John Healey launches independent review into home ownership
John Healey used his speech to Labour Party Annual Conference to launch a new independent review into home ownership.
The ‘Redfern review’ is an independent review led by Peter Redfern, Chief Executive of Taylor Wimpey, who will be advised by an expert panel of major figures from housing and economics.
John Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning, said in his speech to conference:
“I want Labour to carry the hopes of all those wanting – and struggling – to make a good life for themselves and their family.
“More than four in five of us, aspire to own our own home.
“Yet home ownership has fallen each and every year over the last five years. Now at the lowest level for nearly three decades. And for those under 35, it’s down by over a fifth. George Osborne was right to describe this decline in home ownership as a ‘tragedy’. But it’s happening on his watch. It’s part of his party’s five years of failure.
“Home ownership is part of the British dream.
“So I have asked Taylor Wimpey chief executive, Pete Redfern, to lead an independent review to analyse the root causes of this decline and set out the ideas needed for a wide new debate. The Redfern review will report in the summer.”
Peter Redfern, Chief Executive of Taylor Wimpey, said:
“Enabling more British people to own their own homes is fundamental to creating a flourishing society and is an issue that has a profound impact on the country.
“This is not about politics, it affects us all. I feel strongly that home ownership has never reached the right level in our society.”
(via labourpress)
