• Government refuse to address evictions loophole leaving 55,000 households at risk
• Short-term plans no replacement for full Budget

Government refuse to address evictions loophole leaving 55,000 households at risk

Today, the Conservatives blocked the Liberal Democrats’ attempt to close the loophole in the Government’s legislation to end the eviction ban, which has left an estimated 55,000 households at risk of being evicted since Monday.

The motion, put forward by the Liberal Democrat Housing spokesperson in the House of Lords, Baroness Grender, would have effectively abolished the Government’s Statutory Instrument, forcing Ministers to address the issue.

The motion was defeated 126 votes to 266.

Following the vote, Baroness Grender said:

The subject of this vote today was 55,000 households teetering on the brink of eviction. The Conservatives promised that no renter who has lost income due to coronavirus would lose their home, but now all it takes is for a landlord to reinvoke an eviction notice and these families will be searching for a new home.

The fact that during a second wave of an epidemic and in the run up to winter some families may now be facing homelessness thanks to the Government’s legislation is shameful.

Although this motion was a rather unprecedented tactic, we find ourselves in unprecedented times. It was a missed opportunity to help all those families threatened with eviction, with no cash and no options, who are in desperate need of support.

The Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for all those facing eviction. It is about time the Conservatives stopped ignoring the most vulnerable and stuck to their promises.

Short-term plans no replacement for full Budget

Responding to the Chancellor’s decision to cancel the Autumn Budget, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

If ever there was a time when we needed an Autumn budget to outline long term plans, this is it. Millions of people who are worried about their jobs, their future, and how we will transition into a green economy want to know if this Government has a plan, and what it is.

The Treasury’s short term plans are one thing, but people rightly want to know where they are heading. The Chancellor must give a clear answer to questions about where the furlough bridge is leading. At the moment, thousands of people and businesses are looking at a financial cliff edge. They need reassurance.

The Chancellor must give people certainty about the future and outline a comprehensive plan for the UK’s economic recovery. We need to see from Government plans to extend the furlough scheme, protect excluded groups, and launch new investment – especially in the green economy.