Centre Write Autumn 2019

On the home front

David Lidington MP | Shaun Bailey AM | Lord O'Neill | Mary Dejevsky

CONTENTS 3

Contents

EDITORIAL The social solution Editor’s letter Polly Neate 10 Anvar Sarygulov 5 A familial place Director’s note Andrew Boff AM 12 Ryan Shorthouse 6 Homeless no more… Letters to the editor 8 Bob Blackman MP 13 The property-renting democracy? HOME TRUTHS Mary Dejevsky 15 Righting homeownership Securing tenure Alex Morton 9 Dan Wilson Craw 17

Page 9 The success of Right to Buy is being forgotten, writes Alex Morton

Bright Blue is an independent think tank and pressure group for liberal conservatism.

Page 30 The Centre Write Director: Ryan Shorthouse interview: Shaun Bailey AM Chair: Matthew d’Ancona Board of Directors: Rachel Johnson, Alexandra Jezeph, Diane Banks, Phil Clarke & Richard Mabey

Editors: Anvar Sarygulov & Sam Robinson brightblue.org.uk Print: Aquatint | aquatint.co.uk Design: Chris Solomons CONTENTS 4

GOING PLACES? Greener, wilder, healthier ARTS & BOOKS Everyday beauty Paul de Zylva 27 Women of Westminster Nicholas Boys Smith 19 (Rachel Reeves MP) Lost towns? THE CENTRE WRITE INTERVIEW: Diane Banks 36 Lord O’Neill 20 Shaun Bailey AM 30 Dignity: Seeking respect in back row Power to the people America Vidhya Alakeson 22 BRIGHT BLUE POLITICS (Chris Arnade) Cities of the future Why I’m a Bright Blue MP Anvar Sarygulov 37 Nicola Yates OBE 24 The Rt Hon David Lidington MP 34 Learned optimism Tightening our green belts Research update (Professor Martin Seligman) Professor Alister Scott 26 Sam Robinson 35 Patrick Hall 38

Page 19 Nicholas Boys Smith notes that there is a strong consensus on the aesthetics of our neighbourhoods

Page 13 Bob Blackman MP explains how we can build upon the Homelessness Reduction Act

Page 26 Professor Alister Scott outlines how the green belt can transform cities as well as protect them EDITORIAL 5

Anvar Sarygulov is Editor’s letter a Researcher at Bright Blue and Editor of Centre Write

ousing is rising up the political agenda. Our recent certain communities has clearly served as a major undercurrent of polling analysis has found that making the cost of housing some of our biggest political debates today. Lord O’Neill (p.20), one H more affordable was seen as a policy which would help of the architects of the Northern Powerhouse, argues that ‘left-behind’ young adults most by 55% of the population. The decline in places need to adapt to today’s world by building on their strengths, homeownership, particularly amongst millennials, has fuelled this while the Chief Executive of Power to Change, Vidhya Alakeson concern. Considering that homeowners are some of the most (p.22), presents one avenue that people can use to improve their reliable Conservative voters, the electoral implications of this communities: taking control of their high streets. development should be worrying for the centre-right. Meanwhile, It is also important to consider the aesthetics of the places in other research has noted that one of the biggest swings has which we live. Nicholas Boys Smith (p.19), the co-chair of Building occurred amongst private renters, who abandoned the Conservative Better, Building Beautiful Commission, urges us to look to the past Party in droves in 2017. The Conservatives must do more for both to find agreement on what makes our neighbourhoods beautiful, homeownership and private renting. while Nicola Yates OBE (p.24), Chief Executive of Future Cities Head of Policy at the Centre for Policy Studies, Alex Morton Catapult, looks to the future to identify how our (p.9), highlights the successes of Right to Buy and suggests that cities need to change and adapt for the challenges ahead. the policy should not be gathering dust, but be deployed once more. Turning towards the environment, Professor Allister Scott Yet, as the director of Shelter, Polly Neate (p.10) argues, there are (p.26) makes a case for seeing our green belts as an asset that reasons why Conservatives should care about social housing. And, delivers meaningful and tangible benefits to the environment and as Bob Blackman MP (p.13) notes, there is still much more to be the economy, while Paul de Zylva (p.27), the Chair of the National done on homelessness. Park City Foundation, outlines suggestions for how we can make Our attachment to the idea of a ‘property-owning democracy’ the cities themselves greener and more sustainable. is challenged by writer Mary Dejevsky, (p.15) who argues that we Finally, we have an exclusive interview with the Conservative should instead see renting as a worthy alternative path. Helpfully, candidate for London Mayor, Shaun Bailey AM (p.30), who touches the issues with the private renting sector, and how to alleviate them, upon all of these issues and discusses how Conservatives can are discussed by the director of Generation Rent, Dan Wilson overcome their electoral problems in London. Craw (p.17). And Andrew Boff AM (p.12) reminds us not to blindly The all-consuming maelstrom that is Brexit makes it difficult pursue housebuilding targets, in his piece on the lack of appropriate to focus on anything else. But the importance of improving our family housing in London. housing, neighbourhood and town policy should not be ignored. I However, we do not simply inhabit our houses, but also the streets, hope that this edition provides some insight into how this can be neighbourhoods and towns in which they are placed. The decline of best achieved.

