Labour’s new shadow Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary, Angela Rayner, says she will put council Housing at the heart of her reform agenda, in a bid to reduce demand in the private rental sector.
Rayner has told the TUC Congress: “As a young single mum, it was a Labour government that levelled the playing field for me. When I most needed it, a council house gave me and my son a secure home instead of surfing sofas.
“That in turn meant I could go out and find the job which I built a life upon. The minimum wage meant I earned more. A local authority job gave me better skills at work, and a Sure Start centre better skills as a parent, and joining a union changed my whole life and meant I could change other people’s lives too.
“That kind of levelling up transformed my life and my prospects because it was done right. A house and a good, unionised job, with decent conditions, a thriving community empowered to create good local services and educational opportunities – these things were my lifeline, and they are what real levelling-up mean to me.
“But everything I relied upon to improve my life and my community has instead been levelled down by the Tories. With housebuilding and wages plummeting across the whole country, this government’s version of levelling up is a sham – and a scam.
“The mask has slipped, and the public has seen the truth – warm words and politically driven handouts won’t touch the sides. An empty slogan won’t pay decent wages. False promises won’t build secure homes. And a sound bite won’t empower communities.
“Good jobs and homes are the foundations of good lives and communities, and it’s a Labour government that will provide those foundations and build on them, whilst also empowering communities and local leaders to create strong, sustainable economies.
“Labour has a comprehensive plan to create good jobs across the entire country and raise living standards for all through our New Deal for Working People.
“Alongside decent work, Labour has a plan to fix the housing crisis by building more homes, homes people can afford to live in with priority given to local people – and yes, that means more council houses.”
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So misguided it would be amusing if not so serious. She doesn’t realise her rise was made possible by the contributions of others and she was therefore lucky, sadly you can’t subsidise everyone and trying to do so leads to everyone being worse off
I don't like labour, but she is correct that affordable housing gave her the stability needed to be able to work, and better herself. If everyone had that same thought and drive to improve then things would be better...
But you end up with generations who have never contributed, but still getting handouts because 'the country owes me!' No, it DOESN'T! For something to be owed, you have to do something in return first!
We do need new council houses - and they should be good quality ones with decent sized rooms so that they last for centuries like the Victorian houses which are still going strong. Have en-suite bedrooms etc. Doesn't cost much at all to build the extra facilities.
Also build suitable smart complexes for elderly people with care and a restaurant on site - it will save money in the long run. Can have mixed ownership - some flats bought outright, some part-ownership and some affordable rent. Keep the flats a decent size - they are a good investment. The Hawthorns are all-inclusive and all rented - and there could be similar developments owned by the state which have the capacity to provide care when needed.
A key principle is to plan and build what you would like to live in yourself.
All good, solid plans. It shows thought of short, mid and long term thinking. Fancy being the new Housing Minister? Oh, sorry, I forgot, the exact criteria I mentioned above means you would be ineligible for the job... shame, that's the type of thinking needed!
Thank you so much Country Lass!
& just where is all the money coming from for these wonderful plans??
The money should be there from the huge amount of taxes which private landlords pay. Perhaps the Government could stop driving us out in order to ensure that that income stream is maintained.
I've personally paid well over a million pounds in inheritance tax and now pay a great deal of income tax - enough to build a beautiful complex for the elderly.
And they should use the expertise of landlords who have personally built property with their own hands so that great buildings are built at a reasonable price. Take a look at the Landlord today site for examples. They would ensure that wonderful projects were translated into reality.
And if Angela Rayner wants to level up patient care, then build hospitals where everyone has a private bedroom and bathroom - don't use the whole NHS budget for staff wages, use a percentage for improving the infrastructure. Try to ensure NHS patients are treated with the respect accorded to private patients, and that begins with how they are accommodated.
And change the whole way that dentistry is delivered - perhaps move it to hospitals so that it is brought back into the NHS - that is not just levelling up, but a necessity. We all need to be able to eat properly.
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