Promoting the Politics of Courage
Tackling the housing emergency For too long, the UK planning system has been fuelled by greed, not by need. The core of its failure has been handing responsibility for the delivery of the homes we need to speculators primarily interested in filling their boots. That’s why I’m pleased that, at it’s recent conference, the Liberal […]
If money for second homes went to first homes instead we’d have all but solved Cornwall’s housing problems The Conservatives have handed more than £385 million in tax subsidies to second homers in Cornwall in the last decade. If that had been granted for the delivery of first homes for locals instead there’d be […]
Fellow housing justice campaigners and I can celebrate a campaign success – a boost for those who have been fighting to put first homes before second homes. It’s taken decades and won’t happen for another two years – but the prospects of success look encouraging. The proliferation of second homes, holiday lets and Airbnbs have come […]
The Conservatives claim they’ll “crack-down” on second homers and “punish” them with double council tax. However, I regret that all they will do is the opposite. As more second homers will be encouraged to ‘flip’ their property investment from council tax to business rates, claim the tax exemption and pay nothing. All they’re proposing is merely […]
Response to “Derek Slams…” press release Debate the facts with me in open forum. Tory MP should apologise to local people If Mr Thomas is so adamant that second homes have not been handed hundreds of millions of tax benefits and covid aid in Cornwall alone then I’m sure he’ll accept my invitation for the […]
The stunning N Shropshire byelection victory brings with it a message of hope. Hope for our NHS, which deserves real support rather than photo-calls and empty promises. Hope for those desperate for a secure home. Hope for Covid policy led by science rather than public relations. And hope for our children’s future as the climate […]
I am deeply grateful to have been granted a majority in the Cornwall Council election. It will be an honour to represent the people of Heamoor, Ludgvan, Madron, Gulval, Zennor, Morvah, Newmill and surrounding hamlets and moors. My thanks to previous incumbent of much of the new ward, Conservative Simon Elliott, who was gracious and […]
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Cornwall is one of the fastest developing places in the country. Our housing stock has doubled in the last forty years. But the housing problems of locals have got worse. Conservatives forced Cornwall to take another 52,500 homes in the current plan (2010-2030) and now want to increase again by over 80,000! […]
Andrew George was first to expose the multi-million second home tax loophole introduced by the Conservatives a decade ago. He says the apparent “crack-down” on it announced this week “is just pre-election confetti and will, if anything, merely reinforce the problem of a system rigged in favour of property investors and second homers to the […]
Revealed – over £100m of Cornwall’s covid aid claimed by second home owners. It should instead be used for locals in housing need. I’ve also asked one Conservative MP second homer to back my call. Over £100 million of Cornwall’s Covid aid money has been handed out to second home owners since the first […]