Labour to spend two years debating property and housing issues

Labour’s shadow housing minister has revealed that it will be two years at least before the party sets out its long-term priorities for affordable homes and other property-related policies.

Thangam Debbonaire made the admission in The Guardian newspaper.

“Anyone expecting to hear anytime soon about the party’s vision for everyone to have a decent home that they can afford to live in will be sorely disappointed” says the paper. 

“[Debbonaire] says she will be consulting with the party, colleagues and experts over the next couple of years at least on how to realistically achieve this goal.”

In the same article the shadow minister reiterated her long-held views on the short term issue of the evictions ban, which has been extended until September 20.

She says of the government: “I don’t think they are really getting what’s going on for people who are in work but whose wages have fallen or whose job insecurity has grown during the crisis … I would be surprised if there aren’t people struggling with their rents in Tory-held seats just as much as in Labour-held seats.” 

She also repeats her party’s policy that Section 21 evictions should be scrapped - already Conservative party policy - and that renters should have at least two year to pay back arrears triggered by the fall-out from the pandemic.

“You could do that in line with the way that the Coronavirus Act was done, which is time limited” says Debbonaire.

She also wants universal credit provision improved and a temporary increase to the local housing allowance to ensure that tenants are able to pay.