‘Let’s build our way out of recession’
Britain can build its way out of recession

A building programme of tens of thousands of new council houses would help kickstart the moribund UK construction industry and provide millions of people with desperately-needed accommodation, it was claimed this week.

Addressing delegates at an anti-privatisation housing conference in London, Unite deputy general secretary Jack Dromey said the government would have to step in to sort out the failures of the private finance and housing markets.

He said: ‘Britain must build its way out of recession with the government investing in a new deal for council housing.

Tens of thousands of new council homes every year would help meet the demand for affordable housing and generate much needed work for construction workers and those who produce the bricks, glass and cement that go into building homes.’

Unite joint general secretary Derek Simpson called for a ‘massive’ expansion of council housing.

Speaking at the same event, MP Austin Mitchell slammed private sector ‘failure’.
He said:‘Modernising existing homes and building a new generation of first class council housing is the best way for government to meet housing need and give the economy a real boost.’

Defend Council Housing chair Alan Walter said the 1.7m people on council waiting lists proved the popularity of council housing.