Angela Rayner abandons plans to offer Brits council home precedence
- Deputy Prime Minister has been criticised for quietly dropping Tory proposal
- Reform would have given priority to those living in Britain for at least ten years
- There are currently 1.3million people on the council house waiting list in the UK
Angela Rayner was last night criticised for abandoning plans to prioritise long-term British citizens over migrants for scarce council houses.
Labour’s Housing Secretary has quietly dropped the Conservative proposal to introduce a ‘UK connection test’ in social housing applications.
Her department confirmed it would not go ahead with the reform, which would have meant only those living in Britain for at least ten years could get on the 1.3million-strong waiting list.
Ms Rayner – who was investigated but cleared this year over the sale of her own council house – has been rebuked by rivals over the move.
Reform’s Lee Anderson, who has challenged her plans in the Commons, said last night: ‘If you were born in this country, worked hard, paid your taxes and obeyed our laws then not only will Labour steal your winter fuel payment but they will also put your family at the bottom of the housing list in favour of people who have just arrived in our country. Why?’
Angela Rayner was last night criticised for abandoning plans to prioritise long-term British citizens over migrants for scarce council houses
Labour’s Housing Secretary has quietly dropped the Conservative proposal to introduce a ‘UK connection test’ in social housing applications, which would have meant only those living in Britain for at least ten years could get on the 1.3million-strong waiting list
Ex-Tory minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns said: ‘This is so wrong, I had a lot of former constituents waiting for years to get a house.’
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing told the Sunday Telegraph: ‘The vast majority of councils have already adopted local connection tests and 90 per cent of social homes go to UK nationals.
‘Those who do not have a right to stay in the UK are already not eligible for social housing.’
