Responding to Theresa May’s speech to the National Housing Federation last week, Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse said:

“How can Theresa May keep a straight face when criticising politicians for continuing to ‘look down’ on those in social housing? It has been her party that has eradicated social homes for rent right across the UK. Nothing short of hypocritical.

“When Liberal Democrats were in Government the net stock of social housing increased for the first time in decades, but left to their own devices the Tories have presided over an embarrassing and disgraceful decline.

“Ministers must take the housing crisis seriously and empower local councils to build. That is why the Liberal Democrats would lift the borrowing cap on all local authorities and are calling for a minimum of 50,000 new social homes for rent per year.”