Long-Bailey calls on leadership rivals to back council house “building boom”

Rebecca Long-Bailey has called on rival Labour leadership candidates Lisa Nandy and Keir Starmer to back a council house “building boom”.

Speaking at a rally in Peterborough this evening, Long-Bailey will say that council house building would lay the foundations for “aspirational socialism” – a key theme in her leadership campaign.

The Shadow Business Secretary will argue that “aspiration is blocked for millions across the country” because housing is too expensive, often insecure and of poor quality.

The MP for Salford and Eccles is set to explain that mass building council homes would drive up standards and lower the cost across the sector.

Long-Bailey is expected to say: “Aspiration is blocked for millions across our country. Nowhere is this more obvious than our broken housing system. Rising homelessness is the terrible symptom of a much wider crisis.

“Council waiting lists have soared while owning a home is but a distant dream for most young people. More and more people are being forced to rent privately, which often means paying too much for too little security and quality.

“And it’s not just private tenants who are being ripped off by sky high rents, we all are. Because there aren’t enough council homes, private landlords pocket around £10bn per year in housing benefit.

“We could do so much more with that money, like support dignity in old age with free, universal personal care for the over 65s.”

Long-Bailey has signed a pledge from the Labour Campaign for Council Housing, which commits her to maintaining the 2019 manifesto commitment on council homes.

At the last election, Labour put forward a plan to build 100,000 council homes and 50,000 housing association properties each year for the next five years.

Long-Bailey will tell the rally: “If we want to lay the foundations of aspirational socialism by fixing the housing system from top to bottom, we’ve got to start with a council house building boom. These new homes can and should be built to the best standards.

“And I know it can be done. Councils can build desirable, actually pretty swanky, homes; I’ve seen it in my own backyard in Salford.

“If you want millions of people to realise their dream of a secure, quality home in their community that doesn’t cost the earth and you want Labour to proudly argue for a council house building boom, then I’m your woman.”

In response to the challenge put forward by Long-Bailey, a spokesperson for Starmer’s campaign said: “Keir is proud to have been nominated by the Labour Housing Group to be the next leader of the Labour Party.

“During this contest Keir has set out his commitment to a new generation of council and social homes in every community.”

Labour Housing Group, an affiliated socialist society, balloted its members and nominated the Holborn and St Pancras MP to be the next leader of the Labour Party, along with Angela Rayner as deputy.

Nandy responded by commenting: “This is an attempt to manufacture division where there is none. A decent, affordable home is a human right. As Labour leader I would maintain our commitment to a programme of mass council house building and ensuring secure, affordable tenancies for renters.

“We need to go further than the manifesto, with a plan to tackle the overheated housing market in London and big cities to balance the economy. Too many people are forced to leave home to find decent work, and that’s fuelling some of the dysfunction in the housing market.”

The MP for Wigan added: “From my work with homeless young people I know the value of having a place to call home. I will fight tirelessly to ensure everyone in this country has secure and affordable housing.”

Voting in the final stage of the Labour leadership contest will take place from February 24th, online and by post, until April 2nd.

Long-Bailey reached the ballot after securing nominations from 163 local Labour parties as well as Unite, BFAWU, FBU, CWU, the Socialist Educational Association, Disability Labour and ASLEF.

Nandy and Starmer also made it through the nomination stages and have a place in the final vote, in which Labour members, affiliates and supporters will be eligible to take part.