Local MP New Shadow Minister For Housing

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 5th Jul 2007

Commenting on his appointment as Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Housing, Paul Holmes MP said:

"I am delighted to take up the post of Shadow Minister for Housing.

"I have always fought hard for affordable and social housing and I strongly supported Chesterfield's council housing tenants' refusal to accept privatisation despite pressure from the Labour Government.

"Housing in the UK is facing a major crisis which the Government has just turned a blind eye to.

"The home ownership sector at 71% already the largest in Europe is overheated and under-supplied.

"The social rented sector is in an even greater crisis with waiting lists soaring from 1 million to 1.5 million under this Government.

"Brown's policies as Chancellor simply made this worse.

"We must build 1 million extra homes by 2020 and the Government must abandon its dogmatic attack on the council housing sector."