Housing was a major cause of the Conservative collapse – particularly with young people. If we want to build the right houses in the right places, SMEs are the answer, says Jack Rankin

Like the Chancellor, I’m no economist. She might have a degree in PPE, but you don’t need that to work out that for years demand for housing has been too high and supply too low. Now those in think-tank land have confirmed it: mass migration has pushed up rents £132 per month in England and we’re some 6.5 million homes short of where we need to be.

People will write PhDs in the future about my party’s collapse at last year’s general election, but for those under 50, housing – or rather the lack of it – was a massive factor. It’s no surprise then that in last year’s election my party polled terribly with anyone under 50. I said at the time that it felt like every young-ish Conservative voter had been at my wedding. I’m glad to have been proven wrong on this: if anything, this has given new purpose to young professional groups like NextGen Tories, Conservative YIMBY or Looking for Growth who are using social media to be the voice of a new generation.........

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