Michael Gove desperately attempts to salvage government's record on housing

24 July 2023 , 11:37

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Michael Gove said the 300,000 target for new homes is 'one I completely stand by' (Image: PA)

Top Tory Michael Gove has desperately attempted to salvage the government's record on housing as Labour hit out at "empty promises".

The Housing Secretary insisted he was "building towards" the party's 2019 election vow to build 300,000 homes a year - a target that has never been met.

The Cabinet Minister also promised to prioritise the long-delayed manifesto promise to abolish no-fault evictions for renters after the summer recess.

And during a major speech in central London, he vowed to slash red tape to pave the way for more conversions of shops and takeaways into houses.

But his proposals for a new urban quarter in Cambridge with space for homes and laboratories was met with immediate criticism from local Tory MP Anthony Browne who said he "do everything" to stop the "nonsense plans".

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Labour's Lisa Nandy says the housing crisis has 'gone from bad to worse' on the Tories' watch (PA)

Mr Gove's attempts to address the housing crisis comes around a year out from a general election and Keir Starmer's efforts to brand Labour as the party for people who dream of home ownership.

After 13 years in power, the Tories' record includes over 1million on the waiting list for social homes. In May data showed families stuck in temporary accommodation exceeded 100,000 for the first time in 20 years.

MPs also warned a fortnight ago the Government is unlikely to deliver on the commitment to build 300,000 new homes a year.

Speaking on Monday in Kings Cross, Mr Gove said: "The 300,000 target by the middle of this decade is one I completely stand by."

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But pressed on when the Government is expected to hit it, he said: "As soon as we possibly can".

Tackled on the issue Rishi Sunak also claimed on Monday the Government was "making progress" on the commitment.

He added: "But we've got to do it in the right way, I don't want to concrete over the countryside, that's something that is very special about Britain.

"We're making it easier for people to expand homes upwards and outwards, we're making it easier to build on brownfield sites with more investment and we're investing in the planning system."

Labour's Shadow Levelling Up Secretary Lisa Nandy said: "It takes some serious brass neck for the Tories to make yet more promises when the housing crisis has gone from bad to worse on their watch, and when housebuilding is on course to hit its lowest rate since the Second World War because Rishi Sunak rolled over to his own MPs."

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Shelter's Chief Executive Polly Neate said: "It's positive to see that housing is back on the agenda and the Secretary of State is not afraid to build."

"But Michael Gove's speech on housing was a real mixed bag, we need proper investment to build much-needed genuinely affordable homes, not more piecemeal reform", she added.

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Ashley Cowburn