Michael Gove admitted a link between falling Tory support in London and the housing crisis
(Picture: PA)Londoners are shunning the Conservatives in a backlash over the crisis in buying a home or renting in the capital, Cabinet minsiter Michael Gove admitted on Thursday.
The Housing Secretary accepted that more needed to be done to help Londoners get onto the housing ladder.
London had a “particular challenge” compared to other cities in Britain that needs addressing, with sky high property prices and rents, he added.
Appearing on LBC Radio, he was asked whether he agreed with his predecessor Simon Clarke who tweeted that the Conservatives’ “collapsing vote in the capital is at least in part because you can’t make the case for popular Conservatism if you can’t afford to buy, or even rent”.
Mr Gove told presenter Nick Ferrari: “At the heart of it yes.”
He added: “His broad point is a fair one.
“But it’s also the case that we are doing everything that we can in order to improve housebuilding.
“We are doing everything we can in particular in order to make sure that people have a chance to get on the property ladder in our major cities.
“There is a particular challenge in London and we all have a responsibility, the Government, the Mayor and others to improve access to housing in the capital.”
Polls have put Labour’s lead over the Tories in London at more than 30 points, significantly bigger than other regions of the country.
Average house prices in London fell by nearly two per cent, or £13,000, in the past month to £682,000, according to Rightmove, but were still up 5.3 per cent year-on-year.
The average advertised rent in London has reached £2,343 a month, according to the London Mayor’s office.
