No way to solve a housing crisis

By Robert Peaty

Let’s be honest. There is a housing crisis. 5 million people are on the waiting list for a council house. That’s one in 12 people in this country living in inadequate housing, which is frankly disgraceful.

In an attempt to tackle this David Cameron has announced that after five years in a council house, the tenants’ right to stay in their house will be reviewed. A plan similar to this was rejected by Labour in 2008 and rightfully so.

With this plan the Conservatives are wrong on two fronts. Firstly they are wrong to perceive that there are scores of people living in council housing with incomes allowing them to easily get a foot on the housing ladder. 90% of those who live in social housing earn less that £20,000 a year, with the vast majority earning considerably less. Secondly they are wrong to presume that there is housing for such people to go to. If there was we wouldn’t be in a housing crisis in the first place.

There are two steps a government must take if they are to tackle the housing crisis. Firstly they must build more social housing; this includes converting abandoned housing. Yes it is expensive, but it is also necessary. The second step is somewhat more controversial – the right to buy must stay in place. If people have better fortunes and find they can afford to buy housing they should be able to buy their council housing. I understand that the mass sale of housing in the 1980’s contributed to the housing crisis we have today but as long as new social housing is built it shouldn’t be a problem. Right to buy also prevents unnecessary house building. If people want to stay in their council house and convert it, them let them. Just make sure there is enough housing to go round.

When Labour were in power and millions of working class people were in inadequate housing, it was too easy for the BNP to portray Labour as abandoning the very people they were supposed to represent. Loathe as I am to say it, they may even have a point. If the Conservatives are not prepared to make a serious effort to tackle housing, then Labour must. Otherwise the current housing crisis will continue and the only people who will benefit are the BNP.