Becoming a member of Bright Blue enables you to support and partake in the championing Join Bright Blue of liberal conservatism. You will be an official part of Bright Blue’s network – invited to all Join today and receive: our events and conferences, with the opportunity to meet a wide range of people who share Bright Blue’s positive and open-minded • A special members pass for the annual Bright Blue Conference view of politics. You will also have the opportunity to contribute • An exclusive members-only reception each year with ideas on policies and strategy in various ways – in debates, on our high-profile speakers blog, and in our magazine. • Hard copies of all our books and magazines EDITORIAL 6

Ryan Shorthouse is Director’s note the Founder and Chief After Brexit, there is another battle Executive of Bright Blue the Conservative Party will face

fter Brexit – trust me, that glorious that appealed to the libertarians. But there communitarians are not necessarily day must one day come – the was cuddlier conservatism too – think conflicting – in fact, they can be A centre-right will face another same-sex marriage, the increase in the complementary. blistering battle. Between two camps minimum wage, the sugar tax, and the Communitarians will often criticise fighting for their philosophy to be prevalent Troubled Families programme. modern liberalism for going too far, of in the Conservative Party’s domestic prizing geographic and social mobility policymaking and public offer: freedom- “People should have that has wrenched people from family and fighting liberals versus socially-conscious the freedom to find community life, which is good for their communitarians. communities they’d like to wellbeing. This is a peculiar argument. If This tension has been simmering join – which match their people have been pushed into a life that is for some time, especially since the interests and outlook – miserable, then it cannot really be said that 1990s when Conservative politicians rather than having to settle they are free. It seems nonsensical to me to and thinkers sought to challenge the for only what they were suggest that liberalism – a philosophy with caricature of Thatcherism, which had been born into.” individual decision-making at its heart – adopted by opponents, even members, can force people into a way of living. of the Conservative Party: of excessive Then Theresa ended the truce, foolishly A lot of this is lifecycle stuff, to be individualism, of just leaving people and and unnecessarily picking a fight with both honest. As people become older, settle businesses to get on with it. They instead libertarians and liberals within the centre-right down and have kids, familial and civic life championed a civic conservatism, which movement. Right at the start of her 2017 understandably matters more. But when David Cameron rebranded ‘the Big general election manifesto, she declared: you do grow up, there’s no need to be Society’, that sought to emphasise and “We must reject the ideological templates so guilty about your carefree, hedonistic nurture what lay between the individual and by…the libertarian right and embrace the youth. And suddenly sermonising to the state: family, charity, community. mainstream view that recognises the good twentysomethings about their supposed that government can do.” narcissism makes you not only a tad “It echoes what used to This was a political mistake. Instead of hypocritical, but a needless killjoy. be said, sometimes still uniting the Right against a straightforwardly Young people who leave the place they is sadly, about mothers socialist threat, she and her coterie grew up in to chase their dreams and some who go back to work. Just indulged in the stuff of student seminars fun, typically in London, should not be made because you’re ambitious and sought to settle scores. It’s too early to feel they have abandoned their families professionally, doesn’t to tell which direction Boris will head or communities. Such an argument, which mean you don’t talk to and on domestic policymaking. He’s keen has become increasingly commonplace, is support your family and on a quirky but vague philosophy of rooted in envy. It is judgementalism fuelled friends, even when they’re ‘boosterism’. And he’s surrounded himself by stereotypes not facts. It echoes what miles away.” – both around the Cabinet table and in used to be said, sometimes still is sadly, Number 10 – with folks in both camps. about mothers who go back to work. Just The Cameron years managed to unite He’d be wise to not pick sides, but because you’re ambitious professionally, both camps. Deep fiscal retrenchment, instead draw on both traditions. Not just doesn’t mean you don’t talk to and support necessitated by the financial crash of the for political reasons, but philosophical your family and friends, even when they’re late noughties, saw a shrinking of the state ones too. The ideas of liberals and miles away. There are enough hours in EDITORIAL 7

