Housing’s new political muscle

Next week the housing world will gather at the Chartered Institute of Housing’s annual conference and exhibition in Harrogate to establish exactly what it is to ask of the new coalition government. Three days of discussion and debate will end with some of the industry’s biggest names and most respected voices presenting new housing minister Grant Shapps with a ‘housing pact’ laying out its proposed deal.

The pact will be delivered straight to the top. But for those unable to make it to Harrogate, there is just one way of having a voice in parliament - a visit to your local MP. So, we decided to save you a trip and do the hard work for you.

There are now 232 new MPs - some of a vintage, others fresh-faced political virgins. Six weeks into the job, brimming with enthusiasm and so far unjaded by the strictures of Westminster politics, this ultra-green crop of MPs are throwing themselves headlong into the task of government - despite many still awaiting offices and staff. And across the divides of age, experience and political ideology, they have one thing in common: housing in their constituencies is likely to prove their greatest headache.

With this in mind, Inside Housing, with the CIH, has invited every one of the 232 new MPs to make a stand for housing. Following the success of our House Proud campaign, which made the case for housing in the run-up to May’s elections and whose supporters include the prime minister and his deputy, we are asking the newbies for two commitments. The first is to state: ‘I pledge to do my utmost to ensure that housing gets a fair deal in the current session of parliament’. The second is to vow to tackle a particular housing problem from their constituency in parliament.

Below is a diverse sample of the new class of 2010 (notable for its paucity of Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs). Alongside long-standing political voices returning to frontline politics, like Jack Dromey, trade unionist husband of deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman, we have the UK’s youngest MP, 26-year-old Bridget Philipson, Caroline Lucas, the first ever Green Party MP, and shadow housing minister John Healey’s newly appointed parliamentary private secretary for housing John Woodcock. All are united in pledging to tackle housing problems in their constituencies.

The overarching message from these MPs will come as no surprise given that National Housing Federation figures reveal a record 4.5 million people on social housing waiting lists and affordability continues to plague thousands of UK households - the country needs more homes. How they intend to go about getting them from the coalition government remains to be seen, though we will be checking up to see how they’re turning words into action in due course. But the emergency Budget next week and the spending review due in the autumn would certainly be good places for our parliamentarians to start.

Additional research by Gene Robertson

Caroline Lucas

Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion

‘Creating more affordable, more sustainable housing is a priority for me as the MP for Brighton Pavilion, where there are 12,000 names on the waiting list for social housing. I pledge to do all I can to fight for fairness by encouraging investment in new homes, schemes to “green” existing homes and the creation of many jobs in the building industry.’

Jack Dromey

Labour MP for Birmingham, Erdington

‘The homes of thousands of Erdington residents have benefited from Labour’s decent homes investment. There remains, however, a lack of affordable family housing to rent and buy, dividing up families and communities who want to stay together. Continuing investment in social housing will be key to meeting need and building Birmingham out of recession.’

John Woodcock

Labour MP for Barrow and Furness

‘Housing was a really big issue throughout my [election] campaign. There is an acute need for more affordable housing in my constituency and there is a lot of concern that the £2 billion the last government made available for council housing was not taken up by our local authority in Barrow [Barrow Council did not apply]. It was an ideal opportunity to take advantage of match funding and effectively build homes at half price.
There are 1,800 people on Barrow Council’s waiting list for council homes and people are very frustrated they didn’t [apply for funding]. But I will make sure we look ahead and be positive with some new ways to tackle this. I will make it a priority to ensure that other housing issues are fought for in parliament, for instance, we need more aspirational housing.’

Chris Williamson

Labour MP for Derby North

‘Empty homes are a major problem in Derby. I have made it my business to find out how much of a problem. We have 500 homes that have been empty for more than five years - half of them have been empty for more than 10 years. Overall, there are several thousand empty homes. I want to see more powers for local authorities to do something about this.
‘The quantity and quality of housing are clearly two major issues. Also the level of rents is a problem in Derby that needs to be looked at - particularly when we are looking at people who are unemployed. Given that David Cameron and Nick Clegg both signed up to House Proud, I will be keen to see if they back their words with action.’

Jonathan Reynolds

Labour MP for Stalybridge and Hyde

‘I believe that everyone ought to have access to a decent home at an affordable price but too often I hear from families who struggle to find somewhere to live. Those seeking properties through housing associations tell me they can face a lengthy wait. And finding an affordable property in the private sector can be difficult too. As an MP, I am determined to do what I can to make sure measures are taken to ensure there is an adequate supply of rented properties - and that those properties are of an adequate standard. Also as the pressures of the current economic climate continue to squeeze I will be backing any measures designed to ensure people can afford to stay in their homes.’

Amber Rudd

Conservative MP for Hastings and Rye

‘Getting the balance between much-needed new houses and community wishes is always a challenge for local councils. But there is no doubt that we need to build in incentives for communities to actually want to take on new housing so that we can address the evident shortage.’

Laura Sandys

Conservative MP for Thanet South

‘I am happy to sign up to this and my particular issue locally is to bring derelict and sub-standard housing back into the housing sector at a proper standards. We have one of the poorest wards in the south east called Cliftonville, and in Cliftonville we have many very special and beautiful buildings that have fallen into total disrepair and they need regenerating and bringing back into the housing stock.’

Bridget Philipson

Labour MP for Houghton and Sunderland South

‘I pledge to press for more social housing in order to make sure that families can live in the area they were brought up in if they wish.’

George Hollingbery

Conservative MP for Meon Valley

‘In the Meon Valley, as in many constituencies, there are too many families who can’t afford to house themselves. We need to build more houses and make sure that a proportion of those that are built are social housing. Furthermore, we need to tackle the problem where allegedly prosperous southern authorities are not allowed to keep enough of the rents that tenants pay to them to adequately maintain their housing stock. Those in housing need are entitled to well maintained houses wherever they live’.

Emma Reynolds

Labour MP for Wolverhampton North East

‘My constituency, like many, is in desperate need of more affordable, social housing and I am committed to ensuring that this issue is given sufficient prominence and support in the new parliament.’

Sheila Gilmore

Labour MP for Edinburgh East

‘In my constituency of Edinburgh East there is an acute shortage of affordable housing. Many people in housing need are living in expensive private rented homes, funded through housing benefit. This makes it hard for them to enter employment or education and millions of pounds are being spent without adding to the housing stock. Funding to build or buy affordable rented homes is tight but in the housing benefit spend we have large sums of money which could be better used. I want to see money gradually being transferred from housing benefit to building homes.’

Yvonne Fovargue

Labour MP for Makerfield

‘I pledge to do my utmost to ensure that housing gets a fair deal in the current session of parliament. I pledge to campaign for more affordable homes for purchase and to increase the supply of homes for rent in the Makerfield constituency.’

Heidi Alexander

Labour MP for Lewisham East

‘Building more affordable family homes and getting investment into existing social housing stock are two critical issues in my corner of south east London. I will do all that I can to ensure that government rhetoric delivers in reality.’

Alok Sharma

Conservative MP for Reading West

‘I would like to see innovative policies put in place to bring empty homes across the Reading area back into use to house those most in need.

Julian Huppert

Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge

‘There are currently around 6,000 people on the housing waiting list in Cambridge. Although nationally the city is thought of as a wealthy place, we have some of the most deprived areas in our region. We desperately need more housing to be built and to bring empty buildings back into use. I pledge to give my full support to reducing the number of people waiting to be housed in the city.’

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