Ex-No10 aide lashes out at Rishi Sunak's housing target decision

02 October 2023 , 15:04

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Samuel Kasumu, a special adviser under Boris Johnson, has lashed out at the Sunak Government (Image: Samuel Kasumu/Twitter)

A former No10 aide has lashed out at Rishi Sunak's "evil" decision to abolish housing targets in an astonishing attack on the "out of touch" Government.

Samuel Kasumu, who was a special adviser under Boris Johnson, also accused the Sunak government of "weaponising culture wars" as they "lack the intellectual range to fix the big issues of today". Mr Kasumu said that politicians "should be charged with some form of corporate negligence" because of the world that they will leave for future generations.

He also claimed that "Nimbys" within the Conservative Party had blocked his bid to become London Mayor after he said he'd focus his campaign around housing. Warning that young people have been neglected, he told a fringe event at the Tory Party Conference: “Abolishing housing targets is one of the most evil acts of modern political history in my opinion, but it was a long time coming.”

He said that the "social contract" - setting the moral rules for society - had been "obliterated", stating: "I believe it has been completely obliterated, destroyed by a political class that should be charged with some form of corporate negligence for the world that they will be leaving behind for future generations."

Accusing Mr Sunak and co of showing no remorse, he said: "Instead of our politicians displaying some semblance of contrition for their actions and or omissions, many are doubling down.” In a debate on whether inequality between generations is holding Britain back, he said: "Bluntly, we have a Government that is completely out of touch."

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Mr Kasumu accused fellow Tories of torpedoing his attempt to become London Mayor, opting instead for controversial candidate Susan Hill to take on Labour's Sadiq Khan. He said: "The Nimbys in the party were so triggered that they blocked me. I promise I'm not bitter, but nevertheless I feel that the social contract between young and old has been broken."

And he warned that things are unlikely to get better for the Tories. MR Kasumu said "With a general election a year or so away - and I know this speech is probably going to aid in my cancellation - but I must say that with a general election probably about a year away it is so depressing for me to conclude that things will not get better anytime soon."

At another discussion on levelling up - Mr Johnson's flagship project - Mr Kasumu said: "Inspirational leadership is required, something that I believe we sadly lack in politics today. At least under David Cameron, there was some consideration for how communities could be brought together...now, we have politicians weaponising culture wars because they lack the intellectual range to fix the big issues of today.

"Government has no plan to try to bring people together. Our politicians have failed. In Downing Street I was one of very few special advisers that even seemed to care."

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Dave Burke