>> the day to do both. In fact, there’s lots craving connections and community. But truly be realised if we respect the liberal of evidence showing people in the UK people should have the freedom to find insight that all and different individuals are today are managing to work more and communities they’d like to join – which equally worthy. spend more time with their families in a match their interests and outlook – rather typical day than previous decades. than having to settle for only what they “But when you do grow up, were born into. And if communities are to there’s no need to be so “Theresa ended the truce, survive and thrive, they need to be inviting guilty about your carefree, foolishly and unnecessarily of people from different backgrounds. hedonistic youth. And picking a fight with both These are foundational principles for a suddenly sermonising to libertarians and liberals modern, ethnical and popular philosophy: twentysomethings about within the centre-right liberal communitarianism. their supposed narcissism movement.” The Conservative Party should stand for makes you not only a both the liberal stress on independence tad hypocritical, but a This notion that there is a whole and the communitarian emphasis on needless killjoy.” class of people – university-educated interdependence. They need each professionals living in big cities – that other. The goals of liberalism—individual A ‘One Nation’ party needs to represent have no time for civil life and are rootless flourishing, power and respect—can only people all of ages, from young adults who ‘anywheres’, as the thinker David Goodhart emerge through the support and guidance want the freedom to spread their wings to puts it, is baloney. Communitarians are of others. Conversely, the interdependency those who seek stronger roots when they right: nearly all of us are social animals, communitarians care about most can only get older.

Emission impossible? Ryan Shorthouse and William Nicolle

August 2019

Stronger evidence has emerged in recent years about the detrimental impact of air pollution to human health, the economy and the environment. Consequently, there is growing public and political pressure for tougher action to reduce levels of air pollution in the UK. The report focuses on the sources of, impacts of, and attitudes towards air pollution across the whole of the UK.

The UK’s departure from the EU means that there is an opportunity to raise air pollution standards in the UK. The report proposes new, ambitious legal limits, legal responsibilities and policies on air pollution. EDITORIAL 8

Letters to the editor

Send your letters to [email protected]

Whilst I am glad to see more discussion surrounding Britain’s imperial past, I found Dr Zareer Masani’s article (‘Guilty past pleasures?’, Summer 2019) to be misleading and containing a number of half-truths. As someone with Indian and Burmese heritage, it was disappointing to read “the Raj left India with the world’s largest rail network” without any mention of how they also left India in pieces, unrecognisable compared to what it once was. The partition of India in 1947 caused the biggest migratory event in history, splitting up whole communities and aggravating religious violence across the entire subcontinent, which continues to stain India and Pakistan’s relationship today. Britain’s role in this was massive and it has been heavily documented that their haste to push the process through exacerbated these tensions.

