Emma Reynolds, Labour MP for Wolverhampton North East and Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, yesterday led a debate on housing in the House of Commons.Labour called the debate to highlight the growing housing problems that people in Wolverhampton and across the country face. Home ownership, the number of affordable homes and the level of housebuilding have all fallen under the Conservatives, compared to the last Labour government.

The Labour motion therefore called on the government to “bring forward a comprehensive plan to tackle the housing crisis which sets out concrete steps to build more homes, including badly-needed affordable homes, boost home ownership, improve the private rented sector and reduce homelessness and rough sleeping.”

In her speech, Emma said “I and my colleagues in the Labour party are deeply concerned about the urgent and growing housing crisis, which is why we have chosen it for our first Opposition day debate. Housing has rightly risen up the political agenda in recent months and years, and many of our constituents will say not before time.

“In the past five years house building has fallen to its lowest level in peacetime since the 1920s. The Prime Minister likes to claim that the Conservative party is the party of homeownership, but the facts fly in the face of his rhetoric. Homeownership has fallen to a 30-year low. It is, as it happens, at its lowest since the last time there was a majority Tory Government.

“We call on the Government to bring forward a comprehensive plan to tackle the housing crisis. This plan needs to focus on: building more homes, including badly needed affordable homes; boosting home ownership, allowing people to fulfil their aspirations to buy their own home; improving private renting for the 11 million people now renting from a private landlord; and reducing homelessness and rough sleeping.”

Speaking after the debate, Emma said, “The Conservative party has been in power for the last five years and it has not got a grip on the housing crisis. Labour supports a long term, comprehensive plan to boost house building, increase the number of affordable and council homes, tackle homelessness and support private renters.

“I know in Wolverhampton, our Labour Council understand the scale of the challenge.

June 2015