Morning Briefing: reaction to Universal Credit defeat

In the news

Labour eventually won its vote on Universal Credit by 299 votes to 0 after the government imposed a three line whip on its MPs not to show up.

Sadly for opponents of the policy, this has no force as opposition day debates are non-binding. The motion had called on the government to “pause and fix” Universal Credit.

Only one Tory MP, Sarah Wollaston, defied to whip to vote with Labour. The Guardian has a write up here.

Elsewhere The Independent has been refused a Freedom of Information Act request into what Kensington and Chelsea Council did to check cladding after a warning from the London Fire Brigade on advice from the Metropolitan Police. The answer is probably not much.

And Hammersmith and Fulham Council, which neighbours Kensington and Chelsea, has set aside some of the £28.4m it has raised from Right to Buy receipts to help buy ex-council homes in high rises which the leaseholders are struggling to sell.

On social media

Tom Murtha notes the “male and pale” group called to the housing summit on Tuesday. There were only four women of 22 in the room, and one of those was Theresa May.

Sadly still predominantly male and pale. @InsideHousing - Insight - Who attended the Number 10 housing summit? t.co/j6kE4YGsCZ

— Tom Murtha (@tomemurtha)

Sadly still predominantly male and pale. @InsideHousing - Insight - Who attended the Number 10 housing summit? https://t.co/j6kE4YGsCZ

— Tom Murtha (@tomemurtha) October 19, 2017

And Chartered Institute of Housing president Alison Inman got to meet the Queen:

Massive congratulations to our new president @Alison_Inman who received her OBE from the Queen yesterday #ukhousing t.co/6aj1z8OFd9

— CIH (@CIHhousing)

Massive congratulations to our new president @Alison_Inman who received her OBE from the Queen yesterday #ukhousing https://t.co/6aj1z8OFd9

— CIH (@CIHhousing) October 18, 2017