A ROOF FOR ALL

>> Rayner will unveil drive for 1.5m houses >> Tory ideas on planning to be 'unblocked'

- MIKEY SMITH

LABOUR plans to usher in a housebuilding revolution with the biggest wave of new council and affordable housing in decades.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner will unveil measures on Tuesday to "turn the tide" of England's dwindling social housing stocks.

She will put affordable homes at the heart of the Government's pledge to build 1.5 million houses in five years. And she will call on councils and other providers of social housing to help fix Britain's housing crisis.

"For 14 long years, Tory self-interest prevented families across Britain from having access to safe, secure affordable homes," Ms Rayner told us last night. "Turning the tide on a decade of stalled housebuilding and sluggish growth will be a hard slog but it's already begun.

"We were elected on a mandate to build the homes that Britain needs. Delivering social and affordable houses at scale is not only my number one priority to ensure everyone has a secure roof over their head, it is also a crucial step on the path to 1.5 million homes, kickstarting our journey out of this slump."

The drive for more homes has been backed by a new Labour Growth Group of MPs who have urged Keir Starmer to reform planning laws to "back the builders and not the blockers".

One member of the group, Dover and Deal MP Mike Tapp, told us: "Revolutionary planning reform is crucial to creating homes and the infrastructure and public services we need to deliver our growth mission.

"I'm determined that we will deliver a new generation of council housing and develop communities with care and attention to the services they deserve.

"More housing and more infrastructure is at the heart of the ticket we were elected on."