Caroline Spelman to consider face-off over Conservative policies
Healey: give voters US-style live TV debate
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John Healey has challenged shadow communities secretary Caroline Spelman to a US-style broadcast debate on social tenants’ rights, ahead of the general election.
The housing minister wrote to Ms Spelman last week, calling for her to go head-to-head in a debate with him over five policy areas where he believes ‘the consequences of a future Labour or Conservative government will be significantly different’.
They include: delivery of affordable housing; tenants’ rights and the future of public housing; the ‘greening’ of development; planning major infrastructure; and support for the house-building and construction industries.
His challenge followed Gordon Brown’s announcement that he was willing ‘in principle’ to take part in a television debate before the election.
A source close to Mr Healey said: ‘As far as we are aware, John is the first member of the cabinet to issue a challenge of this nature to one of the [Conservative] front bench.’
His letter to Ms Spelman reads: ‘Assuming you agree in principle to debate, I will ask my office to contact you later this week to confirm whether you are content with the themes I suggest above or wish to suggest further areas for discussion.’
Mr Healey adds that he hoped any debate would allow for broadcasting online ‘whether at a traditional national media outlet or a mutually agreeable blog site.’
A Conservative spokesperson said: ‘The shadow DCLG team is happy to debate policy with Labour ministers anytime. Mr Healey’s letter has been referred to the appropriate Shadow Minister.’
Mr Healey will cross swords with shadow housing minister Grant Shapps at Inside Housing’s hustings event on Monday, 19 October. The event, at Millbank Tower, London, will give housing professionals the chance to put questions to housing politicians from the four main parties.
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Readers' comments (4)
kass | 16/10/2009 12:44 pm
How come obly housing professionals and no tenants were included in the audience?... Surely as clients, customers, citizens, ans as the ones to bear the cost and consequences we tenants should have been central with our presence in this or any other debate on social housing.
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Harry Lime | 16/10/2009 2:11 pm
Who knows Kass, maybe they're concerned that tenants may hijack a potentially relevant debate with their own issues and prevent a full discussion of various facets of the sector..... Are you sure about tenants being the ones who bear the "cost" of their housing? Surely there's an acknowledgement that below market rent prices indicate that others indeed bear some of the "cost"??
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Jim Paton | 17/10/2009 1:04 am
For once, I agree with Kass. Can't have tenants raising "their issues", can we. If what you quaintly call "the sector" has issues different from its tenants, then it's time to ship out. But then, it's been time to do that for a long time.
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Terry J Edwards (MESH) | 19/10/2009 10:42 am
Any chance of a ticket ?
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