Rayner and Gove attack ‘vested interests’ over leasehold reform
1 month ago | 3 comments
Angela Rayner urges Keir Starmer to pick fights with landlords
9:26 AM, 25th March 2026, 3 weeks ago
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Former deputy leader of the Labour Party, Angela Rayner has told Sir Keir Starmer to ‘pick more fights’ with landlords and freeholders.
At a fundraising dinner in central London, the former housing secretary said voters feel the system is ‘rigged against them’, the Daily Telegraph reports.
She went on to say that she expects a tougher response from the government, particularly on housing.
Ms Rayner’s intervention follows a warning last week that Labour was ‘running out of time’ to shift direction before May’s local elections.
Pick more fights
She described financial strain among working households, including those in professional roles who are taking on additional jobs yet still struggling to meet monthly costs.
Ms Rayner said: “They feel that nobody understands and cares about the difficulties they go through.
“And this isn’t just people who you would naturally associate with struggling, naturally associate with poverty.
“These are professional people, people that are working really hard, people that have got two, three jobs and they’re still not able to get to the end of the month with their wage packet.”
She added: “And they need to know they’ve got a government on their side, and they’re impatient for change and I understand their impatience.
“So, I think we have to pick more fights, personally.”
Freehold ‘rips off’ people
Housing featured prominently in the speech, with Ms Rayner focusing on the leasehold system and the role of freeholders collecting ground rent.
Plans set out earlier this year would cap ground rents at £250 annually, before reducing them to peppercorn levels after 40 years, without abolishing leasehold entirely.
She said: “Those people that sold the freehold, that are ripping off people for no money … You may as well lob the money in the street, they’re not doing anything for it.
“People have bought flats and are now being absolutely fleeced.
“We should be standing up for them, we should be saying we’re not having that anymore and I think we have to keep doing that.
“We have to do that with some in the private sector that are taking huge sums of money for children’s centres et cetera when, let’s be honest, they’re not delivering.
“That’s what Bridget [Phillipson] is doing with the new Send reforms.”
Call for rent controls
Meanwhile, tenant campaigners have renewed calls for direct action on landlords and housing costs.
London Renters Union spokesperson Jae Vail told the Morning Star: “Labour is haemorrhaging support across the country over its pro-landlord, pro-developer stance on the housing crisis.
“If the government wants to win any of that support back, it must take on landlords and put our right to a good home first.
“That means introducing rent controls that bring down housing costs and investing in the council homes we need to end the housing crisis for good.”
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Angela Rayner landlords, freeholders UK, labour housing policy, Labour local elections housing, leasehold reform ground rent, rent controls debate
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Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 36
9:40 AM, 25th March 2026, About 3 weeks ago
The one good thing about Angela Rayner is that she will definitely lose her seat at the next General Election.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 370
9:41 AM, 25th March 2026, About 3 weeks ago
She is correct about freeholders and at least ground rents ( some over £1000 pa) will be capped although not immediately, but they are still forcing leaseholders to pay exorbitant sums for buildings insurance.
As for these hard working professionals surely they have a choice to buy, especially now prices are tumbling.
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3511 - Articles: 5
9:59 AM, 25th March 2026, About 3 weeks ago
have you paid your tax bill yet luv?
Member Since November 2017 - Comments: 261
10:04 AM, 25th March 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by Suicide Jockey at 25/03/2026 – 09:40
If by then she’s been elected Labour leader, then some back bencher will likely step aside to allow her to remain an MP.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1633 - Articles: 3
10:05 AM, 25th March 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Rayner had her chance as Housing Minister to put the stake through the hearts of freeholders and implement key leaseholder reforms, especially after the freeholders lost their court battle. She didn’t. Instead, she was focused on evading tax on her own property transactions. Of course that’s being quietly kicked into the tall grass as she positions to replace Starmer, and then…
Member Since October 2023 - Comments: 63
10:06 AM, 25th March 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by David at 25/03/2026 – 09:41
I genuinely don’t understand this hostility to freeholder. When the buyer purchased the flat, the deal would have been clearly set out including the amount of the ground rent and future increases. The buyer must have had independent advice from a legal professional and knowing all that, they chose to go ahead.
They could have said…. I don’t want to pay an ongoing ground rent and the seller might have said ok… Pay an extra £50k now and I won’t charge one, or he might have said… OK well I am not selling it to you.
Imagine if I leased a car for 7 years agreeing to pay £300/month and to return the car in 7 years.
Then angie.and the other muppets decide they will cap my payments at £100/month and I never have to give the car back
This is what happens when the toddlers want to put on big boy pants and make decisions, but it will result in less investment, increased rents, lack of housing supply and just wait until the voters find their pensions are much smaller…. Why….. Because most of the freehold are owned by pension funds
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1633 - Articles: 3
10:07 AM, 25th March 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by Tim Rogers at 25/03/2026 – 10:04
When she loses her seat, whether as PM or not, there are unlikely to be any seats available for her to return to Parliament.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1633 - Articles: 3
10:08 AM, 25th March 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by Tim Peters at 25/03/2026 – 10:06
When she loses her seat, whether as PM or not, there are unlikely to be any seats available for her to return to Parliament.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1633 - Articles: 3
10:09 AM, 25th March 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by Tim Peters at 25/03/2026 – 10:06
I cannot believe how naive, uninformed, and insensitive your comments are.
Many leaseholders knew nothing about leasehold when they purchased. That I cludes maby landlirdsm
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1633 - Articles: 3
10:17 AM, 25th March 2026, About 3 weeks ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 25/03/2026 – 10:09
Apologies. I stopped replying because I was so angry and didn’t want to say what I was thinking.