Sunak Caves In to Tory Pressure on UK Housebuilding Targets
- Seely and Villiers say government agreed to water down bill
- Concession risks breaking a key Conservative manifesto promise
Rishi Sunak
Photographer: Jason Alden/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak dropped plans to impose mandatory housebuilding targets on local councils in a major climbdown in the face of a brewing rebellion by Conservative members of Parliament.
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said in a statement late Monday that the government will consult on how housing goals can “better take account of local density.” He also agreed with the Tory rebels led by Theresa Villiers and Bob Seely to make the targets “advisory” rather than compulsory, Seely said on Monday on Twitter. Villiers told Bloomberg that councils facing “genuine constraints” would be able to reduce their goals.