John Healey MP, Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Minister for Housing and Planning, commenting on the latest Centre for Economics and Business Research house price forecasts, and their comments on the Government’s Housing and Planning Bill, said:

“Young people and families on ordinary incomes are facing a cost-of-housing crisis which has got worse under the Conservatives. Private rents have soared and the number of homeowners has fallen by over 200,000 since 2010, to the lowest rate in a generation.

“It is hard to imagine a worse time for this Government to embark on a fire sale of affordable homes with no plan or prospect of proper replacement.

“Aspiring homeowners and renters have been failed by the Tories over the last five years and this Housing Bill is another huge let down. This is the latest expert body to say Government plans simply won’t do enough to reverse their failure on housing costs.”