Politics

John Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, responding to new figures released today showing that home-ownership has fallen to the lowest rate in 30 years, said:

“These new government figures show yet another fall in the home-ownership rate in England to the lowest rate in more than 30 years. There are now almost 200,000 fewer home-owning households than in 2010 when Conservative Ministers first took charge.

“Meanwhile, the number of people stuck in an insecure and increasingly expensive private rented sector has grown dramatically over the last seven years. Since 2010, the number of households renting privately as ballooned by over a million.

“After seven years of failure on housing, not only has home-ownership fallen, but affordable housebuilding has hit a 24 year low and rough sleeping has more than doubled. The truth is Conservative Ministers are out of ideas and have no long-term plan to fix the cost of housing crisis.

“Theresa May says she wants a country that works for everyone, so she should back Labour’s plans to build thousands more affordable homes to rent and buy, improve rights for renters and end the scandal of rough sleeping.”    

Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Health, commenting on the CQC’s State of Hospitals report, said:

“The CQC’s stark warning that our NHS stands on a ‘burning platform’ must be at the forefront of the Chancellor’s priorities ahead of next week’s Budget.

“Our hardworking and stretched NHS staff cannot be expected to pick up the pieces from this Government’s failure to properly fund our NHS and social care system.

“After the worst winter crisis in years, in which nine out of ten hospitals were left dangerously overcrowded, the public expects urgent action to rectify years of damaging Tory neglect.”

Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, commenting on the Family and Childcare Trust Childcare Survey 2017, said:

“When parents working full-time are spending almost half their income on childcare, it’s clear the Tories are failing to deliver fair, affordable and sustainable childcare for hardworking families.

“The survey shows that the Tory election promise to provide 30 hours free childcare is now in further trouble with many local authorities reporting major shortages of available places.

“There are simply not enough places to meet demand, especially after school, or if parents are working shifts or have disabled children.”

John Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, commenting on the publication of the report ‘New Civic Housebuilding’ by the housing charity Shelter, said:

“This welcome report lays bare our broken housing market and highlights just how inadequate the Government’s plans are in meeting this challenge and building the new good quality, affordable homes we need.

“After seven years of failure on housing, there is the lowest level of affordable housebuilding in 24 years, homelessness has more than doubled, private rents have risen faster than incomes and home-ownership has fallen. Ministers must face up to their failures and back Labour’s plans to build thousands more affordable homes to rent and buy.”