DISASTER

Neil launches new campaign after warning Ministers ‘aren't touching sides’ of crisis

- DAN VEVERS

AN EX-SNP housing minister is fronting a new campaign slamming the Scottish Government for failing to tackle the nation's "housing and homelessness disaster".

Former MSP Alex Neil spoke exclusively to the Sunday Mail as he unveiled proposals by the Scottish Tenants Organisation to massively ramp up investment in social homes programmes.

Despite his former colleagues at Holyrood declaring a national housing emergency, Neil warned measures to date had "barely touched the sides" in addressing the crisis with thousands of children and their families without a permanent home.

And he blasted SNP ministers as having no proper plan and being "resistant to new ideas".

The 74-year-old, who served in Cabinets under both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, said bold plans he put forward in a paper two years ago to raise up to £20billion for housebuilding through pension fund investment had been ignored.