UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Housing Secretary Angela Rayner reaffirmed Labour’s pledge to construct 1.5 million homes by 2029, despite concerns over workforce and material shortages.
Ms Rayner insists there are “no excuses” for failing to meet the party’s promise of delivering new homes.
What did Angela Rayner say about the housing target?
While speaking to BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Ms Rayner admitted Labour’s housing goals would be “tough” due to previous construction trends but vowed to fulfil the pledge.
The Housing Secretary revealed that within a month of taking office, she faced inquiries about whether Labour’s housing goal should be reconsidered.
She said,
“I wasn’t going to give up on the target.”
Ms Rayner asserted her determination to achieve the 1.5 million housing target, admitting that initiatives like planning system changes would take time to show results.
She stated, “There are no excuses to not build those homes that people desperately need,” adding, “And we mean business on this because far too many people are not getting these homes.”
What has Labour pledged about building new homes in England?
Labour has promised to achieve England’s housing goal by 2029, ahead of the next general election. It aims to lower house prices and improve affordability for buyers and renters, especially for younger generations.
Figures from the BBC indicate that new home construction in England kept falling throughout Labour’s first six months in power.
What concerns have industry leaders raised about Labour’s ability to meet its housing target?
The construction industry has questioned Labour’s housing goals, raising worries over its ability to achieve the target by 2029. Industry leaders warn of a major shortfall in skilled labour, alongside fears about the availability of essential materials like bricks and timber.
However, doubts persist among housing experts over whether private developers have the ability and willingness to construct the required number of homes annually.
How does Labour plan to speed up the home-buying process?
Ms Rayner’s department has revealed measures to accelerate the home-buying process and enhance leaseholder powers, with the government aiming to introduce digital identity services and data-sharing to cut delays.
Currently, home sales are often delayed for months due to time-consuming paperwork by mortgage companies and other stakeholders involved.
Officials say that an online system for home buying and selling will mean “the information key parties need – from mortgage companies to surveyors – will be within reach immediately, with the necessary identity checks carried out once.”
The housing department also stated it is collaborating with the property industry and the Land Registry to establish regulations for data sharing and digital ID verification.
What did the housing minister say about Labour’s housing reforms?
Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook stated that the reforms are a continuation of the government’s pledge to deliver “1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament” while ensuring stronger efforts to protect leaseholders against “unfair and unreasonable practices.”
Moreover, Mr Pennycook, during an interview with Sky News, condemned the Labour MP’s remarks about pension constituents and Angela Rayner. He said Keir Starmer took decisive action to remove him from his ministerial role.
Did the previous government get close to hitting its housing targets?
Under the past Tory administration, the target was to construct 300,000 homes per year, aiming for a total of one million new houses over the Parliament’s tenure.
The official data for the housing year 2023-2024 has yet to be published, but records show that construction in both 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 fell just below 235,000 homes annually.