The past week of controversies over anthem singing etc. have been dispiriting not so much because of the natural of the controversies covered as because of the things not covered. There was little coverage of the infamous Trade Union Bill or the cuts in tax credits that not only break Cameron's election pledge, but drastically affect the lives of millions of people for the worse. That is before you get other areas, such as the tottering state of the NHS and social housing and the forthcoming death of Council Housing.
The Tory government's plan is to force Councils to sell off housing to pay for more Housing Association housing at the same time as forcing Housing Associations to sell off their housing as the Right to Buy is extended to the Associations. It seems that no thought has been given to how this will destroy the ability of housing associations to plan their finances. One of the effects, I imagine, will be a seizing up house building as Associations become reluctant to commit to housebuilding in such a climate of uncertainty. I doubt whether David Cameron has any understanding of this, not least because he referred at the last PMQs to Housing Associations as "part of the public sector".
They are not of course; they are free standing organisations running their own businesses. Imagine the outcry there would be if the government simply ordered private sector businesses to reduce their income levels. Any free market conservative would be up in arms.
Rather than trying to solve the housing crisis, especially of affordable housing, the present government seems to be actively stoking it.
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