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Labour Party Conference, 2008 Report

Labour's conference leaves unfinished business
The 'Fourth Option' was debated at Labour's conference (Sept 23) for the fifth year running. The report - underlining a commitment to finding a solution on 'Decent Homes', the HRA review and building new council housing - was accepted despite widespread criticism that it still left key issues unresolved (see DCH Bottom line for council housing briefing and second leaflet on the morning of the housing debate).
Delegates at the 2007 conference agreed to postpone a debate and instead refer motions to Labour's Housing sub group who were tasked to report back to the 2008 conference.
The conference in Manchester was dominated by the desire to avoid any visible splits or cause embarrassment to the Prime Minister. Wilf Flyn (UCATT), Michael Meacher MP and Jack Dromey (UNITE) at DCH fringe meeting
The debate was tightly managed and kept short. The delegate from Holborn & St Pancras Constituency Labour Party (seconder of Composite 6 which was referred to the sub group from the 2007 conference) said they had "reservations" but called on conference to accept the report.
Many delegates thought the report represented a significant shift in government policy. Others, including MPs Austin Mitchell and Michael Meacher speaking at the DCH fringe meeting, argued that whilst the report demonstrated Ministers were talking up council housing they need to agree three specific interim measures:
  1. Additional resources for those authorities who are unable to meet the basic Decent Homes standard (it is not acceptable for government to 'work with' authorities to find funding by selling off existing council homes or land).
  2. Making sure that, as a minimum, the gap between tenants' rents and allowances provided to local authorities does not increase during the review. On this basis allowances in the subsidy determination due for 2009/10 could be increased by £216 million.
  3. An immediate moratorium on further transfer ballots and a halt to the expensive 'stock options appraisal' process until the review's outcome is known.

Previous Labour Conference Reports
2007 report and terms of Composite 6
2006 report and terms of Composite 10
2005 report
2004 report
Austin Mitchell MP at DCH fringe meeting
Extracts from speaches...
"Housing policy is too important to be determined by a 'once a year' conference show down. There is far more that unites than divides us. And that is why I want to continue to work with Labour MPs and councillors, in Camden and elsewhere, to achieve what we all want, Decent Homes." Housing Minister Caroline Flint
"And so I can confirm today, we will provide the opportunity for local authorities to access the grants necessary to build again." Housing Minister Caroline Flint
"our message to the government today is that we want not thousands but tens of thousands of new council homes each year." Jack Dromey, deputy general secretary UNITE
"[government] must come to the aid of the victims of history - those councils who can't meet Decent Homes." Jack Dromey, deputy general secretary UNITE
"moratorium is something that government must look at" Jack Dromey, deputy general secretary UNITE
 
Well attended DCH Fringe Meeting
48 delegates attended the DCH fringe meeting (held at 9pm Sunday night) to hear MPs Austin Mitchell and Michael Meacher along with Alan Walter, DCH chair; Jack Dromey, UNITE Deputy General Secretary and Wilf Flynn, UCATT Executive (apologies Heather Wakefield, UNISON National Secretary).
Articles
Decent homes cash opened up to councils
Inside Housing
11/11/10

The Thick of It
Inside Housing
05/11/10

Miliband urges Lib Dems to block benefit plans
Inside Housing
28/10/10

Labour attacks tenure reform plans
Inside Housing
30/09/10

Seeing Red
Inside Housing
24/09/10

David Miliband unaware of bitter homes repairs battle
Camden New Journal
01/07/10

Parties reveal vision for future of housing
Inside Housing
16/04/10

Bored or inspired?
Inside Housing
06/11/09

Free at last
Inside Housing
22/07/09

Subsidy changes to end stock transfer
Inside Housing
10/07/09

Review of Council Housing Finance - ministerial statement
DCLG
30/06/09

Nationalising debt to repay tenants
Inside Housing
03/04/09

Crisis offers a chance to remake the left
Guardian
04/03/09

Brown to rewrite council rule book
Inside Housing
06/02/09

Brown opens the door for councils
Inside Housing
06/02/09

Gordon Brown orders thousands of new council houses
Times
30/01/09

Brown pledges to lift curbs on councils building more homes
Guardian
30/01/09

Campaigners wary of Brown's building vow
Inside Housing
30/01/09

A year to remember
Inside Housing
21/01/09

Beckett hopes extra income will help councils build more homes
Guardian
21/01/09

Unlocking the door
Inside Housing
21/01/09

Push for arms-length transfer
Inside Housing
05/12/08

The door to the future
Inside Housing
05/12/08

Tenants and trade unions conference will respond to Chancellor
24dash
24/11/08

UNISON calls on government to fund council houses
Focus
17/11/08

Getting off the ropes
Inside Housing
23/09/08

Caroline Flint's 2008 Labour conference speech
24dash
23/09/08

More than hot air?
Inside Housing
22/09/08

Labour review advocates key role for councils
Inside Housing
11/09/08

Between a rock and a hard place
Inside Housing
29/08/08

Policy group rejects work-to-rent plans
Inside Housing
15/08/08

Battle for councils to build is won but war is far from over
Inside Housing
08/08/08

