You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Labour conference backs pledge to build 150,000 social homes per year
Labour conference delegates have voted in favour of a housing motion that included the pledges to enshrine the right to housing in law and to build 150,000 social homes per year.
Two key housing motions were passed by Labour delegates including commitments to build 150,000 social homes per year and to boost investment in building control #UKhousingThe motion, which was passed yesterday afternoon, also includes promises to end the Right to Buy and “end homelessness by implementing a national Housing First system”.
Motions passed by delegates do not automatically become Labour policy as the party’s National Policy Forum ultimately decides whether the commitments make it into the next manifesto.
A number of the pledges included in yesterday’s motion were lifted directly from the party’s 2019 election manifesto, including abolishing the Right to Buy and the target of 150,000 social homes per year.
As in the previous manifesto, the motion stipulated that 100,000 of these social homes should be built by councils.
Read more
Meanwhile, a commitment to enshrine the right to housing in domestic law would be a new policy for the Labour party if included in the party’s next manifesto.
Shadow housing secretary Lucy Powell appeared open to the idea in her speech to the conference yesterday, stating that “housing as a human right” would be “at the heart of our new settlement”.
While the UK has an obligation under international law to ensure citizens enjoy a human right to housing, yesterday’s motion said enshrining this right in domestic law “would help to eradicate homelessness, and could avert housing problems for people in all tenures”.
During the same conference session delegates also passed an emergency motion put forward by the Fire Brigades Union, which aims to “hold ministers and contractors to account” following the Grenfell Tower fire.
The motion calls for “more sustained investment in local authority building control, in fire service fire safety teams, fire inspectors and in other public agencies required to ensure building safety” and opposes the “privatisation, deregulation and contracting out” of these services.
It came immediately after Ms Powell told delegates Labour would create a “Building Works Agency” to assess, fix and certify tall buildings if elected.
The move, which is part of the party’s plan to solve the building safety scandal, would see the agency pay for remediation work and then pursue those who it considered were responsible.
Sign up for our Council Focus newsletter
Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters
Related stories
