1 in 4 MP's in Parliament is a landlord

wymondham

This is an interesting article - I know its the Mirror (and old) but in my defence I arrived here via the BBC!


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ampp3d/housing-crisis-more-landlords-parliament-5044990


With so many Landlords 'in power', with their own interests obviously in mind, can housing ever be truly reformed or changed?

Herzlos

Nope. Politicians will always do what serves themselves best.

Generali

If you're interested, look up 'the railway interest' on the Googlenets.

IIRC at one point 2/3rds of MPs had some kind of significant financial interest in a railway company in the 1870/80s.

cells

Generali wrote: »

If you're interested, look up 'the railway interest' on the Googlenets.

IIRC at one point 2/3rds of MPs had some kind of significant financial interest in a railway company in the 1870/80s.

and what was the result?

railways before most the rest of the world?

a bad thing?



The problem is, that the interest isn't in MPs owning building companies which might lead them to push for more building. Its owning homes, which means the opposite of potentially objecting to development.

Generali

cells wrote: »

and what was the result?

railways before most the rest of the world?

a bad thing?

The result was the companies MPs partly owned could forecedly buy land cheaply. They could also vote to set up companies (companies needed to be set up by HoC vote at the time).

As a result the canal system was bankrupted. The effective subsidy to the railway system drove the canal system out of business.

michaels

Is there any evidence that MPs in their voting put their own personal benefit above those of their constituents?

IronWolf

michaels wrote: »

Is there any evidence that MPs in their voting put their own personal benefit above those of their constituents?

Besides it being basic human nature?

MPs dont even need to be a landlord to benefit from rising house prices, they get elected then buy a new house in London and get the mortgage paid by HMT. Every 1% increase in that house price is cash in their pocket.