Ben Bradshaw attacks Tory pledge

Conservative plans to force Housing Associations to sell their homes at a discount will make the housing affordability crisis in Exeter and the Westcountry even worse, Labour candidate for Exeter, Ben Bradshaw, said today.

The policy was the centre piece of the Conservative Manifesto launched this week, but was immediately condemned by Housing Associations themselves, local authorities and housing and homelessness charities.

Mr Bradshaw said: "This threat to further diminish our social housing stock shows that the Conservatives simply don't understand the nature of our housing affordability crisis.

"We need to be increasing not reducing the number of homes with affordable rents, tackling the sky high rents in the private rented market and helping those who can afford to to buy. Selling off social housing doesn't address any of these urgent needs."

Experts said the Conservative's policy could cost the tax payer up to £20 billion.

Mr Bradshaw added: "Once again we have a completely un-costed policy where the Conservatives cannot tell us where the money would come from.If you had that much to spend on housing you would increase the supply of affordable and shared ownership homes and homes for affordable rent.

"Housing is the number one issue raised with me on the doorstep in Exeter, with more and more people priced out of the market, still living with parents or stuck in very expensive private rented accommodation and record numbers on the housing waiting list. We need solutions to those problems."