Regina Haokip Bright Blue member

Ryan Shorthouse’s editorial comment (‘Director’s note’, Summer 2019), particularly that an election “is likely to come sooner than many people think”, was very perceptive. As was the realisation that Labour would have to decide whether they stand for Remain or not. Labour’s red-on-red warfare is now in the open. Tom Watson wants Labour to back Remain. Jeremy Corbyn, who voted for an EU Referendum in 2011, wants a “credible leave option”. Perhaps the most extraordinary realisation of Labour’s ambiguity was Emily Thornberry’s assertion that Labour would negotiate a deal, then campaign for Remain. In Northern heartlands, voters are appalled by the chaos. Lifelong Labour voters may now choose Boris Johnson. At the Helen Pluckrose’s article (‘Limited extremes’, Summer 2019) same time, Conservative moderates are politically homeless. encompasses what I think is most important about engaging If anything, Brexit has wreaked havoc on the political critically with modern politics: realising that the extremes spectrum; British politics today appears to be defined neither by shouldn’t seem as big as they do – they’re just louder. We should constitution nor ideology. think of far-right and alt-right factions as lesser and peripheral.

Adair Verey Bright Blue member Alexander Roman Bright Blue member HOME TRUTHS 9

Righting homeownership Alex Morton is the Head of Policy at the Centre for Policy Studies The success of Right to Buy is being forgotten, writes Alex Morton

rare consensus in British politics today is that the UK is facing a A housing crisis. The precise causes of this crisis are more controversial. One argument frequently – and increasingly volubly – made is that it is actually a social housing crisis. Some argue the fall in housebuilding since its post-war peak is directly down to a collapse in public-sector housebuilding.

“We have allowed a narrative to develop around Right to Buy which views it as part of the problem, not the solution.”

In this analysis, the introduction of the Right to Buy in the 1980s is often Steve Cadman identified as something approaching a moment of original sin. By selling off our social housing stock, and failing to build of housing which is let at subsidised or private housing was more affordable, with replacements, Margaret Thatcher not only ‘social’ rents after only Slovenia. house prices rising by only 8% in real engaged in a bargain-basement transfer of These figures show that the UK’s terms. People want to be homeowners, the state’s assets to private individuals, but housing crisis cannot, by its very nature, and increasingly, even those on low laid the seeds of the current disaster. be a crisis of social housing. It is home and average incomes were moving into The prescription, accordingly, is ownership and private housing that is ownership. simple: for the state to get back into the missing, not social housing. housebuilding business at a large scale. We can also observe this from the “The Conservatives’ But this argument is flawed on its impact Right to Buy did (or did not) have promise in their 2015 own terms. on social housing waiting lists. Contrary to manifesto to extend the The UK has an unusually high rate of the popular story you will hear from John Right to Buy to housing social housing provision compared to other McDonnell and the political Left, Right to associations has been countries, and a very low rate of home Buy did not increase waiting lists. Waiting kicked into the longest ownership. Far from being a nation of list numbers actually declined in the Right of Whitehall grass.” homeowners, we come a feeble fifth from to Buy heyday of 1981-1997, by around the bottom in a ranking of 34 developed 200,000, despite 100,000 social homes The rate of decline in the social housing countries by home ownership rate, while being sold off each year on average and stock slowed substantially from 1997 to we have the second highest proportion only 36,000 being built. This was because 2009, so the supply of social homes HOME TRUTHS 10

