Minister Insists Burnham Has Not Rowed Back On Key Housing Pledge

The PM previously said vowed to spend the entire 10-year £39bn affordable housing budget for England on homes for social rent.

Political Correspondent

A minister has jumped to defend Andy Burnham over concerns he has already pulled back from a key housing pledge he made earlier this year.

The government has today unveiled a nearly £10 billion plan to boost the number of “genuinely affordable homes” in the UK.

It’s part of the prime minister’s pledge to carry out the largest council housebuilding programme since the postwar period, with 70,000 new homes across England – 60% of which would be allocated for social rent.

However, that promise still falls short of the expectations Burnham set while campaigning to be the next Makerfield MP.

The then-Labour candidate said: “There’s £39bn allocated over a 10-year period … I’m saying that should be dedicated to council homes. Let’s not be coy any more. I’m saying council homes because........

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