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Wednesday 28 June 2023

PMQs and housing

Housing was an issue which was brought up in a fairly boring PMQ's today. Keir Starmer was great before being Labour leader, but he has not been as inspiring as Jeremy Corbyn. However, he has not been as controversial and has got many voters to switch to Labour.  He is, to put it bluntly, boring.  In PMQ's while he did have a few good lines and asked important questions, he makes it too easy for his questions to be ignored by not learning a lesson from Corbyn. That is the use of real human examples.  It is much harder to avoid a question when it relates to an actual person and Starmer should use this Corbyn tactic in PMQ's.

I had described him as dependable and reliable, but recent issues have changed that perception with more people that Labour keeps changing its views.  The most recent one is on housing, and rent controls.  I have seen issues with people renting in private accommodation, which is the right thing for many tenants.  But I have seen too many people having to move from place to place when landlords have to remove them, for one reason or another.  

After my parents divorced, I grew up in a council flat and then later, a house. A huge advantage of this was that we did not need to move, and when we did, it was across the road.  Too many people have had to move from one area of Colchester, to another.  This has big issues for children who are in school as either they have to change schools, or spend more time travelling.  I know that this also is an issue for those who own homes, but it is an issue which I think, is harming the education and development of too many children.  

Changing a policy before elected based on changing circumstances, or being made aware of the effects of such a change is important.  I would love to see a change to a Labour policy which favours the building of council homes again, and ideally, gets rid of the right to buy.