>> reduced much less, but social pointed to a positive link between home as an essential part of living the good housing lists soared by 770,000. Why? ownership and participation in community life. But increasingly, that ambition is Because real house prices rose by 108%. organisations, political engagement, and being thwarted. The real crisis we face Waiting lists are primarily a function of social capital in general. in our housing sector is a crisis of home private housing failure, which inflates the ownership. At the Centre for Policy demand for social homes. Waiting lists “It is home ownership Studies, we set out ways in which the track house prices, not stock levels. After and private housing that government should look to help private all, selling a council house to the tenant is missing, not social renters onto the housing ladder in a paper means one less council house, but it also housing.” last year, ‘From Rent to Own’. But the means one less household in need of Government also needs to not renege on social housing. The people who want and need social the Conservative 2015 pledge to expand The problem with the UK is that the housing would rather be owners. If you Right to Buy to housing association supply of housing has been inadequate, help them to own, and do so just by tenants. migration policy has added demand moving properties and tenants out of the If not for policy reasons, then the pressures, and on top of this, low interest rented sector, this is a positive. In addition, Government should reflect that at a time rates combined with well-meaning but if you move social housing properties into when trust and respect for politicians is at confused regulation has both increased ownership, but this allows you to build an all time low, betraying the clear pledge prices and locked out people who do not more social homes to replace them, this is to between 1.3 and 1.8 million households have a large deposit. Nothing to do with also a positive. – that the Right to Buy would be extended Right to Buy. The introduction of the Right to Buy to them might be a bad idea. If the West Right to Buy was a positive because in the 1980s widened the circle of home Midlands pilot is broadly accurate, and had it increased the number of home owners ownership by offering council tenants the been rolled out nationally, 180,000 would in this country. Home ownership matters. chance to own their own home – an offer be engaged in the process of buying their People of all age groups and all tenures that millions took up. However, in recent home. say it is by far their preferred tenure type. decades the take-up of Right to Buy has We have allowed a narrative to develop Polling shows people perceive benefits slowed to a crawl. The Conservatives’ around Right to Buy which views it as such as a greater sense of freedom and promise in their 2015 manifesto to extend part of the problem, not the solution. The control over their own life, as well as feeling the Right to Buy to housing associations Conservative Party should be proud of the more settled – and that non-financial – which now own the majority of Britain’s Right to Buy revolution and the rising home elements are actually more important social housing stock – has been kicked ownership which was delivered in the than financial benefits. Owning is linked into the longest of Whitehall grass. 1980s and 1990s. We need much more to greater wellbeing and life satisfaction, The public, of whatever age and than Right to Buy – but it should remain and academic research has consistently background, still see owning a home part of the policy future in this country.

Polly Neate is the Chief The social solution Executive of Shelter

Polly Neate outlines the conservative case for social housing

onservatives have always stable place to raise children – these Most people aspire to own their home. understood that for families are the foundations for families and Yet home ownership is falling. And for C to thrive, secure foundations for society. Only safe homes can build those who cannot buy, there is simply no are essential. A sense of belonging, safe communities. A safe home is a stable option at all. investment in your own community, a fundamental human need. In the three and a half decades after HOME TRUTHS 11

