Labour supports ‘Right to buy’ – but not in Wales

Labour supports ‘Right to buy’ – but not in Wales

10:14 AM, 2nd December 2022, About A year ago 1

Text Size

In an interview with iNews, the Shadow Housing Secretary Lisa Nandy says Labour supports a council house tenant’s right to buy their home.

She said: “Under former leader Jeremy Corbyn, Labour had pledged to end the right to buy scheme. But, under Sir Keir Starmer’s stewardship, that’s no longer the case.

“Labour supports the principle of council and social tenants being able to buy the homes they’ve lived in for years and considers it a sustainable policy if the homes are replaced like-for-like.”

Ms Nandy also highlighted that Labour would, if they came into power, introduce a legally binding Decent Homes Standard and a Private Renters’ Charter.

Both policies would be up and running within 100 days of moving into office.

Tenant’s right to buy their council house

However, Ms Nandy’s call for supporting a tenant’s right to buy their council house led to a strong reaction from the Conservatives in Wales.

They say that while the UK Labour Party has changed its stance on right to buy, that puts it at odds with the Labour government in Cardiff Bay who banned the practice in 2019.

The party points out that leader Mark Drakeford and the Labour Party in Wales – with Plaid Cymru support – passed a bill in 2018 outlawing the practice.

‘Have a word with the socialist-in-chief’

Janet Finch-Saunders MS, the Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister responsible for housing, said: “It is good to see the UK Labour Party repent for trying to stop social housing tenants trying to buy their own home, but maybe they should have a word with the socialist-in-chief in Cardiff Bay.

“The Labour government banned the right-to-buy in Wales – with help from their nationalist sidekicks – because they despise aspiration and blamed the ambition of those who wanted to buy their own property for their own housing policy failures.”

She added: “Just like they are doing with second homes and holiday properties, Labour and Plaid got rid of right-to-buy because it is easier for them to demonise those who have worked hard to get their property than hit their housebuilding targets.

“If Keir Starmer wants to show people how he would help the whole of the UK, he could start by standing up to the First Minister and telling him to scrap this ridiculous law that bans aspiration.”


Share This Article


Comments

Claire Smith

13:54 PM, 2nd December 2022, About A year ago

It would certainly be sustainable if the properties were replaced with like for like housing, but this can't be done when they have been sold at a discount.

Leave Comments

In order to post comments you will need to Sign In or Sign Up for a FREE Membership

or

Don't have an account? Sign Up

Landlord Tax Planning Book Now