Major breakthrough on fourth option
Inside Housing
01/08/08

About face for Labour
Inside Housing
01/08/08

Fourth protocol
Inside Housing
01/08/08

Channels are open for tenants to use
Inside Housing
25/07/08

Expel the Blairites, now
Guardian
25/07/08

Home improvements in Glasgow East
Guardian
24/07/08

This could bankrupt the housing association sector
Society Guardian
24/07/08

Getting involved in the HRA review
Inside Housing
19/07/08

Tenants must not be sidelined
Inside Housing
11/07/08

Housing and the Credit Crunch - Government and Market Failure
Compass
11/07/08

No limelight for lobby group
Inside Housing
04/07/08

Whitehall urged to tear up subsidy rules
Inside Housing
04/07/08

Tenant voice must be heard
Inside Housing
04/07/08

Social housing: Councils bid to scrap 'tenant tax'
Society Guardian
03/07/08

We need the courage to fight poverty
Society Guardian
02/07/08

Housing director urges action day over subsidy
Public Finance
27/06/08

Tenants 'excluded' from review of council housing finances
24dash
27/06/08

Take to the streets over tax on tenants
Inside Housing
20/06/08

Take to the streets over tax on tenants
Inside Housing
20/06/08

Rent asunder
Guardian
04/06/08

Labour fails to address partys housing concerns
Inside Housing
30/05/08

Labour fails to address party's housing concerns
Inside Housing
30/05/08

Sixty authorities join forces to oppose stealth tax on tenants
Inside Housing
15/05/08

Councils press for urgent housing subsidy overhaul
Public Finance
09/05/08

New pamphlet makes the case for investment in council housing
24dash
09/05/08

Waiting lists to hit 5 million
Inside Housing
09/05/08

Home economics
Public Servoce
01/05/08

Government denies council tenants around £200 million
Waverley Council
01/05/08

KEN: ILL FIND A SOLUTION ON HOUSING
Camden New Journal
17/04/08

Mayor pledges homes help
Camden New Journal
17/04/08

Labour MPs' fury over homes crisis
Observer
06/04/08

Brown suffers big backbench revolt over council house repairs
Guardian
01/04/08

Rebel MPs lose council house vote
BBC
31/03/08

45 MPs sponsor 'council housing' amendments
24dash
28/03/08

Labours working groups at a standstill on housing
Inside Housing
21/03/08

Labour's working groups at a standstill on housing
Inside Housing
21/03/08

Billion pound tenant tax
Inside Housing
10/01/08

Defend Council Housing rallies support ahead of Commons inquiry
24 Dash
02/01/08

Remember your real friends
Unite-Amicus
17/12/07

Holding on together
Inside Housing
02/11/07

All change in Scotland
Inside Housing
01/11/07

Homes, sweet homes
Unison
26/10/07

Holyrood may end housing right to buy
The Herald
23/10/07

Cross-party transfer pressure on GHA
Inside Housing
05/10/07

Cooper averts a fourth defeat by housing rebels
Inside Housing
04/10/07

Labour conference backs Fourth Option and more tenants vote No to privatisation
24 Dash
03/10/07

Cooper grilled on salaries
Inside Housing
28/09/07

Party urged to hand freedoms to landlord councils
Inside Housing
28/09/07

Reducing home ownership cuts unemployment
Guardian
28/09/07

World's top architects invited to design Britian's eco-towns
24 Dash.com
27/09/07

Long-awaited working group report says councils need flexibility
Inside Housing
27/09/07

The government's big push on housing
BBC
27/09/07

RSLs 'have failed to meet the housing needs of tenants'
24dash
26/09/07

DCH takes 'Fourth Option' campaign to Labour
24 Dash
21/09/07

Council pushes on with controversial ALMO
Inside Housing
21/09/07

Labour puts gag on housing policy rebels
Inside Housing
21/09/07

Anger over 'union debate limit'
BBC
19/09/07

Anger as housing motions ruled out at Labour conference
24dash
19/09/07

Labour grassroots ready to fight for security of tenure
Inside Housing
14/09/07

Labour grassroots ready to fight for security of tenure
Inside Housing
13/09/07

Unions to back council housing 'Fourth Option'
24 Dash
10/09/07

Unions to back council housing 'Fourth Option'
24 Dash
10/09/07

We need the 'Fourth Option'
Compass
23/08/07

The Roof Over Your Head
BBC
16/08/07

Is the government planning a new programme of council house building? The devil it is
Socialist Worker
31/07/07

Labour alters rules to avoid debate defeats on housing
Inside Housing
28/07/07

Battle chargers
Inside Housing
27/07/07

Disputed ALMO ballot sparks storm
Inside Housing
26/07/07

'This could bankrupt the housing association sector'
Society Guardian
24/07/07

Brown plans to put block on Labours housing rebels
Inside Housing
20/07/07

Dont forget buyers in rush for rental
Public Finance
20/07/07

Brown plans to put block on Labour's housing rebels
Inside Housing
20/07/07

Delay on housing Green Paper reflects haste of Browns new team
Times Online
16/07/07