>> the Second World War, Governments general election. social housing. And a large part of this led by figures including Winston Churchill Behind these statistics is also a human money goes straight into the pockets of and Harold Macmillan played a vital role face of the housing emergency, the private landlords – an issue that Churchill in delivering four million social homes, at destructive despair, confusion and, frankly, himself roared against when he was an average rate of more than 126,000 destitution that Shelter’s support services President of the Board of Trade. per year. It was in this period that we last are all too familiar with. reached the level of home building that The only way we can help those at the “Only when social homes the current Government is committed sharp end of the national emergency our have been delivered in to – only when social homes have been housing crisis has become, the only way significant numbers has delivered in significant numbers has the to rediscover the sense of opportunity and the current Government’s current Government’s target of 300,000 stability that has been core to our nation’s target of 300,000 ever ever been reached. concept of home, is to build high quality, been reached.” affordable, social housing. I challenge the “We spend more than £21 belief that building social housing is not Right now, we need to spend on both billion per year on Housing the natural instinct of the Conservatives. Housing Benefit and housebuilding. That’s Benefit. A large part of Uncertain housing prevents too many the price we are paying for decades of this money goes straight people from developing their skills, neglect of social housing. But over the into the pockets of private exploring new ideas, reaching their long term, an investment in our social landlords – an issue that potential. Poor housing forces a reliance housing stock will reduce our reliance Churchill himself roared on just about managing that restricts the on the private rented sector and reduce against when he was dreams and aspirations of our society and our need to subsidise private rents with President of the Board limits the future of our children and young Housing Benefit. of Trade.” people. By its nature, social housebuilding As Lord O’Neill, one of the members sits outside of the booms and busts of Yet, over the past 40 years, social of Shelter’s social housing commission, the private housebuilding market, and housing, and its value to society, has said: “There needs to be a profound shift because of this it offers a level of stability fallen out of our national conversation. to see social housing as a national asset and long-term security that private As a result of this, last year fewer than like any other infrastructure. A home is housebuilding never can. For example, 6,500 new social homes were delivered, the foundation of individual success in the stable order book offered by a social while 1.1 million households face the life, and public housebuilding can be the housebuilding programme could give uncertainty and hopelessness of council foundation of national success. It is the long-term certainty to small or medium- waiting lists. only hope the Government has of hitting sized enterprises or to those looking to This failure has come at a terrible its 300,000 homes a year target.” invest in the factories associated with time for our nation’s housing situation. The economic case is watertight. In new and exciting modern methods of Homeownership is in decline, there are fact, building more social housing offers construction. 124,000 homeless children in England, an economic boon that should please the I firmly believe that Conservatives are and millions of families are trapped in Chancellor. natural allies in Shelter’s call for three unstable and expensive private renting. Work by Capital Economics for million more social homes to be delivered Today, 800,000 people renting privately Shelter’s social housing commission over the next 20 years. This is the level can’t even afford to save £10 per month. showed that investment in housing of ambition that our commission on For many, saving for a deposit on a home delivers hugely positive impact for the social housing identified as necessary to of your own will forever remain out of economy when compared with other solve our national housing emergency. reach, whatever interventions government industries – with every pound spent Whatever happens in Europe, the housing might make to incentivise homeownership. resulting in an additional £1.84 of sector emergency is a fault line in the foundations The sheer scale of the challenge we activity. of British society, a division that will not now face means no political party is able Currently, we spend more than £21 heal without significant change. The to ignore the need to take action. And a billion per year on Housing Benefit. An boldness to make that change will be strong answer to the housing crisis will eyewatering sum that is only necessary rewarded with vast economic and moral be required by voters of all parties at any because of our long-term failure to provide benefits for the nation. HOME TRUTHS 12

Andrew Boff AM is A familial place the Deputy Chair of the Housing Committee in the Greater London Assembly In pursuit of house building targets, families are being forgotten, argues Andrew Boff AM

amilies come in all shapes and sizes. But all of them have one thing in F common: they need a place to live. A place to grow, play, sleep and study. To do all the things that make families the bedrock of our society and the finest social institution that we have for progress, prosperity and social mobility.

“Family houses also have the advantage of being more popular with local communities, and are therefore likely to have an easier and quicker path through the planning system, compared to blocks of smaller flats.” get through the system. Even more so blocks of small flats, through an invidious Yet so often the debate about housing, when those in authority actively seek to policy called ‘Small Sites’, and even setting both in London and elsewhere, is simply discourage them, such as in London with targets for local authorities to approve such a numbers game: one hundred units here, Mayor Sadiq Khan. schemes. 2,000 units there. Yet in our rush to increase Mayor Khan has set a target to build But the real kick in the teeth is an overall numbers of homes – important 65,000 homes a year through his new obscure document called the Strategic though that is – we fail to pay enough development plan, called the London Housing Market Assessment, which states attention to the types of homes we are Plan. He has also been given £4.8 billion that 55% of all new homes in London building, and who they are for. by central government to build 116,000 should have just one bedroom, and for By default, the planning system tends affordable homes. Yet his policies are social housing this goes up to 69%. to be skewed towards smaller housing failing to support larger family homes and Prior to Sadiq Khan’s election in 2016, units of one or two bedrooms. These are do everything possible to reduce the size the number of family homes built in London easier and cheaper for developers to build of new homes. His housing strategy has had been steadily increasing, reaching and will often provide the greatest return. abolished targets for affordable family 25% of all new homes. Now, this trend is They also help the bureaucratic number- homes, set by his predecessor, which going into reverse as a result of the Mayor’s crunchers in public authorities demonstrate means that there is no incentive for public policies. Last year the number of affordable the maximum number of units being built housing funds to be invested in family-sized homes of three bedrooms or more, funded towards their ever-increasing targets. homes, nor for developers to deliver them. by the Mayor, dropped by 30%. By contrast, the three- and four- Meanwhile, the London Plan actively All this flies in the face of the significant bedroom homes that are suitable for encourages the demolition of existing housing challenges facing London, families are generally much harder to family homes and their redevelopment as particularly overcrowding. The latest figures HOME TRUTHS 13

