It does not require significant new policy or legislation but it does require a shift in mentality from investors
There are some lessons in this for the modern day. Macmillan showed that the ruthless application of political will could achieve a surprising amount.
The solution, in the words of Tim Leunig,CentreForum’s former chief economist, is to turn the Nimby into an Imby.
Let people have they homes they want – not the homes planners think they should want.
There are plenty of ways to solve the problem – what’s needed is the political will.
It is an odd move at a time when housing is a crucial political battleground.
It’s right to stop illegal immigrants getting driving licences and using the NHS, but convincing voters you’re doing so is far harder.
A Yorkshire accent is not enough.
We need to overcome the impression that we have a tendency to bean count rather than take into account the wild differences that exist between individuals, families and communities.
“The important thing about this scheme is that everyone I’ve ever met in my life wants to but their own home, and we want to help them in that aspiration.”
It is time that we began a serious discussion about the cost of building new social housing in the most expensive parts of the country
Developers suggest that delivery of new homes in central London would, according to their estimates, be 40% lower without the investment from abroad
If I were a floating voter, I think I would find these attempts to gain my support rather patronising.
So far the leader of the Labour Party has been a chrysalis. Today he emerged, arguing the best way to solve problems is centralised control.
Help to Buy is really about one thing: ramping up consumer spending by way of re-leveraging the economy with more consumer debt.