Economist Dame Kate Barker has called on the next government to act “radically and coherently” to address the housing crisis.
Speaking at a University Land Society Whitehall University Lecture titled “How will we house our children? The future for UK housing policy”, Barker said: “None of the parties have produced convincing mechanisms for dealing with the housing shortage.”
Barker said that if the UK is to deliver more houses, people who own homes are going to have to make sacrifices.
Specifically, she suggested a review of capital gains tax, council tax and inheritance tax.
She also said the supply problem could not be dealt with at a local level. She said: “The government needs to be brave enough to reduce local democracy.”
