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Morning Briefing: Malthouse joins the Conservative leadership contest – more reaction
More on Kit Malthouse joining the race for Number 10, and all the rest of the housing headlines from over the bank holiday weekend
In the news
Twitter has been reacting to the news that housing minister Kit Malthouse has become the 10th Conservative MP to enter the party’s leadership contest, following Theresa May’s announcement to stand down on 7 June.
Kevin Gulliver, director of the Human City Institute and an Inside Housing columnist, is less than impressed by Mr Malthouse’s housing record:
@kitmalthouse one in a long line of hopeless Tory housing ministers (e.g. @BrandonLewis @DominicRaab) who think/thought their housing achievements form a pathway to Number 10. t.co/vAiG8Pu7a2
— Kevin Gulliver (@kevingulliver)@kitmalthouse one in a long line of hopeless Tory housing ministers (e.g. @BrandonLewis @DominicRaab) who think/thought their housing achievements form a pathway to Number 10. https://t.co/vAiG8Pu7a2
— Kevin Gulliver (@kevingulliver) May 28, 2019
Political commentator Jane Merrick describes Kit Malthouse’s upbringing – he attended a state school in Liverpool – and the fact he is now a contender for Number 10 as “extraordinary”:
It’s mundane. Thatcher’s Cabinet was full of OEs and there are at least 3 in this race. Grow up in Liverpool, go to a state primary and then end up as a government minister and candidate for PM? That’s not ordinary, it’s extraordinary and should be applauded.
— Jane Merrick (@janemerrick23)It’s mundane. Thatcher’s Cabinet was full of OEs and there are at least 3 in this race. Grow up in Liverpool, go to a state primary and then end up as a government minister and candidate for PM? That’s not ordinary, it’s extraordinary and should be applauded.
— Jane Merrick (@janemerrick23) May 27, 2019
Mr Malthouse, who has been housing minister since last July, announced his intention to stand in an interview with The Sun newspaper.
He has also written a 750-word piece for the paper explaining why he is standing, which, as you would imagine, focuses heavily on Brexit and his belief that he can bring the country together, as opposed to his achievements as housing minister.
He does, however, cite his experience of “building homes for young people” as part of his credentials. He writes: “As housing minister, it’s been my mission to build more high-quality homes as fast as we can, and numbers are looking good but there is much more work to do.”
Meanwhile, we have taken a look back at Theresa May’s time in Number 10 and what her housing legacy will be.
We have also republished a piece from last month assessing the likely runners and riders in the race for Number 10.
READ MORE
Elsewhere, Galliford Try has announced it has turned down a bid from Bovis Homes for its housebuilding arm Linden Homes and its Partnership and Regeneration business, which works with housing associations and councils.
Several publications, including the Financial Times, have reported on the story, putting the bid figure at £950m.
BBC 5 Live has reported that 1,700 buildings identified as “at risk” are likely to fail new cladding fire safety tests. Inside Housing’s End Our Cladding Scandal campaign calls for action to ensure funding for the removal of unsafe cladding on private blocks.
The Birmingham Mail seems to have only just realised that loss of private accommodation is contributing to homelessness in a piece entitled: “One of the biggest reasons for homelessness in Birmingham may surprise you”.
The newspaper looked at official stats and spoke to campaigners, including Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, it notes that “the situation in Birmingham is mirrored across the rest of England”.
Several other prominent articles on housing appeared over the bank holiday weekend.
The BBC reports on homeowners now being given the green light to extend their homes without planning permission.
The Guardian meanwhile reports that hundreds of children are being denied support because of suspicion over their parents’ immigration status.
In Edinburgh a charity is warning about the risks of starvation as foodbank supplies run low, the Independent reports.
Journalist Pauline Skypala has written a piece for the Financial Times which is critical of Build to Rent, concluding that “building more social housing would be a better way to help generation rent”.
On social media
Inside Housing blogger Jules Birch has been tweeting about the Pauline Skypala piece on Build to Rent:
What difference does it make to renters to swap individual landlords for corporate landlords? ’At least they may be contributing to their own generation’s pension prospects rather than those of current retirees’ t.co/ACPHdmAfYd
— Jules Birch (@jules_birch)What difference does it make to renters to swap individual landlords for corporate landlords? 'At least they may be contributing to their own generation’s pension prospects rather than those of current retirees' https://t.co/ACPHdmAfYd
— Jules Birch (@jules_birch) May 28, 2019
