Our values or theirs? How the Tory mask is slipping on housing policy

By Shabana Mahmood

Two stories in recent days about Tory policies on housing prove that behind the mask of so-called “Compassionate Conservatism” the Tory party is as nasty as ever.

Caroline Spelman has written to all Tory MPs and Councils advising them to delay housing developments until they win power. The Shadow Communities Secretary sets out Tory policy to “revoke… … in whole or in part…” Labour’s regional development targets and that they would not “… pay a penny of compensation…” to any developers who lose out as a result of changes in planning policy and regulations to be introduced in the first year of a Tory government.

Spelman doesn’t seem to recognise or care that her delaying tactics would have a devastating impact on millions of families waiting for social and affordable housing. To encourage delaying housing development until she hopes her party is in power exposes the Tories as unfit to govern – they are happy to play party politics whilst some of the poorest, most vulnerable in our society continue to struggle for a decent roof over their head.

Secondly, the Daily Mirror has obtained leaked minutes of a meeting of senior Tories with the disappointing but unsurprising revelation they want to hit council tenants with bigger bills and eliminate housing benefit. According to the Tories, social rented housing is a “dead end”.

Well, social housing can’t compete with a £2million home (with a garden room extension on the way), but for millions of people social rented housing, far from being a dead end, is the only affordable option for a decent and secure roof over their head.

Once again the Tories are unmasked as the same nasty party of old – happy to hike up the living costs of millions of the poorest families in the country whilst proudly promising to raise the threshold for inheritance tax to £1million, thereby benefitting the 3,000 richest estates in the country.

In contrast, I am delighted that John Healey has announced that he has given the green light for work to begin building 2,000 new council homes for rent which will help create 5,000 jobs in the construction industry. The government has made £127million available for funding with a second wave of schemes due in August as part of the Prime Minister’s £1.5billion Housing Pledge. I am especially pleased that £6.78million is being made available to Birmingham. We need many more social and affordable homes, but the 2,000 new council homes is a step in the right direction, and a clear statement of intent.

Because behind the facts, figures and funding, there are values and attitude. Whether we are talking about housing, health or jobs, Labour values mean we will not walk away and leave people to struggle on their own and sink in the recession. The Tories on the other hand, are happy to walk on by.

So far, the belief that they are marching to power has helped them to stay on (compassionate) message. But it is difficult to stick to an ideology – a “Compassionate Conservatism” that does not exist – and it is difficult to keep pretending to be something that you are not. Try as you might, the truth will out – as it did with Daniel Hannan‘s view that the NHS is a “60 year mistake” and now with Spelman’s letter and the leaked minutes on housing.

Now that the mask has slipped, we must pull it off, expose them for what they are and present a clear choice to the electorate at the next general election: Our values or theirs?