Angela Rayner admits she may fail to meet government’s promise to build 1.5m new homes

Angela Rayner has said she does not expect Labor to deliver on its main manifesto promise to build 1.5 million homes before the next election.

Andy Burnham’s newly appointed housing secretary denied abandoning the commitment but compared achieving it to the chance of “running the London Marathon”.

The promise to build 1.5 million homes over a five-year parliamentary term was a key part of Labour’s 2024 election manifesto.

But when asked whether the target was still realistic, Ms Rayner said: BBC Breakfast On Friday: “I’m not quitting – I’m just saying it’s a really tough fight.

“I’ll keep the target but it’s like I’m saying I’m going to run the London Marathon in under five hours. That would be a real challenge for me but I’d do it.”

He added: “It’s no excuse but houses don’t go up in five minutes. I wish they did, it takes time.”

Ms Rayner was reappointed housing minister on Monday when Andy Burnham became prime minister – she was due to resign following a row over whether she had evaded stamp duty.

Ms Rayner said the commitment to housebuilding was “very challenging” when it was made two years ago and was “even more challenging” now as a result of rising construction costs and other factors that had a “really negative impact”.

But Ms Rayner was defiant when it was pointed out to her that the government had built fewer than 300,000 homes in its first two years; this number was well below the number needed to reach the goal of 1.5 million in five years.

He said: “I am an outspoken person, 1.5 million homes is a difficult target… but I will protect it, I will not be defeated.

“People have underestimated me my whole life. If you tell me I can’t do something, I’ll fight like hell to do it.”

208,600 new homes built in England in 2024/25; This is a 6 per cent fall on the previous year and the lowest annual total since 2015/16, underlining the scale of the challenge facing Labour’s commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes during this parliament.

Since Labor entered government in July 2024, around 392,400 net additional homes have been delivered, leaving ministers working at roughly two-thirds of the rate needed to meet their target by 2029.

The housebuilding industry has warned that without stronger consumer confidence, lower mortgage costs and healthier balance sheets across the construction industry, delivering the scale of housebuilding needed to meet Labor’s targets will remain an uphill battle.

Ms Rayner also ruled out introducing rent controls to help with living costs, despite Mr Burnham telling reporters on Monday he was considering freezing rents as part of a package of measures.

Rent controls may include ceilings on how much rent can be collected or freezing them for a period of time. As mayor of Greater Manchester three years ago, Mr Burnham supported a call for a freeze on private sector rents until the cost of living crisis was over.

Asked if she stood behind the idea, Ms Rayner said: “I don’t think rent freezes and rent controls are the way forward at the moment.

“Three years ago, Andy requested this because there was a serious crisis in the rental market. In the meantime, we introduced the Tenants’ Bill of Rights, which gives tenants more power and control.”