Haringey Labour has joined calls for a Labour government to end Right to Buy.

In our manifesto, we committed to an ambitious council house building programme in Haringey – 3000 homes by 2031.

This is a huge number – especially in comparison to pretty much everywhere else in the country – but our housing waiting list is even bigger.

Right to Buy (RTB) is a scheme in England that allows most council home tenants, as well as some housing association tenants, to buy their council property at a discount.

RTB is working against housebuilding efforts across the country. Around 40% of the homes under RTB end up in the private rented sector, and this drives up the housing benefit bill because of the much higher private rents.

Ending RTB will stop the loss of homes and ensure that for the first time since it was introduced all new council house building will increase the council’s housing stock and enable the waiting lists to begin to fall. It is also without cost and will stop the loss of rental income to councils.

Scotland and Wales have already ended the RTB policy, Haringey Labour is proud to join the campaign to scrap it here too.

You can see the statement here: Statement on Ending Right to Buy and signatories so far – Labour Campaign for Council Housing (thelabourcampaignforcouncilhousing.org)