Tenants' groups enraged by Flint's ‘draconian' speech

Apoplectic tenants' groups have said they will find it difficult to work with new housing minister Caroline Flint after her landmark speech this week.

The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments have also this week distanced themselves from Ms Flint's suggestion that tenants should have to seek work as a condition of their tenancy.

Stewart Maxwell, Communities Minister at the Scottish Government, criticised Ms Flint's 'draconian' approach.

A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Executive's Department for Social Development said the issue had 'not even come over the horizon'.

The Welsh Assembly's deputy minister for housing, Jocelyn Davies, said: 'This does not fit into my vision for the future of social housing in Wales.'

But it was tenants themselves who reacted with the most anger- with the chair of the Tenants' and Residents' Organisations of England saying it would now be difficult to engage with Ms Flint.

Michael Gelling said TAROE was concerned that she had made such bold statements less than a fortnight into her new role. 'With that kind of commitment, she will find it very hard to work with tenant organisations such as ours,' he said.

Mr Gelling said Ms Flint should have spoken to tenants before starting the debate. 'I think she needs to come and talk to people first.'

Mr Gelling said he had a number of conversations with previous minister Yvette Cooper and 'this kind of issue has never been raised'.

Lyn Ralph, chair of Doncaster Federation of Tenants and Residents, which is in Ms Flint's constituency, said she was 'very disappointed'.

'Caroline Flint is our MP and I don't know why she hasn't even considered talking to people in this area,' she said.

Ms Ralph said feelings were running high among tenants in the area and that 'most people can't believe she has said this'.

'You can't have people fighting for jobs when you have the Sword of Damocles [hanging over them].'

The Communities and Local Government department refused to say whether Ms Flint had met with any tenants' groups before making her speech.

'The minister made it quite clear she is starting a debate at this stage,' the CLG spokesperson said. 'Apologies if this does not answer the specific question, but that is the factual position at this stage.'