Britain’s housing crisis took a fresh twist last night as it emerged that one in eight MPs are pocketing rental income — including FOUR cabinet ministers.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves admits she makes money from a London home she co-owns with her partner. Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Scotland Secretary Ian Murray each bank more than £10,000 a year in rent. Commons leader Lucy Powell takes in just under that from a lodger.
The biggest landlord in Westminster? Labour’s Jas Athwal, MP for Ilford South — already under fire after several of his properties were found to be in shocking condition.
The revelations could not come at a worse time. The Renters’ Rights Bill — aimed at cracking down on bad landlords — is inches from becoming law. And just days ago, homelessness minister Rushanara Ali quit after she evicted tenants and hiked the rent on her property by a staggering £700 a month.
Campaigners are furious. Jae Vail from the London Renters Union fumed: “It’s a scandal. MPs are making millions off renters while millions can’t afford a home.”
Ben Twomey from Generation Rent slammed the Commons as “three times more likely to be landlords than the rest of us”, warning that their influence has left tenants with “few legal protections”.
Even Labour insiders are rattled. One senior MP told The Guardian: “If voters think we’re cashing in on the very system we’re meant to fix, our credibility on renters’ rights is shot.”
The Ministry of Housing insisted: “There are already clear transparency rules. Our Renters’ Rights Bill will level the playing field between landlords and tenants.”