Labour attack tories on housing starts

Graham_Devon

Loving the attack too.

They state that freedom of information requests show that tory councils are buidling 30% fewer affordable properties than lib dem councils.

They then go on to state that the tories are building only 40% of the number that are planned under labour councils.

Guardian have gone to town on it. Most of us will agree that not enough houses are being built. But does the obvious not stand out to anyone else, as the labour supporters on the guardian appear to have lapped it up.

The overall picture however is of masisve under performance in what the coalition planned ans stated would happen in terms of building new houses. They pledged to build 170,000 new affordable properties over parliament. However, so far they have only built 64,000. However, labour have decided to suggest this means under the coalition only 36k affordable homes will be built, as it was labour who commissioned those built under the coalition.

The language and smoke and mirrors in the article is hard to keep up with, and is somewhat spoilt by the labour claims and twists and turns. However, the overall picture is appauling. Why can we not build more homes!? It seems to get more and more attention but less and less happens.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/feb/10/sharp-drop-new-affordable-homes

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Why can we not build more homes!?

Mortgage rationing.

Builders wont build what they cant sell.....


"Whilst the country's housing needs continue to grow, the number of new homes being built will only see a sustainable increase with a step change in mortgage lending"
~Bob Lawson, Chairman, Barratt


“Government needs to address the lack of liquidity in the finance market and limited availability of mortgages which are the real obstacles standing in the way of a resurgence in new house building and helping people to secure finance to purchase a home.”
~Mike Jones, Chairman, Local Government Association’s Environment and Housing Board.


“We anticipate continued firm underlying demand for new homes but this will remain constrained by the low level of mortgage availability,”
~ Nicholas Wrigley, Chairman, Persimmon


“The biggest post recession issue affecting house building is quite simply a lack of mortgage finance. The overall number of mortgages that are being written is radically down. At the moment house builders’ output is driven by mortgage availability. The Government needs to find a way of encouraging the banks to lend more money to first-time buyers at higher LTVs and rates that are affordable,”
~ Peter Andrew, Director, Taylor Wimpey

the_flying_pig

Graham_Devon wrote: »

...Why can we not build more homes!? ...

very, very complicated question, requiring more of an essay than a post to answer it properly.

probably best to do a HAMISH & trumpet something about needing a few more trillion quid chasing the houses that we do have, & that this would 'get Britain building' overnight, with, obviously, no adverse side affects at all.

[edit - he beat me to it].

Wookster

its very easy for Labour to critisize the number of homes being built. Perhaps they could have built more during their 13 years in power.

They are proving themselves to be irrelevant once again.

Wookster

And of course the Guardian is moaning about "affordable" homes.

The UK does not need more affordable homes, it just needs more homes, then they will become more affordable.

I guess this is the Guardian's way of saying one set of homes for the wealthy and another set (of affordable homes) for the poor. How they perpetuate inequality!

Graham_Devon

The bit that grated me is comparing the tories and lib dem councils to actual house builds undertaken, but when looking at labour councils, comparing what the tories and lib dem councils have built to what labour councils have "planned". Suddenly labour come out as angels, sticking to their word.

I mean, talk about removing the goalposts, digging some new holes and popping the goalposts up elsewhere!

[Deleted User]

Ed Balls suggested that the income from 4g licences should be used to build social housing,sounds like a plan to me,more housing more jobs more happy people
sad that the condems dont like happy people innit

Graham_Devon

woodbine wrote: »

Ed Balls suggested that the income from 4g licences should be used to build social housing,sounds like a plan to me,more housing more jobs more happy people
sad that the condems dont like happy people innit

Ed Balls always suggests spending every penny we get.

However, I wouldn't be apposed to this, though I believe the money is already spent (and spent twice under labour proposals, as newsnight stated). I think they spent it on removing the cap on benefits too.

james_toney

cant believe the cheek of labour created the biggest housing bubble then try to talk about affordable housing,

Graham_Devon

Labour are good for amusement though. Only the other day they were criticising the coalition for still building in flood prone areas. NOW they want to claim credit for over 60% of the houses built under the coalition.

the_flying_pig

james_toney wrote: »

cant believe the cheek of labour created the biggest housing bubble then try to talk about affordable housing,

that was the old labour. this new labour will be different.