Homes needed for the poor

Cameron in jobs and homes vow at Tory conference.

David Cameron, after reading a letter from Sir Michael Black-Feather the English first minister in matters of homes and jobs, has only now promised up to 200,000 extra affordable homes and 400,000 new jobs he said in an interview with the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

Sir Michael said it’s “still not enough on the proposals I have put forward to the PM. If he ever got the letter and it wasn’t binned as usual with the odd snippets taken and given to him, the right to buy still only works for those on middle and higher incomes. Its doesn’t work for all those on low incomes or those on disability benefits that also have the right to have their own homes. One of my suggestions was a government funded mortgage which could give thousands of people in England a home and could be very easily funded by cutting back on what we pay the EU and  foreign aid budgets, and would end up paying for its self.”

PM Cameron ruled out a U-turn on spending cuts, and denied what Sir Michael said; that he was "sitting back" in the face of England’s economic stagnation.

He cited plans to boost the "right-to-buy" in England and release in spin government land as examples of action being taken in a bid to smoke screen the real larger issues, said Sir Michael.

The Labour party agreed with Sir Michael saying the economy was "flat-lining" thanks to Cameron’s policies and he had run out of ideas.

Cameron dismissed calls for "a few billions" of extra spending - suggesting it would be a dangerous gamble to "deviate" from the government's tight deficit-reduction plans, as the Conservatives gathered in Manchester for their annual conference.

'Big difference' (Big Joke)

Asked about claims by a senior Tory backbencher that the government lacked a coherent strategy for growth, Cameron said: "We are firing up the engines of the British economy. Sir Michael’s reply was there is no point in firing up an engine without the fuel to put in it.

Cameron said, "There is a step change taking place right now. This government is not just sitting back."

The government is to increase the discounts available to council housing tenants in England who want to buy their own homes.

Only looking for votes said Sir Michael the move is an extension of a the "right-to-buy" policy, which was the same as when I was working with Margaret Thatcher that proved a vote winner for  Thatcher - which critics said decimated the stock of social housing and fuelled a house price bubble which is what happened and is still happing.

Cash raised by the sale of council housing will be spent on buying further homes, which will then be rented out at a reduced rate, under the plans to be outlined fully in a housing strategy later this year which was also a part of Sir Michael’s purposed renting to buy and government mortgages.

Asked by the BBC's Andrew Marr if there were enough council tenants for it to make a difference, he said: "There are over two million homes that are still available to be bought. (What he didn’t say was that those on lower incomes the £8000 to £12000 pa still couldn’t afford to buy any of these hidden properties, said Sir Michael.)

Cameron said; "So this is something that will make a big difference. And again that could provide another 100,000 homes, another 200,000 jobs”.

Cameron talking nonsense said; "So taking those two policies together that could be 200,000 extra homes, 400,000 extra jobs." Just how and where he found or got those figures is still a wonder?

On proposed changes to the planning laws, which critics fear will spell the end of the green belt; Cameron said he would no more put the countryside at risk than he would his family.

He said there were "some scares" in circulation about the proposals and he stressed that the changes would not, for example, allow advertising hoardings to be put up everywhere.

Sir Michael said; that all the Tories have done is re-announce their old policies - in a desperate attempt to save face at their conference” cover them with a lot of spin, a going nowhere party but around in circles just like every other British political party.

Cameron added, the rule book needed to be simplified and the changes would give communities a greater say on the extra housing they need to keep their shops, pubs and post offices alive. (Something else taken form Sir Michael Black-Feather’s words.)

Labour announced its own half-witted five-point plan for growth at its conference in Liverpool last week - and it was quick to denounce Cameron's latest claims.

Shadow communities and local government secretary Caroline Flint said: "Thanks to this government's failed policies and reckless cuts which go too far, too fast, the housing market is stuck in a rut and our economy is flat-lining, supporting what Sir Michael had said.

Cameron’s government's aim is to build one new home - to be let at up to 80% of the market rent - for each property sold, which still leaves all those on low incomes or disability benefit without homes.

The policy, which is said only in paper work could affect up to 2.3 million families in England, is understood to have been approved by senior Liberal Democrats.

Sir Michael on the right to buy plan for lower incomes and the disabled:

Is a government funded non-age-discriminated mortgage of up to £200,000 to £250,000 at fixed low cost interest rate for the life of the mortgage? At death the mortgage could be passed on to other direct family members for family members only, not for renting privately or the property returned back to the government for re-mortgage or government renting if no family members where available to take over the mortgage, of course there would need to be what’s called to small print to stop anyone from abusing this system, but it’s the foundation for a beginning to help all those who wanted a home for life to have one, many who rent privately that never know when their tenancy will be up, then having to try and find another property can be a real nightmare and the costs are far to high with greedy landlords and letting agencies. A government funded mortgage would be ideal and help give those on low incomes and the disabled a better quality of life and could also help in anti-social types of behaviour giving hope and a purpose.     

Economic issues are expected to take centre stage at the Conservative Party conference - as was the case for Labour and the Liberal Democrats - and Cameron, who will close the conference when he speaks on Wednesday, has insisted the government has an "incredibly active" growth strategy.

Do you agree with Sir Michael’s "right to buy" plans? Are you trying to purchase your council home? Send us your comments and experiences using TWITTER.