How on earth could all this building be consistent with Keir Starmer’s stated Net Zero ambition?

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The author conveniently forgets that the last major round of UK house price inflation kicked off when Tony Blair and New Labour took over. They did everything they possibly could to keep inflating house prices (including the asinine attempt to abolish boom and bust which just kicked the day of reckoning off another decade or so). Don’t expect salvation from the Blairites (Starmer’s always been one of them) then. They’re fully paid up members of the multiple property owing club – often directly at the taxpayer’s expense as many of us remember.
The Lib Dems are even worse – perhaps the most opposed to any new housing, ever (depending of course who they’re talking to and what day of the week it is).
I have every confidence that Starmer’s motivation here is 90% political. Which is far enough – it’s his job and there’s an open goal here and statistically he’s going to hit the net eventually (though it’s taking a very long time).
But zero confidence that a Starmer government understands anything about enabling growth in the UK. The “sort of growth we need in this country” isn’t the sort of growth the rest of us need. More state directives, restrictions, central planning, government spending, restrictive working practices, organisations run for the benefit of their staff instead of customers … what could possibly go wrong ?
But if it gets the Tories off their lazy backsides and taking some tough decisions, it might be something. Perhaps if they know they’re headed for defeat they can just take some bold decisions for a year.

Round here there are thousands of new homes going up. Jenrick reversed a Lib Dem refusal of permission. Hundreds of acres of farmland are being gobbled up. Sales are slow so the developers are putting in foundations and mothballing further building.
There are no pubs clubs cafes or other entertainment for these built wildernesses so drugs problems are rising as urbanites find rural life a bit dull. As food prices rise a significant volume of other arable land is given over to growing plant material for an unsightly bio digester which has just got permission to install an unsightly solar array to power it’s already self powered compressor units in the name of efficiency. And this in an AONB.
I’m really delighted that Starmer is now no different to Gove in thinking that agriculture is what farmers do until they can sell their land at a tidy profit to built houses.

Rishi Sunak must be thanking his lucky stars!

Author has this so wrong it’s quite shocking, Starmer has scored a massive own goal by advocating building on greenbelt land. Go to any town and you will find dozens of brownfield sites that could be developed, but builders obviously prefer nice big green fields which are easier and more profitable. With the move to homeworking there will also be plenty of central buildings that can be converted.

You should have just written; “SIGN MY LAMINATED KEIR PHOTO KEIR” with a photo of you making heart hands (puke).

Showing he means business and less afraid to draw a clear dividing line. Many been waiting for that. He was pretty impressive on yesterdays Today prog extended interview ranging over a broad set of policies with good grip and insight. First time I’d actually thought he’s ‘getting it’ and suspect quite alot of his supporters will have to.
Now of course there is considerable jeopardy. Allows a clearer attack line from the Right, even if the Right has made a total mess of things and has no plan. Negative politics still works.
Not entirely sold on Keir, but clearly alot of detailed policy consideration been going on. We’ll see what else emerges.
And besides it will give some of the UnHerd commentariat a respite from trying to defend the current total shambles. Been a desperate week for them as one Right wing edifice after another has grumbled so a chance to attack Starmer an important psychological break.