Tories slam Labour’s ‘bully-boy tactics’ as they rush Renters’ Rights Bill through committee stage

Labour peers will be forced to sit late into Wednesday night to push the Renters’ Rights Bill through the committee stage, according to The Telegraph.

The final two committee stage debates are scheduled for this week, with one taking place today (Monday 12 May) and the other on Wednesday.

The Conservative Party has criticised Labour for failing to properly scrutinise the bill and accused them of using “bully-boy tactics to ram the bill through Parliament.”

Colleagues are needed to ensure committee stage finishes

According to The Telegraph, a memo from Labour whips accidentally left on a printer in the House of Lords and seen by the paper urged Labour peers: “Your presence is required. Colleagues are needed to ensure committee stage finishes.”

A Labour source told The Telegraph the whip had been put in place “because of the procedural shenanigans and games from a handful of Conservative peers over the past few months.”

The source added the whip was “merely indicating to our own colleagues how we plan to keep the legislative plan on track”.

Renters’ Rights Bill is a half-baked plan

However, the Conservative party have slammed Labour for failing to scrutinise the Renters’ Rights Bill and warns the Bill will make things worse for tenants.

Paul Holmes, a shadow housing minister, told The Telegraph: “Labour clearly can’t handle the heat of proper scrutiny and are resorting to bully-boy tactics to ram through their bills through Parliament.

“The Renters’ Rights Bill is a half-baked plan that will reduce the supply of rental homes, push up the cost of renting and make things worse for tenants.

“It’s deeply flawed and, judging by Labour trying to rush it past Parliament, even they know it is ripe to unravel.”

Baroness Eaton, a backbench Conservative peer, argued that debating key issues such as the new Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) targets for landlords should not be rushed.

Energy and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband has previously proposed that all privately rented properties must meet EPC C standards by 2030.

Baroness Eaton told The Telegraph: “We have serious concerns about the impact the Renters’ Rights Bill will have on the supply of residential homes in our rental market.

“It would be unacceptable to debate crucial issues such as EPC ratings in the private rented sector and local housing authorities’ investigatory powers cursorily, late at night, simply to fulfil the Prime Minister’s desire to go ‘faster and further’. It is our duty to scrutinise this Bill thoroughly.”

Completely rejected these claims

However, Labour has rejected the accusations of failing to scrutinise the Renters’ Rights Bill.

A Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman told The Telegraph: “We completely reject these claims, this Bill has been subject to Parliamentary scrutiny since September, and has been in the Lords for more than four months. It is not unusual for debates on a Bill to run later so that it can progress.

“We are getting on with these reforms so they can benefit renters across the country – creating a fairer housing market, strengthening tenant rights by abolishing Section no fault 21 evictions, challenging excessive rent hikes, and ending unfair bidding wars.”

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