Here’s to 2024 – a failing Renters (Reform) Bill or landlords voting with their feet?
2 years ago | 22 comments
Landlords – Who gets your vote?
12:03 AM, 3rd January 2024, 2 years ago
116
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
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Member Since September 2015 - Comments: 1013
1:32 PM, 3rd January 2024, About 2 years ago
The Conservative Party is no longer “conservative”. They treat their supporters (and the British public) with contempt, openly lying to us, and think that a few token tax cuts will be enough to bribe us into voting for them.
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!
We need to drain the swamp of the whet, woke Tories and the only way to do this is to vote them out at the General Election.
There is only one conservative party now, and that’s Reform. The Conservative voters should therefore vote for them.
Member Since March 2017 - Comments: 317
1:40 PM, 3rd January 2024, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 03/01/2024 – 13:24
I agree, so wouldn’t it be nice if he had another go at it with someone else such as Nigel. Would certainly be interesting.
Member Since July 2019 - Comments: 14
1:46 PM, 3rd January 2024, About 2 years ago
I’m 63 and have voted Conservative all my adult life. However, I feel I have been let down by the Tory party and the country desperately needs change. Therefore, I will be voting for reform UK. They are the party with the people’s interests at heart and the only real prospect for a brighter future for the UK.
Member Since November 2020 - Comments: 45
2:05 PM, 3rd January 2024, About 2 years ago
I’m 66 and voted Conservative all my life. 100% not Conservative this time, first time ever. They have decimated my retirement plan taking income off me (ie through rental income) left right and centre. Currently selling properties. Labour will be just as bad. SNP as they have demonstrated are totally corrupt. It will be a cautious vote for reform.
Member Since August 2016 - Comments: 508
2:37 PM, 3rd January 2024, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Gromit at 03/01/2024 – 13:26
Mid Sussex
The Con lady is very good and would bring some sense to the Commons if she got in – and before she was told that common sense was an outlawed topic? The Lib lady is also a hard worker and to me a thoroughly decent woman. Don’t know anything about the Lab candidate, I assume there is one in place as they have a fighting chance.
Member Since July 2015 - Comments: 91
2:47 PM, 3rd January 2024, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Blodwyn at 03/01/2024 – 14:37
Our local Conservative is certainly better than the previous Labour MP of decades who couldn’t understand the effect of S24. It’s the rest of the party that are the problem.
Member Since August 2015 - Comments: 40
2:53 PM, 3rd January 2024, About 2 years ago
I’ll be voting Labour. The country is sick of the shower of charlatans who have mismanaged the country and ransacked the public treasury for personal profit. They have, of course, mismanaged the PRS.
Most landlords, like most sub-postmasters, are decent, hardworking, honourable people. There are some rogues, of course, but even people who cram tenants into unsuitable below-par accommodation are attempting to address the fundamental failure of successive governments to provide housing for the poor.
Will Labour provide the one million affordable homes necessary to ease the housing crisis? I doubt it-they are still obsessing about getting people “on the housing ladder”-but there is more of a chance that Labour will achieve something than the other witless aspiring pretenders to the throne.
Member Since May 2014 - Comments: 620
3:32 PM, 3rd January 2024, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Tom McGrath at 03/01/2024 – 14:53
I have always voted conservative but this lot have been a disaster with policies that alienate their natural voters.
I cannot vote conservative and I cannot hold my nose and vote for labour either because as soon as labour get in the lefties will soon take over.
I am voting Reform and hoping that they will get enough votes to make a difference.
Member Since November 2022 - Comments: 3
3:38 PM, 3rd January 2024, About 2 years ago
I too have voted Conservatives for the whole of my life. Reform is the only party worth a vote. I shall be selling all my properties as my tenants leave or failing that simply sell up.
I’m afraid the UK’s best days are over and the future looks extremely bleak. I’m of the generation that helped build this country after the war. I look at it now and I feel terribly depressed.
I’m so pleased my family who were in both wars are not here to see the UK as it looks today. Crime on the rise, few normal families and people who live on benefits. In my day one would be ashamed to take any money from the Government.
The pride of Great Britain is no longer.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1642 - Articles: 3
4:34 PM, 3rd January 2024, About 2 years ago
Reply to the comment left by Jolly Roger at 03/01/2024 – 15:38
I think you speak for how the silent majority feel. But how many will change their voting intentions when it comes to putting their cross on the paper?
As the election nears, the more we keep hearing ‘a vote for Reform is a wasted vote’, the more certain we can be that it wouldn’t be.