The Liberal Democrat leadership suffered a blow as they were defied by the majority of their membership at the party’s annual conference with a vote to retain national housing targets as policy.
Former leader and environment spokesperson Tim Farron was booed for comparing the targets to “Thatcherism”, as the leadership’s plan to drop a pledge to build 380,000 new homes a year was scuppered by activists the Young Liberals.
The group put forward an amendment to keep the 2019 commitment, which was approved after a rowdy debate at the event in Bournemouth.
The motion said: “Conference maintains its commitment to a national housing target of 380,000 new homes per year, to set a clear direction of travel and to indicate serious intent to address the housing crisis.”
Among those urging members to reject the amendment was Mr Farron, who described it as “pure Thatcherism” in an impassioned speech. “If there was a credible amendment today to build 380,000 council houses a year, I would back it,” he said.
Mr Farron added: “I reckon I can get away with being a rebel again now, I do not give a monkey’s, but amendment one does not do that.
“It is a vague and vacuous target, and we have had vague targets for years – they are not radical, they are not liberal, they are not new, they are not effective.
“Vague targets let and empower developers to build the houses that they want but never … the homes that we desperately need, especially that young people actually need. The authors of amendment one do not mean it, but it is pure Thatcherism.”
Lib Dem London mayoral candidate Rob Blackie hit out at the proposed change, criticising Mr Farron directly. “Tim Farron, that speech was below you. Tim, you are better than that,” he said.
The leadership had been warned prior to the debate that a relaxation of national top-down housing targets would risk losing the youth vote, similar to the fallout from the Nick Clegg-era tuition fees U-turn.
“We as young people feel ignored and let down by those at the top of our party,” chair of the Young Liberals, Janey Little, told delegates. “This is not the first time we have had to plead our case.”
The plan to move away from top-down national targets came as the Lib Dems seek to win over so-called “blue wall” Tory voters in southern England.
Earlier, chief whip Wendy Chamberlain insisted the motion was “not about nimbyism” but about empowering local communities to make the decisions right for their needs. But the passing of the amendment was followed by rapturous cheers across the conference hall.
The Young Liberals tweeted after the vote: “Thank you, #LDConf. There is nothing more liberal than ensuring everyone has the right to a home.”
Simon Clarke, who was the levelling up secretary under Liz Truss, offered a “sincere well done to the Young Liberals”. The Tory right-winger tweeted: “On a cross-party basis, this is the right thing to have done. Unbelievable to see MPs like Tim Farron denouncing building homes.”
Responding to the defeat, Lib Dem housing spokesperson Helen Morgan said: “We are proud to be a democratic party that allows a proper debate on the major issues facing the country.”
She added: “The Liberal Democrats have adopted an extensive policy paper setting out the bold steps needed to fix the broken housing market, including building the affordable and social homes our country so desperately needs.
“We will give local authorities the powers they need to tackle the excesses of big developers, including ending land banking, as well as being able to build more social homes themselves.”
