TUC: Building decent homes makes economic sense‏

In moving the composite on Housing, James Anthony from UNISON said this is an issue which unites us all across our movement and beyond. We all need a decent, affordable place to live. “For UNISON it takes on particular significance as many of our members work in council and other social housing and in housing benefit.”

Explaining how over the last few decades the supply of decent (especially family) homes has been outstripped by demand, inflating house prices and rents, causing overcrowding and increasing the threat of homelessness. “The market has abjectly failed to provide for our housing needs. That failure allowed those that pedal the politics of hate to stir division between communities” said James.

Referring to the election James reminded delegates of a union leaflet attacking Tory housing policy and warning council tenants of the threat the Tories pose to their security of tenure. “We knew it was being effective when Tories started complaining about it and they accused us of lying. Well David Cameron it’s you and your party that are the liars”.

· When you said tenure was secure, you lied

· When you said you would protect front line services, you lied

· When you said “we’re all in this together”, you lied

To applause James finished “In this hall we know the truth. We know that building decent homes doesn’t just make sense for the people who need to live in them, it makes economic sense. Let’s give jobs to construction workers, planners, architects. Let’s give business to the suppliers. Let’s use house building to put demand back into the economy, getting it moving again and get us out of this mess”.