Election result leaves housing in limbo

Real estate firm Jones Lang Lasalle said a ‘huge number of housing issues hinge on the decisions of the new administration’ including cutting social housing waiting lists, targets for house building starts and completions, and the treatment of empty homes.

The latest results from the UK election show the Conservatives have a sizeable lead over Labour, but cannot reach the 326 seats they need to govern with a majority, leaving the possibility of a Liberal Democrat/Labour coalition government.

On an eventful night the Green Party won its first parliamentary seat when voters in Brighton Pavilion elected party leader Caroline Lucas as their MP.

Barking, where the far right British National Party had tried to elect their first MP in leader Nick Griffin, remained Labour with the re-election of Margaret Hodge. The BNP saw its share of the vote in the constituency drop by 1.7 per cent.

Neighbouring Dagenham and Rainham also retained its Labour MP Jon Cruddas although he lost 8.9 per cent of the vote while the third-placed BNP candidate, Michael Barnbrook gained 6.8 per cent.

In her Twitter feed, a delighted Ms Hodge said: ‘So thrilled by tonight’s result. Victory for whole community. Pack your bags and go Mr Griffin!’

Ms Lucas said: ‘Thanks to the confidence that the voters of Brighton Pavilion have shown, Green principles and policies will now have a voice in parliament. Policies such as responding to climate change with a million new “green” jobs in low-carbon industries, fair pensions and care for older people, and stronger regulation of the banks will be heard in the House of Commons.’

The Green Party’s manifesto pledged to insulate all 20 million uninsulated homes in the UK over five years, give £3 billion to councils to allow them to buy repossessed homes and rent them back to occupiers and set up a £6 billion fund to buy or build new homes for rent.

The BNP had promised a ‘local connection test’ in which anyone applying for social housing would have to demonstrate a positive and historical link to an area. Councils would also be placed under a legal duty to build enough homes to satisfy a certain percentage of the waiting list each year. The new homes would only be available to British citizens.

Meanwhile people in several areas were unable to cast their vote before the polling stations closed. The Electoral Commission, which oversees elections, said it would investigate.

A statement from the commission said: ‘By law, polls must close at 10pm and any voter issued with a ballot paper by 10pm should be allowed time to cast it, but no ballot paper should be issued after 10pm.

‘There should have been sufficient resources allocated to ensure that everyone who wished to vote was able to do so. The Electoral Commission will be undertaking a thorough review of what has happened in those constituencies where people have been unable to vote.’

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