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Morning Briefing: reaction to Malthouse appointment
The newspapers look at Kit Malthouse’s past approach to tackling rough sleeping
In the news
Although the bulk of the media coverage has understandably focused on the resignations of David Davies and Boris Johnson – and what this potentially means for Brexit and Theresa May – there has been some coverage on the appointment of Kit Malthouse as housing minister.
The HuffPost reports that Mr Malthouse oversaw a ‘hostile, zero tolerance’ approach to rough sleepers when he was deputy leader of Westminster Council in 2004, and a few years later told the London Assembly the policy was intended to make life “uncomfortable” for those sleeping rough. The Daily Mirror ran a very similar article, saying that Mr Malthouse “can expect scrutiny over his previous approach to homelessness.”
The Negotiator magazine notes that Kit Malthouse “appears to have little or no experience of the housing market.”
In our article about the appointment, we flag some of Mr Malthouse’s previous housing ideas, including a suggestion that unused tunnels be used to build underground, implementation of a Housing First-style scheme to tackle rough sleeping and more local control of planning.
We have also taken a look back at the previous seven holders of the post since 2010 and what they have achieved.
Universal Credit is, yet again, in the news, with research from housing trade bodies showing tenants are in £24m in arrears, as we report here. The story has also been widely covered elsewhere including in the Independent and the Daily Mirror.
The Guardian meanwhile has reported comments from Peter Schofield, permanent secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions, that he has full confidence in the National Audit Office following a critical report about Universal Credit last month.
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Should the Bank of England aim to freeze house prices for five years to boost the economy? That is the suggestion in a new report by left-leaning thinktank the Institute for Public Policy Research, the details of which are reported in The Guardian this morning.
Jonathan Bunt, former strategic director at Barking and Dagenham Council, has written a piece for local government finance website Room 151 arguing that councils have to make sacrifices to get large-scale housing schemes off the ground. He suggests, for example, they may need to “give up an element of the up-front capital receipt to maximise their overall financial return from land.”
There have been more harrowing stories from firefighters giving evidence to the Grenfell Inquiry. You can read our latest daily update here.
The Guardian has an item about carnival workers and their families in Glasgow fearing that they are being pushed out of the city due to regeneration.
Elsewhere, the Liverpool Echo has details of a proposed £100m housing development near the city’s docks.
Finally, Kier has issued a very brief update to the stock market, saying its underlying profit for the year to 30 June is forecast to be “in line with expectations”. The contractor and builder plans to publish its full results on 20 September.
On social media
Many #ukhousing people on Twitter have voiced their frustration at yet another housing ministerial change:
Congrats @kitmalthouse as the 4th Housing Minister in 2 years, 8th in 8 years & 17th in 20 years...this merry-go-round needs to stop so we can meet the housing need.#ukhousing #housing #kitmalthouse #housingminister pic.twitter.com/L0jsDmYTB5
— Mash Halai (@MashHalai)Congrats @kitmalthouse as the 4th Housing Minister in 2 years, 8th in 8 years & 17th in 20 years...this merry-go-round needs to stop so we can meet the housing need.#ukhousing #housing #kitmalthouse #housingminister pic.twitter.com/L0jsDmYTB5
— Mash Halai (@MashHalai) July 9, 2018
You simply cannot say you’re taking something seriously when you’ve 3 ministers and 2 secretaries of state in 2 years. Utterly ridiculous #ukhousing #SocialHousing
— Neil Goodrich (@NGoodrichHsg)You simply cannot say you're taking something seriously when you've 3 ministers and 2 secretaries of state in 2 years. Utterly ridiculous #ukhousing #SocialHousing
— Neil Goodrich (@NGoodrichHsg) July 9, 2018
Good luck to @DominicRaab but yet another change in Housing & Planning Minister does not say much about the Government’s commitment to housing as the number 1 domestic priority. Long-term cross party solutions need to be found. #ukhousing t.co/0TuZW3SZwW
— Matt Campion (@happymattuk)Good luck to @DominicRaab but yet another change in Housing & Planning Minister does not say much about the Government’s commitment to housing as the number 1 domestic priority. Long-term cross party solutions need to be found. #ukhousing https://t.co/0TuZW3SZwW
— Matt Campion (@happymattuk) July 9, 2018
The housing minister has gone? #ukhousing pic.twitter.com/eYucTvM7Il
— Jess Page (@jessicaruthpage)The housing minister has gone? #ukhousing pic.twitter.com/eYucTvM7Il
— Jess Page (@jessicaruthpage) July 9, 2018
What’s on
- The Grenfell Inquiry hearings continue in London
