EXCL Ministers accused of 'insulting' failure to publish post-Grenfell housing plan
5 min read
MPs from across the political spectrum have teamed up to accuse ministers of breaking a key promise made to social housing tenants in the wake of the Grenfell tower fire.
Seventy-two people lost their lives during last year's deadly blaze at the council-run West London block, and a major public inquiry is now underway into its causes.
Speaking in the Commons just six weeks ago as ministers marked the one-year anniversary of the fire, Housing Secretary James Brokenshire said: "It is essential that people living in buildings like Grenfell Tower are not only safe but they feel the state understands their lives and works for them.
He added: "There is no question that their faith in this has been shaken. Which is why – as well as strengthening building and fire safety – we’ll be publishing a Social Housing Green Paper by recess."
But with the Parliamentary recess now underway, the Government has yet to publish the plan as promised.
The lack of action has prompted fury from a cross-party coalition of almost 40 MPs, who have now written to Mr Brokenshire to demand answers.
The letter - spearheaded by Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse and signed by dozens of Labour backbenchers as well as Green Party leader Caroline Lucas - says the group is "deeply concerned" that the promised Green Paper has yet to surface, and calls on the Housing Secretary to set a date for the plan.
"Given the urgent need to address a severe housing crisis, it is our belief that this delay demonstrates an abdication of duty by the government," they say.
The group adds: "Mr Brokenshire, it was in your Grenfell Tower statement in June that you promised a Social Housing Green Paper would be published ahead of the parliamentary recess.
"You stated it was 'essential that people living in buildings like Grenfell Tower not only are safe but feel that the state understands their lives and works for them.'
"We couldn't agree with you more: the voices of Grenfell residents were tragically ignored and it is this government’s duty to ensure the concerns of tenants’ living in unsafe social housing are never ignored again."
Ms Hobhouse said it was "reprehensible" that ministers had "failed to produce" the plan as promised.
"This is a complete abdication of duty by this Government," the Lib Dem housing spokesperson told PoliticsHome.
"To say social housing, which provides for the most vulnerable in our society, is a government ‘priority’ after refusing to publish the paper on time is frankly insulting to those without a roof over their head.
"The Conservative Government’s actions last week only strengthened accusations that they are deliberately diminishing the social housing stock in this country. In reality, Tory ministers are preventing homes being built for those who need them most."
Labour MPs who have put their names to the letter include Emma Dent Coad - whose Kensington constituency includes Grenfell Tower - as well as fellow backbenchers Jess Philips, Frank Field, Stephen Kinnock, Neil Coyle and LLoyd Russell-Moyle.
Meanwhile Clive Betts, the Labour chair of the powerful Commons Housing Committee, has also signed the demand, alongside his party colleague Matt Western, chair of the Parliamentary Campaign for Council Housing.
Former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron meanwhile joined fellow MPs on his party's benches including Ed Davey, Layla Moran, Jamie Stone and Stephen Lloyd to demand action.
RENTAL MARKET 'DYSFUNCTIONAL'
As well as urging Mr Brokenshire to spell out when the green paper will be published, the group demands a major shake-up of social housing in a bid to tackle the UK's "chronic" housing shortage.
According to official figures gathered by the House of Commons library, there are now almost 80,000 households in temporary accommodation across England, a key sign of pressure on the social housing system.
Those households include some 123,230 children, an increase of almost two-thirds (65%) since 2010.
The MPs meanwhile point out that there are currently more than one million households stuck on council waiting lists, and urge minsiters to start "directly commissioning social homes where the market fails to deliver".
They say: "Social housing provides affordable accommodation for those on lower incomes and it is a vital safety net for vulnerable groups, as well as being the most cost-effective and efficient way to build the large number of homes this country needs."
Elsewhere, the group calls on the Government to tear up existing "affordable rent" rules, which see properties classified as being affordable if tenants pay no more than 80 percent of the local market rate.
But the MPs say that soaring property prices mean those rules are no longer fit for purpose, and they tell Mr Brokenshire: "The green paper must therefore prioritise homes let at rents which reflect the earnings of those likely to occupy them, rather than those linked to the dysfunctional private rented market."
'DRIBBLED OUT OVER RECESS'
MPs are not now due to return from their summer recess until September, raising fears that the key housing plan could be snuck out while MPs are on their break.
Speaking in the Commons last week on the final day before the break, Labour's housing spokesman John Healey urged ministers not to let the plans be "dribbled out over the recess".
Mr Brokenshire meanwhile told MPs the Green Paper would be "wide-ranging" and promised it would "very firmly" confront the "stigma" of living in social housing.
He said the Conservatives had "delivered more council housing than in 13 years of a Labour Government" and said the party was "committed to all forms of tenure".
However, he gave no further details on when the Green Paper was likely to be published.
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