Harry Phibbs exclusive: 'I'm not going after the social housing sector'

Published by 24publishing for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Local Government

Conservative councillor Harry Phibbs says he is "not going after the social housing sector", despite publishing a series of opinion pieces attacking housing associations and the sector's representative bodies.

Despite murmurings of 'a conspiracy', councillor Phibbs told 24dash he was merely writing about issues that interested him.

The Hammersmith and Fulham councillor said: "I was offered a blog on the Conservative Home website so I've chosen to write about issues, politics and news that interests me.

"I haven't launched any campaign against the social housing sector. There's no hidden agenda. I write about all sorts of things. I'm not particularly interested in social housing above other matters."

He said that he has found some of the comments that have been made about his articles "very amusing".

In a recent piece, Cllr Phibbs attacked what he saw as the Tenant Participation Advisory Service's (TPAS) "use of taxpayers' money on award ceremonies".

TPAS chief Michelle Reid wrote a rebuttal to the piece, to which Cllr Phibbs said: "She tries to defend her position but I found it disingenuous. Housing associations are part-funded by government. It is taxpayers' money whichever way you cut it."

Of housing minister Grant Shapps, he said: "I think he's doing a very good job. His policies are moving in the right direction. Lots of people in my ward are very pleased to have become homeowners, which has been made possible by Right to Buy."

Cllr Phibbs describes his political position as "libertarian" even though he is a Conservative.
 
Cllr Phibbs was a member of the Federation of Conservative Students (FCS) in the '80s - an organisation that has had allegations of racism levelled at it over the years, with some sources claiming that members wore slogans saying "Hang Nelson Mandela".

In the early '80s, the Daily Mirror alleged that Mr Phibbs was a supporter of apartheid, a claim that was untrue and he successfully sued the paper for £20,000.

He told 24dash: "I was never a supporter of apartheid, and I never saw anyone else in the FCS wearing slogans saying anything about hanging Nelson Mandela."