Landlords – Who gets your vote?

Hi, Do landlords have a viable political home? It appears not. Historically the Conservative party has been the party of the landlord, permitting the market to control itself to a large extent. This is no longer the case.

Why? Because we have a left of centre conservative government (note the small c). The tail is wagging the dog and in an effort to win voters, they are alienating their core voters in their masses.

Who to vote for then? Certainly not Labour, we only need to look at the London Mayor to see the path they would lead us down. Rent controls, mandatory licencing and higher taxation (and that’s just the start).

Research papers initiated by the Labour Party have even gone as far as to state that compulsory purchase at (market rates!!!) should be considered as a way to bolster the stock of social housing. The Green Party – even further left than Labour and posing the same, if not, a greater level of risk to the Landlord.

I suspect the first initiative would be mandatory EPC Grade A’s all round irrespective of cost.

This leaves us with Reform UK, led by Richard Tice. I live in an area of the UK (Bury North) with the smallest margin between Conservative and Labour at the last election.

Recently our conservative (small c again) MP James Daly, wrote in the local press that his greatest concern at the next election was not Labour, but Reform UK.

I agree with him, our Local Labour candidate James Frith is seen locally as weak and unviable and unlikely to take many votes.

However, many people will make a statement vote for Reform UK, even if this increases the likelihood of Labour gaining a seat.

My question to you readers is, should we vote Reform in the knowledge that it will allow a Labour win or should we vote Conservative?

Should we be looking at sending a clear message to the conservative government that will hopefully make them take notice and restructure themselves as a Conservative party, centre right to win the following election?

Or should we vote Conservative in the hope of weakening an incumbent Labour government?

Or could the seemingly impossible happen and the nation elect Reform UK. This would, be the best result for Landlords.

What do you think?

Steve