Andrew George
Promoting the
Politics of Courage
I’m running a positive campaign to restore decency and honesty to our politics. To build a brighter future. To combat those who want us to become more inward-looking, backward-looking, more self-absorbed. I’ll build a campaign for an outward-looking, forward-looking and compassionate country.
We’ve been misled by a privileged clique who’ve irresponsibly played on fears to stoke prejudice. We must get beyond the Brexit chaos they’ve dragged our country into. We must restore the things that matter for the sake of our children’s future – our NHS, our schools and the very sustainability of our planet.
Come and join a growing campaign team. We’re determined to win this seat back this time, to make the difference, to build a brighter future.
Many people say “you politicians are all the same”. That statement has never been more untrue. The choice here is stark:
Andrew George - Standing up for Cornwall
National campaigner, local campaigner, MP.
Andrew describes his role - "Seeking out the silent voices. Standing up to bullies. Fighting for justice”
Liberal Democrats - Building a brighter future
The Telegraph published my article outlining the purpose behind my Private Members' Bill to meet the serious need for decent, secure and genuinely affordable homes.
They really wanted to provoke their second home-owning readers with a heavily rewritten/edited version with a title "We need another second homes crackdown".
But, as I tried to explain to this right-wing newspaper, I'm not driven by the politics of envy, but by the politics of social justice
(I've set out the article below, though it's behind the paywall in the Telegraph site itself - which I've pasted in comments, if you want to check. I'd be happy to share their version with anyone who wants it)
Cornwall Live Packet Newspapers
BBC Cornwall ITV News West Country
The final article: Time to put first homes before second homes.
Our housing system is a shameful display of just how wide inequality in this country is.
That is why, after benefitting from the Parliamentary lottery, I’m leading a Bill calling for a range of policies to help thousands of families in desperate need of decent, secure and affordable homes.
Successive governments have failed to solve the housing crisis. Policies based on house building targets have not delivered. Cornwall is a classic example where the policy has failed. It’s one of the fastest growing places in the UK - nearly trebling its housing stock in the last 60 years - yet the housing problems of locals have got significantly worse.
From strengthening community rights to deliver affordable homes, to measures which allow planning authorities to set targets to meet housing need rather than simple housebuilding numbers, the Bill would offer a range of remedies.
In addition, I propose measures to help communities rebalance the scales between the need for first homes and the understandable desire to invest in second and holiday homes. High demand for investment properties contribute to a scarcity of local accommodation. It’s important to understand that matters of policy and tax in this arena should never be driven by a politics of envy but a determination to achieve social justice.
Local families faced with limited and extortionately priced, private rented market, often characterised by poor quality and extreme insecurity. The local lifeboat struggles to recruit volunteers, the fire service the same, and primary schools and services close.
A middle-aged Scillonian whose family goes back generations recently told me they have moved home over 60 times in the last 50 years – from garage, to shed, to winter let, to temporary rental. That is not unusual on the islands. But it’s not just a coastal and rural phenomenon. Many London MP colleagues point to similar challenges, where high second home ownership limits housing options for locals.
Since 2012, in places like Cornwall there has been an almost industrial level of flipping second homes from the council tax register to the business rating system. Not just because of an up-tick in demand for holiday lets, but because property owners could then apply for small business rate relief and pay nothing. Along with their entitlement to Covid aid, in the last decade, more than half a billion pounds of taxpayers’ money has been doled-out subsidising these property investors in Cornwall alone. Most of those property owners are resident a long way from Cornwall.
So, among the measures in my Bill is a proposal to give councils the power to close the business rates loophole (if they choose) for those homes otherwise suitable for permanent occupancy.
The proposed power to allow those councils, if they choose, to introduce a new planning class for “non-permanent occupancy” would also allow local authorities to set reasonable limits for holiday lets and second homes. Owners seeking to convert a permanent residence into a holiday home would require planning permission for the lifetime of that ownership.
When first elected in 1997, I campaigned to remove the then 50pc council tax discount for second homes. I was surprised to discover more hostility to progress from fellow MPs. The reason? A high proportion were themselves second homeowners. Nevertheless, a simple pointed question – whether it was acceptable to continue spending hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money each year subsidising the better-off to have their second homes when thousands of local less-well-off families couldn’t afford their first home – deserved an answer. I won; that tax subsidy was removed.
