Archive for the ‘Property UK’ Category

So the Labour government today unveiled its housing manifesto. So what? To most politicians pledge is a furniture polish – on expenses.
The chutzpah of ‘Labour’s plan for housing’ is extraordinary. Of course they are going to give as much encouragement to as many people as possible. It’s called votes. Fortunately we are hopefully not that stupid.
Abolition of stamp duty for most first-time buyers (copyright the Conservative Party, or actually New Homes Marketing Board chairman and former Barratt boss David Pretty); repossession as last resort, build new rent-to-buy homes, new powers to parish council to provide a handful of affordable homes per community without planning permission and a commitment to make public housing greener. Very difficult to find fault in these ‘pledges’, except they are not worth the paper they are written on.
Labour bangs on about prioritising housing investment despite the recession. I’m sorry, there may have been global influences, but the UK recession is entirely the fault of this Government of misrule.
‘Kickstart’ may have unlocked a few stalled private developments, but the way to unlock private development is to reform a disgraceful planning system, free housebuilders of excessive regulation, define what on earth Labour means by zero carbon homes and give housebuilders the tools to help meet the massive shortfall in housing.
Forget promises to bring thousands of empty homes back into use. The manifesto is a list of empty promises. Every decent pledge in its housing plan should have started 13 years ago, not 10 days before a General Election. I am surprised the logo does not simply have housing minister John Healey with his hands behind his back and his fingers crossed.
Housing is a critical economic, social and environmental issue, but I have little faith in any of the parties putting it top of the political agenda. Apparently most people in the country want Jeremy Clarkson as Prime Minister. My vote is David Pretty.

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