Labour’s commitment to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029 faces scrutiny as the number of new homes built in England continues to fall, with Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner urging the government to meet its target.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building 1.5 million new homes, a target set by Labour in its election manifesto. According to ‘no excuses’ for not meeting this goal.
Angela Rayner is a British Labour Party politician serving as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition since 2020.
Born on March 28, 1983, in Stockport, England, she rose to prominence for her advocacy on education and social justice issues.
Rayner has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashton-under-Lyne since 2015 and has held various shadow cabinet roles.
She is known for her strong oratory skills and unwavering commitment to Labour's values.
The government has stated that it will meet the house-building target in England by 2029, before the next general election. However, BBC analysis shows that the number of new homes built in England continued to fall during the first six months Labour was in power.
Determination to Meet the Target
Rayner acknowledged that hitting the target would be ‘really difficult,’ given housebuilding trends before Labour entered government. Nevertheless, she expressed her determination to meet it, stating that policies such as reforming the planning system would ‘take time’ to have an impact. Rayner also revealed that she was asked if she wanted to review Labour’s housing target just a month into taking office, but she refused to give up on the goal.
Addressing Challenges and Concerns
The government is aware of the challenges facing housebuilding, including a chronic shortage of skilled workers and concerns about the availability of basic building materials. Additionally, many housing experts are unsure whether private housebuilders can deliver enough new homes each year.
To address these issues, Rayner’s department has set out plans to speed up the house-buying process and give more power to leaseholders. The government aims to cut transaction times by introducing digital identity services and data-sharing, making it easier for mortgage companies and surveyors to access necessary information immediately.
Empowering Leaseholders
The government is also working on reforms to empower leaseholders to take control of their buildings more easily. Through right-to-manage, some leasehold home owners will be able to take over management of the building without the agreement of the landlord, giving them control over how their service charges are spent.
A Challenging but Necessary Goal
Labour’s plan to build 1.5 million new homes is a challenging goal, but it is essential for reducing house prices and making buying and renting more affordable, especially for younger people. The target means building an average of 300,000 new homes a year, a number not achieved since the 1970s.
Former Conservative MP Gillian Keegan echoed Rayner’s sentiments, stating that the pace of housebuilding is ‘too slow.’ She noted that the Conservatives had also promised to build more than 1.5 million new homes in its 2024 election manifesto and acknowledged the size of the challenge facing the government.
