RISHI Sunak’s hopes of building 100,000 more homes were crushed last night after Labour blocked the proposal in the Lords.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was accused of turning from a “builder to a blocker” after ordering peers to vote against plans to axe water pollution rules to encourage house-building.
1
Senior Tory Michael Gove said Starmer had “ended the dream of home ownership for thousands”.
PM Mr Sunak accused him of “cheap” political point scoring as the vote went down to the wire.
It was lost by around 20 votes.
Plans to scrap EU eco-laws that restrict house building near rivers faced being axed forever – as the goverment was forced to ditch the plan.
They won’t be able to bring it back until the next session of Parliament.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner orchestrated the move to oppose so-called ‘nutrient neutrality’ eco red tape as one of her first acts as Shadow Levelling Up Secretary.
She accused the Tories of “green-lighting water pollution”.
At PMQs Mr Sunak lashed out: “Rather than make the right long-term decisions, for the country he has taken the easy way out.
Most read in Money
“It is typical of the principles-free, conviction-free type of leadership that he offers.”
And Michael Gove, Levelling Up boss, raged: “Sir Keir Starmer is attempting to end the dream of home ownership for thousands of families and young people with his political game-playing.”
The housing industry lashed out at Sir Keir for ordering his party against backing new builds.
Steve Turner, of The Home Builders Federation, said: “The mishandling of this issue is a national disgrace.
“With growing waiting lists, a generation unable to buy, local economies damaged, and jobs lost, the mishandling of this issue is a national disgrace.”
