KEIR Starmer’s pledge on housing has been backed by one of the country’s leading property groups.
The Labour leader used his speech at the party’s conference today to announce an ambitious plan to get 1.5 million people on the housing ladder within five years.
The National Association of Property Buyers praised the “popular” move – but warned Mr Starmer now needed to set out much clearer plans on how he’d address the UK housing supply crisis.
Spokesman Jonathan Rolande said:
“We support Labour’s pledging to build more property and their idea to give first time buyers first refusal on new builds in their area is a pledge that’s bound to be popular.
“The fact overseas buyers will also face a further increase in stamp duty will help level the playing field for local owner occupiers.
“Both of these pledges will be popular with voters fed up with being priced out of homes in their area as they just cannot compete with buy to let or foreign buyers.
“It will be popular with the Treasury too, as neither pledge costs additional money to impose. “However, there is still a chronic shortage of property being built – something that will need to be addressed to truly solve the crisis.
“Mr Starmer must also consider whether house builders will be quite as enthusiastic – the consequence of reducing the number of potential buyers will suppress prices and dent their profits.”
