Conservatives: Response to Rayner council leaders letter

A Conservative Party Spokesman said:

"Labour is giving with one hand and taking with the other – just last week Angela Rayner removed the power of local communities to stop Labour concreting over the Green Belt.

"The Conservatives will hold Labour to account to ensure local residents have accountable and responsive local services."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

·       Keir Starmer said Labour will ‘bulldoze through planning laws' as part of his plan to build on the Green Belt. STARMER: ‘I will bulldoze through planning laws to reignite the dream of homeownership' (Keir Starmer, Speech, 6 July 2023, link). 

·       Keir Starmer admitted that Labour will ignore local communities to build homes despite previously opposing developments himself. STUDIO: ‘Are you going to do something to that local opposition that isn't done now? Or you're basically going to say, we hear you, but I'm afraid we're ignoring it?'STARMER: ‘Yes, we're going to have to do that' (BBC Radio Four, The Today Programme, 11 October 2023, archived).