Boris in right to buy talks

6th November 2015

London mayor Boris Johnson is looking to secure a guarantee from ministers that any cash raised from the sale of London properties through right to buy initiatives will be used to fund housing in the capital. The mayor is said to be seeking assurances that every council home sold in the capital to fund the flagship housing policy will be replaced by two more, acting on fears that cash will be moved on to fund building projects elsewhere in the country. Conservative mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith said he agrees with the scheme but is “pressing for a legal guarantee that London will see a clear net gain in affordable housing.” Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan called the policy a “disaster for London”, with 13 Labour boroughs also in opposition of the plan.

Evening Standard (31/10/2015)