Angela Rayner took to social media to blast Housing Secretary Michael Gove after his flagship reforms of England’s leasehold system were axed. She tweeted a Sunday Times article which detailed how the Government was quietly U-turning on Mr Gove’s leasehold reforms. Ms Rayner, also the shadow housing secretary, posted: “This latest dithering from the Government on leasehold reform in the face of Tory infighting is yet another sign that Rishi Sunak is too weak to deliver for working people. Over to you @michaelgove.”
However, Ms Rayner’s jab quickly backfired and left the shadow deputy PM humiliated when Times Radio’s political editor Kate McCann intervened.
McCann pointed out that, during her interview that morning with Anneliese Dodds, the Chair of the Labour Party refused to commit to abolishing the leasehold system.
The Times Radio host responded: “I asked Anneliese Dodds whether Labour would get rid of leasehold on our @TimesRadio show earlier and did not get a straight answer.”
It is unclear whether or how Labour will comprehensively reform the leasehold system
Ms Rayner has long championed a promise to radically reform the leasehold system.
Back in November, the senior Labour figure reiterated her plan to “fix” the leasehold system.
She said: “We will not duck the difficult issues as the Tories have.
“We would abolish no-fault evictions and fix the broken leasehold system once and for all.”
Her original post on X, formerly known as Twitter, this morning also drew praise from housing activists.
Free Leaseholders said: “Thank you @AngelaRayner for having our back.
“10 million leaseholders are looking to @UKLabour for liberation from an unjust system that keeps us as serfs to rent-seekers, middlemen and extortionists.
“Please ensure radical leasehold and commonhold reform is in the manifesto.”
It is thought that Mr Gove’s plans to reform the leasehold system was axed amid fears from the Treasury and Downing Street.
According to the Sunday Times, there were concerns that the move would wipe £40bn off pension fund investment.
There are about ten million leaseholders in England and Wales, who own the right to occupy their home but the building or land is owned by a freeholder landlord.
This leaves some leaseholders trapped by ground rents which are increasing in line with the retail prices index rate of inflation, costing them thousands of pounds a year.
Mr Gove had planned to reduce all ground rents to zero in the hope that it would motivate landlords to sell the freehold to leaseholders, leading to a gradual phasing out of the system.
