Housing was missing from the Conservative conference

The most startling fringe appearance came from Liz Truss at her so-called Great British Growth Rally, where housebuilding was given top billing alongside cutting corporation tax and extracting more oil and gas.

The failed former prime minister called for 500,000 new homes a year to be built by offering tax breaks to local areas to get rid of red tape.

She argued that increased supply would make housing more affordable, boost economic growth, cut the housing benefit bill and avoid the need for the government to intervene in the housing market.

Housebuilding at that kind of level – double what’s been achieved since the end of the era of mass council housing – would indeed make a difference but it’s much less clear how to get there.

“The only ‘red tape’ mentioned by Ms Truss was protections for those perennial targets of right-wing politicians, newts and badgers, rather than the planning system or the objections of local Tory MPs and voters”

The only ‘red tape’ mentioned by Ms Truss was protections for those perennial targets of right-wing politicians, newts and badgers, rather than the planning system or the objections of local Tory MPs and voters.

Tax breaks might be attractive in some areas but would they really work in the most well-heeled areas with the most unaffordable housing?

And who would actually build the 500,000 new homes? It’s hard to see a Truss government turning to social landlords, and house builders have little incentive to lower their prices and have large parts of the land market sewn up.

So it would require a surge in new entrants to the market as in the 1930s plus radical planning reform that would be bound to meet stiff resistance.

Michael Gove and housing minister Rachael Maclean were prominent around the fringes of the conference, too.

Between them they had reassurances for campaigners that the Renters’ Reform Bill will receive a second reading “in the Autumn”, but no guarantees that this would be before the King’s Speech in November, meaning that it may have to start again from scratch.

Mr Gove had some warm words about more social housing and Ms Maclean said that she “really, definitely wants to see” a bill to get rid of “awful, feudal” leasehold.

If none of that seems exactly certain, that impression was reinforced by Mr Gove’s failure to mention either issue in a speech to the main conference that seemed confined to platitudes.

“We need to ensure that every family has a safe, decent, warm home,” he said. “We need to ensure that many more young people can have a home of their own. We’re on track to deliver a million new homes in this parliament… but we need many more.”

There was also a blast from the past, with former housing minister Brandon Lewis appearing at a number of housing fringe meetings and expressing his surprise that for the first time in years the Conservative government has no specific policy supporting homeownership.

“What if the Conservatives do win again? They have not just run out of ideas about housing – they have next to nothing to say about it either”

So what should we take away from all this?

First, think about Rishi Sunak’s pitch that “fundamental change” is needed in our politics and in the country.

Despite unaffordable house prices, rising waiting lists for social housing, mounting pressure on the private rented sector and record numbers of families in temporary accommodation, no such change is apparently needed in housing.

Second, perhaps there are reasons to be cheerful that there were no new announcements.

Think back to the Tory conferences of the early 2010s and that is a blessing in disguise – although plans for yet more welfare ‘reform’ will have a huge impact on tenants and landlords alike.

And be grateful you do not work in education, “welcoming” the abolition of T Levels just three years after they were launched and during T Levels Week.

Third, that call by Ms Truss for 500,000 new homes a year may not have much to back it up but it could lay down a big marker for a debate to come within the party between its economic liberal and social conservative wings if it is about to go into opposition.

Finally, the result of the next election cannot remotely be taken for granted given that Labour needs a bigger swing than in 1997 (or even than in 1945 without more seats in Scotland) to get a majority.

But what if the Conservatives do win again? They have not just run out of ideas about housing – they have next to nothing to say about it either.

Jules Birch, columnist, Inside Housing