Angela Rayner hints Labour could fail major manifesto pledge | Politics | News

Labor could break its manifesto promise to build 1.5 million new homes, Angela Rayner has suggested.

The Housing Secretary, who was sacked from Sir Keir’s cabinet for tax evasion, admitted the target was a “really tough challenge” in the test on Friday.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the former Deputy Prime Minister said: “Things have definitely become more challenging and we’ve seen things like construction costs rising etc. having a really negative impact on that.

“But I’m not giving it up. I’m just saying it’s a really difficult, stretched goal.”

Pressing further, he said: “Yes, I’ll keep the target, but it’s like I’m saying I’m going to run the London Marathon in under five hours.

“This would be really challenging for me, but I would do it… Look, I’m being frank.

“One point five million houses is a difficult target. I set the target then, but I will maintain the target and not be defeated.”

208,600 new homes built in England in 2024/25; This is a 6% drop 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.

Reform UK Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said: “In a car crash interview… Angela Rayner admitted Labor would let people down and fail to deliver on another election promise.

“He said building 1.5 million homes is like running a marathon in under five hours; he will try, but he may not.

“He insists people should not underestimate him. But when he last took office, the number of homes granted planning permission fell to its lowest level in more than a decade.

‘The circus continues…’

Ms Rayner, who returned to government under Andy Burnham on Monday, also rejected the introduction of rent controls to help with living costs.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham told reporters on Monday he was considering a rent freeze as part of a package of measures but no final decision had been made.

Ms Rayner said the changes made through tenants’ rights legislation introduced so far under Labor were “already having a significant impact on the market”.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said: “If you’re getting to this point now, we’re not going to look at rent controls.

“It’s not something we want to do because we’ve seen what’s happened in areas like Scotland. It hasn’t caused rents to fall either.”

Pointing to changes to allow people to challenge rent increases in the courts and stop war bids for rental properties, he said: “I think this is a better way of stabilizing the rental market.”

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 significant crisis in the rental market.

“Meanwhile, we have introduced the Tenant Bill of Rights, which gives tenants more power and control.”