'Slim chance' government will hit 1.5m new homes target, Rayner tells BBC
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has admitted there is only a slim chance the government will meet its target of building 1.5 million homes by 2029. She cited global economic headwinds and rising construction costs as primary obstacles to the manifesto pledge.
Why it matters
Housing availability is a critical political issue in the UK, and the failure to meet construction targets impacts the government's credibility and public welfare.
Image source, Jeff Overs/BBC Image caption, Angela Rayner said she wanted to be "honest with the public" about the target
There is only a "slim chance" the government will meet its target of building 1.5 million homes in England by the next election, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has told the BBC.
"Headwinds" including the Iran war and rising construction costs are making it harder to meet the key Labour manifesto pledge, Rayner told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
"But I'm definitely not giving it up," she said, and stressed that the government was "making a difference" through investing billions in social and affordable homes.
Data up to March this year suggested the government was behind on the rate of construction needed to meet the goal, which housebuilders have previously warned was too optimistic.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in