Angela Rayner signals difficulty in meeting housing pledge
Housing minister Angela Rayner has indicated that she does not anticipate fulfilling her commitment to construct 1.5 million homes before the next election, reports BritPanorama.
While she denied abandoning the goal, she likened its achievement to her chances of “running the London Marathon.”
Ms Rayner remarked, “This isn’t an excuse, but houses don’t go up in five minutes. I wish they did – it takes time.”
Recently reappointed to the role she was set to resign from amid a controversy over stamp duty, Ms Rayner took her place again when Andy Burnham became prime minister on Monday.
The promise to build 1.5 million homes over the parliamentary term was a pivotal element of Labour’s 2024 election manifesto.
When questioned about her commitment’s viability, she stated, “I’m not dropping it – I’m just saying it’s a really difficult challenge.”
Continuing her marathon analogy, she added, “I am going to keep the target but it’s like me saying I’m going to run the London Marathon in under five hours. That would be a real challenge for me but I would do it.”
According to Ms Rayner, the commitment was already considered “very challenging” when originally made two years ago, and has since become “more challenging” due to rising construction costs and various adverse factors.
Despite acknowledging the challenges, she remained resolute when reminded that the government had constructed fewer than 300,000 homes in its first two years — well below the pace required to meet the 1.5 million target over five years.
“I’m a straight-talking person, 1.5 million homes is a difficult target… but I’m going to keep it, I’m not going to be defeated,” Ms Rayner asserted.
“People have underestimated me all my life. If you tell me I cannot do something I will fight like hell to get it done.”
