Lee Anderson says tenants will be required to keep properties to a reasonable standard
Lee Anderson made the pledge (Image: Getty)
Social housing tenants who smoke weed or let their gardens get messy could be booted down Reform UK’s housing queue under a new party policy.
The party would place working married British couples under 35 at the front of the social housing register, alongside military veterans.
Reform also pledges to build 50,000 new social homes every year for a decade should the party enter government at the next election.
Speaking in central London, party chairman Lee Anderson was challenged on his requirement for social housing to be well-maintained by tenants.
Mr Anderson, whose grandparents lived in social housing after the war, said: “What is wrong with expecting people who live in subsidised housing, paid for and subsidised by the hard-working British taxpayer … with expecting them to keep their house to a reasonable standard?”
Tenants would also be required to mow and weed their gardens and take the bins out, Mr Anderson confirmed.
“It’s a big problem for me in my community, when they don’t allocate housing on suitability – we see all sorts of people moving in,” the Reform MP said.
He added: “Hardworking British taxpayers go to work and see the house next door with four feet of weeds, a dustbin not been done for three weeks and a waft of weed coming out of it.”
The Ashfield MP described such conditions as “not acceptable”, adding that working Brits “expect their taxes to go to decent people”.
Reform UK’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, said: “It is time for us to prioritise young British workers, and that is what our policy is about.”
But the Labour Party branded the move as “unserious and unworkable”, saying the announcement was an attempt to “shift headlines away from Reform’s sleaze, scandals and infighting”.
A spokesman for the party said: “Access to social housing is already tightly controlled. Illegal migrants, asylum seekers and migrants on student or work visas are not eligible for social housing.
“This policy would go after long-term UK residents that have contributed to our country but are not British citizens, including NHS staff. It would leave more families at risk of homelessness and drive up use of temporary accommodation at the taxpayers’ expense.
“It would also mean renegotiations with the EU, resulting in years of wrangling. While Reform push gimmicks and division, Labour is doing the hard yards to build more homes and bring back hope across our country.”