Housing - Thangam Debbonaire

Houses in Bristol

The UK currently faces a housing crisis. Since 2010 we’ve seen a steep drop in investment for new affordable homes; billions of pounds cut from housing benefit; inaction on short-term lets; soaring rents in the private rented sector; and significant cuts to funding for homelessness services.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has shown us how important it is for everyone to have the right to a decent home.

On this page you will find my work in Parliament and in Bristol to campaign for meaningful action to tackle housing inequality, end homelessness and ensure that everyone has a place to call home.

My latest work on this issue

Building Safety Bill: Some progress but many missed opportunities

There is still no end in sight to the ‘cladding scandal’, despite new laws going through Parliament intended to fix fire safety problems. Yesterday, we MPs voted on the Building Safety Bill, legislation that was supposed to resolve fire safety problems that have caused years of misery, high costs and…

Labour pushes government another step towards fixing the cladding crisis

I was pleased to hear the latest announcement from the government promise to protect more leaseholders from the costs of dangerous cladding and other fire safety problems. This is long overdue. From my work as Shadow Housing Secretary, until May 2021, and in my ongoing campaigning in Bristol, I have…

My highlights from 2021

I know it’s been a tough year for everyone – and I’m always going to do my best to help, campaign, and be a voice in parliament for all of you, in good times and bad. To update you on what I’m doing as your MP, here is my round-up…

Mapping the cladding crisis in Bristol West

The cladding crisis may be out of the headlines, but it is far from over. I recently shared a survey with Bristol West residents which has shown just how widespread and chaotic this crisis has become. I wrote about some of the findings for Bristol247. As Shadow Housing Secretary until…

Are you affected by the cladding scandal? I need your help

If you live in Bristol West, and have been affected by the dangerous cladding scandal, I need your help. More than four years after the tragic Grenfell Tower disaster, thousands of people are still tangled in the increasingly complex scandal involving dangerous cladding and other fire safety defects in medium-…

Labour sets out a great future. How would it change Bristol?

In his passionate and eloquent speech at Labour Conference today, Labour leader Keir Starmer showed the country who he is and set out what Labour will do when in government. This bold set of commitments will deal with the rolling crises caused by the last 11 years of Tory rule.…

The Building Safety Bill: Another broken promise for thousands living in dangerous flats

I have been following the debate around dangerous cladding and building safety for some time, both as a constituency MP with many people in Bristol West affected, and from April 2020 until a few months ago when I was leading for Labour on this national scandal as Shadow Housing Secretary.…

Dangerous cladding: Labour pushes for Tories to keep their promises

It is now more than four years since the Grenfell Tower disaster. Over those four years, the government has procrastinated, dodged responsibility and changed direction. As a result, the cladding crisis has ballooned to affect a huge number of people. This week Labour is once again bringing this matter to a parliamentary debate. Labour MPs will be pushing…

Where is the Prime Minister’s plan for social care?

Where is the Prime Minister’s plan for social care? Dementia sufferers, their carers and families are desperate after an appalling year. I put this to the Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg. In response to my question, the promised the plan would come this year. I’ll hold him to this.…

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