norm” to give families greater security.
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She said: "We are facing the biggest housing crisis in a generation and the Tories have no answers other than building a few starter homes for those who probably could get on the housing ladder anyway."
Gavin Barwell, housing minister, said: "This divided Labour party want to make it harder for millions of people to buy the council or housing association home they live in.
"The Conservative Party supports home ownership and is working to build a country that works for everyone.
"We are therefore determined to give more people the opportunity to buy a home of their own through Right to Buy and other Government schemes.
"Labour are not a credible alternative government and are increasingly out of touch with the people they claim to represent."