The Conservatives also introduced a raft of policies in recent years, including granting local authorities the power to double council tax on second homes, cancelling tax concessions for furnish holiday lets, increasing stamp duty on second homes and a tightening of the business rating rules on holiday homes.
A Private Member’s Bill can’t on its own completely resolve a decades old and worsening problem, but I hope this one will nudge matters in a helpful direction. Its purpose is to provide for a reasonable range of balanced measures to address both demand and supply issues, and to improve the prospects for the thousands of families and individuals whose lives are blighted by a housing system which is tipped heavily against them.
What is happening to our country?
Excellent questions raised again during this week's Prime Minister's Questions illustrate how those who promote hate and stoke division seem to be winning. And the rich diversity of communities which make up our United Kingdom and the decent majority who stand up for British values are losing.
Those who claim they want to "Unite the Kingdom" are of course doing most to divide and to disunite it.
Nothing suits their super and mega-rich backers more than to encourage those struggling in life to turn on each other, rather than to wake up to the realities of the widening inequality in our country, and which does most to cause their misery.
Here we have it. MPs; 1. David Pinto-Duschinsky, 2. Shockat Adam, and 3. Alex Baker with brilliant contributions which highlight 1. the appalling impact of serious antisemitism, 2. the failure to acknowledge the extent of anti-Muslim hatred, and 3. the shocking abuse of loyal Gurkhas, who have sacrificed so much for our country, our freedoms and the values we hold dear.
Decent people must come together; stand together and face down these threats, and with it, stand up to those who seek to divide us.
@David Pinto-Duschinsky
@Shockat Adam
@Alex Baker
BBC ITV News Sky News Channel 4 News
The Guardian The Times and The Sunday Times The Telegraph The Mirror HOPE not hate
It’s been nearly 6 months since the devastating Storm Goretti.
I’m still pressing Ministers to make sure we learn lessons and improve preparation, coordination and resilience.
And to especially review the current timetable for the January 2027 digital switchover.
I’ll hold a storm resilience summit this autumn. I’ll announce the date and details soon.
Stephen would be so proud of everyone who continue to make Golowan and Mazey Day so special.
Sorry I couldn’t join all those who came together today to celebrate his life and the amazing contribution he made and the impact he had on all of us.
Proper job Pard. 🥲😊
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Transport, housing and post-16 education dominated much of my time during my all-too brief recent visit to the Isles of Scilly.
Arriving on the Scillonian ferry in the same swirling mist which had wreathed Cornwall and the Scillies all week, at least the smiles on most people’s faces relieved the funereal weather.
The new Menawethan freight ship was in Penzance, being prepared for its maiden voyage to St Mary’s the following day. Steamship Co. CEO, Stuart Reid, and colleagues could barely contain their pleasure and excitement when they met me on the quay. Plans were coming together well, I was told. The new Passenger vessel – Scillonian IV – will arrive in time to start service next year.
The cost and resilience of transport to the islands remains a hotly debated and disputed matter, nevertheless. With strong feelings expressed. I held a parliamentary debate on this and the equally challenging problems of inter-island transport a couple of months ago and am following up with questions to Transport Ministers.
As well as meetings with Councillors, Duchy Steward, hospitality industry representatives, post-16 campaigners and a long and full street surgery outside the closed Lloyds Bank in Hughtown, I also visited the currently under construction 10 new homes for islanders by the Duchy on Duchy land at the Telegraph. Pictured in this video with Duchy Steward, Diane Mompoloki and Spencer Quick of Quicks Construction of Canonstown. These rental homes will be protected for permanent occupancy, have a lower than market rent and very high energy efficiency (EPC A).
The work I’m doing to improve the offer for post-16 students, with Council backing, is making progress.
As well as these matters, communications (mail, telecoms etc), housing justice, climate change, South West Water services, wildlife protection and international conflict (especially concern about Gaza) and other matters were raised with me while I was there.
Thank you to everyone who met me. I’m sorry I couldn’t meet everyone who wanted to. I will be back again in a few months, and can be contacted by email, phone or post and i do have online casework surgery slots.
01736 339526
andrew.george.mp@parliament.uk
PO Box 371, Penzance, TR18 9GN