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Morning Briefing: Channel 4 criticised over Dispatches programme

The sector reacts to the negative Channel 4 programme about housing associations

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Picture: Getty
Picture: Getty
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Channel 4’s Dispatches programme - #ukhousing reacts

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Last night’s Dispatches Programme, Getting Rich off the Housing Crisis, portrayed housing associations as the ‘new kids on the block’ who are becoming more commercial to profit from the housing crisis. Many of housing’s Twitterati felt the programme was unfair and misleading (see below).

At Inside Housing, we felt the programme was deeply problematic in many ways, not least because it hardly mentioned the role of government policy in leading to the reduced numbers of social homes.

Read our piece here pointing out the problems with the programme

Aside from Dispatches, there is an interesting story from Kent. Canterbury City Council is claiming it has “outwitted” large London boroughs by purchasing some former student homes to provide affordable housing for local people.

The city has recently seen properties purchased by London boroughs to house families seeking temporary accommodation away from the city.

Simon Cook, leader of the council, told the BBC: “We have had to keep this under wraps for fear of being gazumped by those with deeper pockets than our own.”

Political machinations may drive an early summer break for MPs, with Theresa May looking for a vote on ending the parliamentary term on Thursday as she seeks to stave off a leadership challenge. The housing significance, which you sense may not be a huge priority for the PM, is that this leaves only two days to get the Social Housing Green Paper out before recess – a promise the government has repeated today.

The Financial Times has a long read on the whirling merry-go-round of housing ministers. You can catch our podcast on who has been the best below:

ITV has a look at the housing crisis in the East of England, where it says families wait 19 years to afford to buy a home.

Sanctuary Housing Group has attracted the ire of the local press due to a faulty lift. In the North West, the Liverpool Echo continues its coverage of Wirral Council’s plans to build on the green belt, branding the proposals “madness”.

In news from across the Irish Sea, PwC has predicted that Northern Ireland will see the sharpest growth in house prices over the next four years, the BBC reports. The financial services giant reckons the region will see prices increase by 4%, compared to an overall UK rate of 3.4%.

And City Metric has put together a piece about a new diagram of the UK which it claims highlights how London is the “epicentre” of the house price crisis.

On social media

Yesterday’s Dispatches programme has sparked much debate online:

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