Housing policy humbug
On the radio this morning Labour were trumpeting a sudden found commitment to the idea of a property owning democracy, and saying they wished to increase the percentage of people owning their own homes.
Naturally I assumed this was a clever April Fools joke on the lines of the one about the failing spaghetti harvest, but it is still being said on the evening news so perhaps we are meant to take it seriously.
If it were true it would be a laudable intention, but for the last 25 years, ever since Mrs Thatcher gave council house tenants the right to buy in 1980, Labour have thrown up their hands in horror at the idea that we should try to extend home ownership.
Since Blair took office the right to buy has been systematically eroded, and Labour have strongly opposed Conservative plans to offer the same rights to housing association tenants.
(http://www.politics.co.uk/issues/right-buy-$3277298.htm)
Has Gordon Brown undergone some sort of damascene conversion and suddenly become a supporter of one of Mrs Thatcher's key reforms, or has this announcement got something to do with the impending election?
Having heard numerous Labour politicians denouncing council house sales, I suspect that hell will freeze over and weapons of mass destruction will be found nestling in the sands of Persia before anything is done by a Labour Government to increase property ownership.
Naturally I assumed this was a clever April Fools joke on the lines of the one about the failing spaghetti harvest, but it is still being said on the evening news so perhaps we are meant to take it seriously.
If it were true it would be a laudable intention, but for the last 25 years, ever since Mrs Thatcher gave council house tenants the right to buy in 1980, Labour have thrown up their hands in horror at the idea that we should try to extend home ownership.
Since Blair took office the right to buy has been systematically eroded, and Labour have strongly opposed Conservative plans to offer the same rights to housing association tenants.
(http://www.politics.co.uk/issues/right-buy-$3277298.htm)
Has Gordon Brown undergone some sort of damascene conversion and suddenly become a supporter of one of Mrs Thatcher's key reforms, or has this announcement got something to do with the impending election?
Having heard numerous Labour politicians denouncing council house sales, I suspect that hell will freeze over and weapons of mass destruction will be found nestling in the sands of Persia before anything is done by a Labour Government to increase property ownership.
posted by David Davies AM at 2:27 PM
2 Comments:
Did I notice a certain AM at the Nags Head last night?
You probably did it's my local! Come and say hello next time you see me - we Tories can be quite pleasant you know.
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