Tories claim Gordon Brown's social housing pledge is 'a sham'

The Conservative Party today claimed that Gordon Brown's plans to end the perceived unfairness in the allocation of council housing will be wrecked by his Government's own equality laws.

According to the Tories, a significant aspect of the Prime Minister's new social housing package lies in tatters because it will be hamstrung by the Equality Bill currently going through Parliament.

The Conservative Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps, explained: "The Government’s media spin has suggested local people who have been on council house waiting lists for a long time will be allowed to move to the head of the queue.

"Yet the Equality Bill, recently introduced before Parliament by Harriet Harman, will impose a duty for all public sector bodies to reduce socio-economic disadvantage when making ‘strategic decisions’. This will include a town hall drawing up its council housing policy.

"Giving housing priority to someone who is local over and above someone who is socially or economically disadvantaged will potentially breach the new duty.

"Professor Tony Travers has observed that the Harman doctrine will 'require public services, including those provided locally, to shift resources towards the achievement of greater equality... Rural and suburban councils are likely to be particularly hard hit... some people might have to lose services so that others can receive them.'

"Moreover, irrespective of the spin yesterday, councils will also still have a duty under primary legislation to give “reasonable preference” to the homeless, those in overcrowded or unsatisfactory housing, and those with medical or welfare problems.

"Housing waiting lists have soared to 1.8 million under the Labour Government, so minor changes to priorities will mean no difference to most people on the waiting list. Housebuilding is currently at its lowest level since 1947.

“Gordon Brown’s spin, pitched at Labour’s disillusioned core vote, has been exposed to be a sham. Under existing legislation and Harman’s new equality law, local people will not have priority for local homes.

“Housing waiting list policies need reform and we need more affordable homes. But Labour are unable to deliver the change we need.”