Councils to get prime role in adding three million homes
Observer
15/07/07

Charity backs PM's housing pledge
BBC
15/07/07

Labour U-turn on council house building
Guardian
14/07/07

Housing need must be met - Brown
BBC
14/07/07

Better ways to solve the housing crisis
Guardian
13/07/07

Ending the Labour-union link would benefit only the Tories
Guardian
13/07/07

Building tops priorities list
Inside Housing
13/07/07

Brown will need to change more than the mood music
Guardian
12/07/07

Plea to build new council houses
BBC
12/07/07

Estate of the 70s divided by its future
BBC
12/07/07

Housing a priority for Brown
BBC
12/07/07

Dinner table chat about house prices turns nasty
Observer
08/07/07

Green paper likely to outline plans for more investment in social homes
Inside Housing
06/07/07

Minister banishes Thatcherism with plan to build council houses
Independent
06/07/07

Brown reaches out to unions with pledges on housing and NHS
Guardian
18/06/07

Union leader urges Brown to sack Hewitt
Guardian
18/06/07

Give em the homes millions, says Browns deputy (whoever that turns out to be)
Camden New Journal
14/06/07

The crisis in Britain's housing
Socialist Worker
12/06/07

New foundations for housing
Guardian
11/06/07

Gordon Brown has 'open mind' about fourth option
Inside Housing
08/06/07

GMB Calls For New Minister For Housing To Address Fourth Option Solution To Housing Crisis
GMB
07/06/07

Unite supports call for creation of Minister for Housing
Unite
07/06/07

Unite supports call for creation of Minister for Housing
Unite
07/06/07

Foreigners, grievances and the real housing scandal
New Statesman
04/06/07

Brown to unveil major new rented housing scheme
Guardian Unlimited
04/06/07

Contenders back direct investment
Inside Housing
01/06/07

Brown likely to put council-built houses back on agenda
Public Finance
01/06/07

Contenders back direct investment
Inside Housing
01/06/07

No vote council chief says future PM must cough up
Inside Housing
31/05/07

Brown warned of 'Homes Timebomb'
Daily Mirror
29/05/07

Q&A: Social housing
BBC
25/05/07

Build more homes, urges MP Blears
Manchester Evening News
24/05/07

The rights and wrongs of social housing
Guardian
23/05/07

Living with the state
Guardian
22/05/07

Council housing, migration, and insecurity
Guardian
22/05/07

Leading Article: Recycled propaganda
Independent
21/05/07

Outrage at minister's call for British families to be given priority in housing
Independent
21/05/07

Give Brits housing ahead of migrants... says Labour Minister
Daily Mirror
21/05/07

Minister's homes priority plan angers fellow MPs
Guardian
21/05/07

Labour contender calls for halt to privatisation in NHS
Guardian
21/05/07

A way out of this spectacle
Guardian
19/05/07

Homes focus for Brown era
Inside Housing
18/05/07

Hold your nerve, we are winning the housing fight
Camden New Journal
17/05/07

Cerebral Brown has caved in. This is cynical Brown's work
Guardian
16/05/07

Such a splendid idea, but such a tricky beast to unleash in practice
Independent
16/05/07

Labour members see housing and education as priorities - poll
Guardian
09/05/07

Housing message to Brown
Daily Mirror
09/05/07

Conflicting remedies for Labour recovery
Guardian
05/05/07

Council makes fresh bid for homes approval
Public Finance
04/05/07

U-turn as Town Hall plans to sell estates
Camden New Journal
03/05/07

Ownership focus ahead of elections
Inside Housing
12/04/07

Labour council fights Whitehalls unfair housing subsidy system
Inside Housing
05/04/07

Labour compromise not enough warns APSE
Inside Housing
05/04/07

BNP fights green belt builds as Respect campaigns on anti-transfer ticket
Inside Housing
05/04/07

Town hall campaign of intimidation and fraud
Blink
04/04/07

Brighton tenants vote against transfer
Public Finance
02/03/07

Don't patronise us - build us more homes (Letters)
Observer
25/02/07

Professor John Hills urged to 'stand up for council housing'
24 Dash
20/02/07

Defend Council Housing slams Ruth Kelly's speech
Times
13/02/07

Defend Council Housing urges: Build new council homes
24 Dash
02/02/07

Government council housing policy under 'alliance' attack
24dash
21/09/06

Fourth option' debate to ignite Labour conference
Inside Housing
15/09/06

Blair given report on 'Fourth Option'
24dash
20/07/06

MPs strike out at lack of progress on fourth option'
Inside Housing
07/07/06

Tenants plan 'fight to the bitter end' to keep housing under council control
24dash
22/05/06

Fourth option fighters claim victory
Inside Housing
17/02/06

The ringleader
Inside Housing
13/02/03
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