Keir Starmer pressured to disclaim plan to ‘pave over the inexperienced belt’
Sir Keir Starmer was forced to deny he wanted to ‘flatten the green belt’ after a Labour official claimed the party would do so to build more houses.
Labour’s leader had to backpedal as the Tories seized on the damaging briefing, saying it had let slip the opposition’s true plan to pave over the countryside.
The row began when the Politico news website reported yesterday that an unnamed Labour official had said: ‘I don’t care if we flatten the whole green belt, we just need more houses in this country.’
Soon afterwards Prime Minister Rishi Sunak posted the damning quote on social media platform X, commenting: ‘Good to finally get Labour’s real views on Britain’s green belt.’
Housing Secretary Michael Gove told the Mail: ‘Labour have let slip their real intentions towards our green belt.
Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) was forced to deny he wanted to ‘flatten the green belt’ after a Labour official claimed the party would do so to build more houses
‘In their own words, they simply don’t care about the views of local people and would be more than prepared to flatten the green belt to meet their haphazard and ill-thought- through housing targets.
‘Only the Conservatives have a plan to protect our green belt and build homes in the right places.’
But asked by reporters about the comment on a visit to a housing development in York, Sir Keir insisted: ‘No, that wasn’t Labour Party officials. That wasn’t Labour Party policy.’
And he told broadcasters: ‘We’re not planning to flatten the green belt.’ But Politico reporter, Stefan Boscia rebutted Sir Keir’s complete denial, writing on X: ‘He is, obviously, wrong to say a Labour official never said this to me.’
Sir Keir also said a Labour government would build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years and would protect the countryside in the process.
But he admitted that would require tough decisions — and some development on low-quality green belt land, which the party has dubbed the grey belt.
‘We’ve got plenty of non-green belt areas that we can build on but you know, there are some parts of the green belt such as disused car parks,’ Sir Keir said. ‘So we will take the tough decisions. But of course, we’re going to protect the countryside.’
However, Mr Gove doubted if a Labour government could build the homes and infrastructure the country needs. He pointed out that last year the Government had proposed to scrap strict environmental rules blamed for blocking 100,000 homes.
‘I think one of the most difficult things for Keir Starmer and a Labour cabinet would be facing down particular lobby groups.’
He added that the second challenge would come from the biggest housebuilders.
