18 THE INDUSTRY ADVOCATE
WILL HOUSING BE LEFT IN A STATE?
Brian Berry
Brian Berry, CEO of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) says that as the Election looms, the current Government appears to have abandoned the need for more homes, and calls for a dedicated Secretary of State for Housing.
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HOUSING SHOULD BE AN EASY WIN WITH THE BUILDING INDUSTRY AND VOTERS ALIKE LONGING FOR A BOLD PLAN TO DELIVER MORE HOMES
WWW.HBDONLINE.CO.UK
ot long before the General Election date was announced as 4 July, the FMB launched its manifesto for the next Government. Unsurprisingly, one of our key asks was the need for more housing. Without an adequate supply of new homes people can’t move freely, which stifl es economic growth and opportunities. Our document calls on the new government to create a dedicated Secretary of State for Housing and end the merry-go-round of Housing Ministers.
Under the Conservatives, the current Housing brief exists as a junior Ministerial position, and is seen as a leg up to higher offi ce. Surely, given the ongoing housing crisis, it needs to be a higher offi ce, with a dedicated, strong voice at the Cabinet table. We were fortunate to have the current Housing Minister, Lee Rowley at our Manifesto launch, but despite our call, he remained somewhat tight lipped about the potential promotion on offer! Fortunately, the Minister did say that he agreed with a good deal of
what was in the FMB Manifesto – maybe this request was one of them.
HOUSING LEFT OUT OF LABOUR PLEDGES Having put forward a plan to put housing on the top table in our manifesto, it was very disappointing when Labour leader Keir Starmer failed to include housing in his six ‘pledges for change.’ How can a country grow with too few homes, forcing more and more people to stay in unaffordable and often unhealthy rental accommodation. Housing should be an easy win with the building industry and voters alike longing for a bold plan to deliver more homes. So, despite lofty pledges at the last Labour Party Conference housing for the time being seems to have been brushed to one side. One ray of light does however remain, with Angela Rayner, Shadow Secretary for Housing, announcing that Labour has big ambitions for new towns, seemingly channelling the Labour Party of the post war years, when places like Basildon and Stevenage were born.
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