Housing to be Brown’s ‘first priority’

In a conference with the GMB union, Gordon Brown promised housing development would be one of his first priorities when he succeeds Tony Blair as prime minister.

Mr Brown acknowledged there was a huge problem with housing in the UK. He promised a "big house building programme" to combat this, including increases in the number of council houses and affordable homes for couples with lower incomes.

He said: "I want to end the situation where so many couples cannot afford to buy a home. We will build more social housing and we will give more help to councils. I want to have a big house building programme in this country.

"It is wrong that people on modest incomes cannot afford to buy. Over the next few months housing will be a priority for this government."

While he did not set out the specifics of his housing policy, it is rumoured that Mr Brown will appoint a cabinet minister for housing when he takes over as prime minister on June 27.

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