Lib Dem role in government could boost housing
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A hung Parliament could be good for housing because the Liberal Democrats would be given responsibility for the sector, the head of the CIH has claimed.
Speaking at Tai 2010, the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru’s annual conference, CIH chief executive Sarah Webb outlined what the general election manifestos of the three main parties meant for housing.
‘If there is a hung Parliament, housing could be one of the things that’s traded in and that could be quite good news for us because the other parties would give the Lib Dems housing as a portfolio because it’s in the ‘too difficult’ category,’ she said.
She said the Lib Dems are the only party to commit to bringing empty homes back into use and talk about tax reforms. She also noted the party’s idea for a mansion tax and its commitment to care and suppor, and said it had some interesting ideas.
Under a Conservative government, she suggested, there might not even be a housing minister.
Whoever wins the election, Ms Webb said the sector will be expected to achieve more with less support, as a result of cuts.
She told delegates there are a lot of issues in housing that are not currently being discussed because of the election.
Prime minister Gordon Brown has not fulfilled his promise of making housing a much bigger political issue because a high number of voters are owner occupiers, she said.
She added that whoever wins the election could get some of these issues back on the agenda but later said: ‘I would be amazed if any of the parties delivered their manifesto pledges.’
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Readers' comments (7)
B.S.Townroe | 21/04/2010 8:58 am
The Lib Dem offer: empty homes and barn conversions. Yeah......
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Julian Thompson | 21/04/2010 10:05 am
This confirms what I have long suspected that hte CIH is no longer a professional body but a left wing political organisation
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Harry Lime | 21/04/2010 10:33 am
It's a crazy thought Julian, but maybe the CIH is a professional body that may choose to support any given party ay any given time, providing it gets the best outcome for the sector in general?
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Peter | 21/04/2010 11:00 am
I was somewhat surprised that Sarah Webb could reach such a conclusion. If the public expenditure cut backs is going to be anything like that of Greece, things are not going to be rosy no matter who is going to take charge!!!
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Joe Halewood | 21/04/2010 11:16 am
Julian - The CIH is a lobby for social housing and always has been and hence I am suprised at your surprise that, politically, it leans towards the parties that best serve its rationale!
Your comment is the same as acting surprised that the gun lobby in the US vote for the Republican Party or the Institute of Directors promote the Tories!
Far be it for me to defend the CIH as I diagree with much of what they do or say but surely its a given for any lobby and profession to lean toward the political party that best serves their and their members interests.
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simon stokes | 22/04/2010 12:05 pm
I have never quite understood this idea of "bringing back empty homes into use". If someone owns the house and chooses to either leave it empty or wait for the market to pick up before they sell it, who are the Govt to order them to sell it usually at well below the market value? They have destroyed the housing sector and now they want to force people to sell "empty" houses to cover it up. Whats next, make single people living in large houses rent out rooms or if they have a second car, sell it to someone who hasnt got one? Sorry, it just doesnt make sense and is certainly unfair.
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Harry Lime | 22/04/2010 1:22 pm
For what it's worth Simon, my (limited) experience of empty homes is not that it targets those who merely wish to leave a property that is not a blight on the area. If someone chooses to pay full council tax on a property after 6 months and keeps it in good order i'd be absolutely shocked if they heard from anyone in an official capacity. Empty Homes, I have always understood, are those with absentee landlords, unclear ownership due to inheritance squabbles, landlords who've bought at the top of the market and intended to renovate, and overall those properties who blight the neighbourhood or their immediate neighbours due to their poor condition.
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