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Labour should keep it simple on housing
Labour should avoid the headline-grabbing promises and focus policy on building more social rented homes, writes Peter Apps
A general election is looking likely. It’s time for Labour to send a message about building more social rented homes, writes @PeteApps #ukhousing“Labour has the opportunity to offer the electorate a simple, clear message: it is time for public investment in many more social rented homes” @PeteApps #ukhousingIt is time to pay closer attention to the Labour Party’s housing policy. After several years of having the luxury of being able to promise whatever they like, a general election is looming and only a fool would predict the outcome. A Labour-led coalition government in early 2020 has to be considered a genuine possibility.
So what is the party offering on housing? The basics are encouraging: it wants a giant programme of new social housing development and is, as we report this week, ready to provide the public investment to fund it.
The economic, social and political case for a serious state-funded social housing drive is unanswerable and Labour is clearly right to sign up to it.
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Members voted through a motion calling for an annual 155,000-home target this week, with the party already committed to 100,000.
There will probably be some eye-rolling at the feasibility of hitting the huge numbers – but that isn’t really a problem. All politicians set arbitrary targets and all politicians miss them.
At least this is shooting in a clear direction, and is the kind of ballpark figure on social rent that the National Housing Federation was calling for in its research this week and Shelter’s housing commission called for earlier this year.
But the party should also move away from its internal battle over whether councils or housing associations should be building them, after the members motion demanded the majority be built by councils.
While party members care deeply about distinctions like these, homeless families are less likely to. If Labour wants housing associations to build more for social rent, its task is to change the political climate to make this possible, not to dismiss a valuable partner as punishment for following the direction set by the previous government.
The party must also resist the temptation to grab headlines with outlandish promises. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell hit the front pages recently by floating the idea of a private rented sector Right to Buy.
This would be election politics at its worst – an attempt to win votes with an undeliverable pledge, carrying a hornets’ nest of unintended consequences.
It would also point housing policy back in the direction of boosting homeownership at all costs – George Osborne in a red beret.
It is encouraging that this policy was played down by Labour sources this week. But those pushing for it should realise the party does not need to seek headlines with crazy ideas on housing.
Along with the other major political parties, it has the opportunity to offer the electorate a simple, clear message: it is time for public investment in many more social rented homes.
The sector would appreciate the clarity. It is likely many voters would, too.
Pete Apps, deputy editor, Inside Housing
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