Around The Country, Around The Houses

The Skwawkbox informs us:

Keir Starmer has killed London mayor Sadiq Khan’s nascent plans to impose controls on exorbitant rents charged by London landlords.

As rents continue to soar around the country, Khan was reportedly hoping to gain mayoral powers to cap rents that can easily reach thousands of pounds a month for even a modest London flat, but a government spokesperson has quickly quashed the idea, saying that the notionally-Labour government has ‘no plans whatsoever’ to give rent control powers to executive mayors.

Now, in its strongest language yet on the issue, a spokesman for the new Government has said ministers have “no plans whatsoever to devolve rent control powers”. Starmer had claimed earlier this year that his government would ‘work together’ with Khan on the issue.

Rents in London have risen on average by a third since 2019, with some areas increasing by more than half, putting a massive strain on families already struggling under corporate price-gouging in the so-called ‘cost of living crisis’. Khan has argued for a freeze on rents in the capital but now, in what appears to be a capitulation to the PM known as the ‘Kid Starver’, his office is briefing that he has moved on to different ‘priorities’ in his discussion with Starmer’s government, such as more housebuilding – a plan for which Starmer and his ministers have said they will use private investment, further fattening already-bloated landlords, investors and corporations.

Yet again – not that this is remotely surprising – Starmer is prioritising the interests of wealth above those of the huge numbers of ordinary people in desperate need of decent homes that will not impoverish them, not just in London but around the country.

Statutory rent controls everywhere, then. As it should be.