>> show that 360,000 children in London for younger first-time buyers, those with schemes, freeing up family homes that live in overcrowded homes. This is simply growing families, and older people who are have become underused. a scandal for any major city. Overcrowding perhaps looking to downsize. can have a serious impact on health and Family houses also have the advantage “In our rush to increase wellbeing, especially for children. It can of being more popular with local overall numbers of homes spread diseases more quickly, lead to communities, and are therefore likely to – important though that sleep disturbance and cause additional have an easier and quicker path through is – we fail to pay enough stress and strain. Hence, family housing the planning system, compared to blocks attention to the types of should not just be seen as a luxury but as of smaller flats. homes we are building, an urgent priority. So how can we get more family homes and who they are for.” Back in 2011, I led a major review for built? To start with, housing policies need the London Assembly called ‘Crowded to be less about bean counting and more And policymakers should pro-actively Houses.’ Through this review we found about common sense. If a development has identify land that would be suitable for that building a single family home could a higher level of family-sized homes, even if family homes, backed up by supportive solve the problems of several households it means fewer homes overall, that should planning policies. They could also make at the same time, due to the ‘churn’ effect be seen as a positive outcome rather than land available to families to self-build their of freeing up other homes further down a negative one. own homes, cutting costs and getting the line. Not only would this approach help Where public funds are used for homes built more quickly in the process. to tackle the scourge of overcrowding, it affordable housing, funding needs to If we truly want to be on the side of would have a transformative effect on the be specifically targeted towards an aspiration, prosperity and home ownership, whole housing market, spreading home appropriate number of family-sized homes. and solve our biggest housing challenges ownership more widely and across all More can also be done to encourage in the process, a good place to start is generations. It means more homes available downsizing through dedicated housing through family-friendly homes.

Bob Blackman MP is Homeless no more… a member of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Bob Blackman MP explains how we can build upon the landmark Select Committee Homelessness Reduction Act

t the heart of the Homelessness they find themselves sleeping in their car, being homeless reduces life expectancy Reduction Act was the desire on a park bench or in a shop doorway – and leaves already vulnerable people A to intervene in cases as early as even once – the cycle starts, and they have exposed to abuse. Homeless people are possible, to provide vulnerable people an almighty battle to get off the streets and attacked on the street on a sickeningly and families with consistent, solid advice into safe accommodation. frequent basis and dehumanised by the day wherever they seek help, and to ensure that to day struggle of getting by and surviving. standards are maintained nationwide. “The National Housing Nationwide, there must be a gold As a long serving London politician, I Federation described standard for what advice people receive have seen people and families stuck in a the Act as ‘the biggest from local authorities. This was included vicious cycle of vulnerability, homelessness change to homelessness within the Homelessness Reduction Act – and powerlessness. People become legislation in 40 years’. so you can visit any Civic Centre or County homeless for any combination of reasons: But we can do more.” Hall and receive the same guidance as if you ill health, loss of employment, addiction and were to approach a different local authority. family breakdown to name but a few. Once Aside from the obvious challenges, It is important that vulnerable people do not HOME TRUTHS 14

>> get caught up in a postcode lottery and that standards are enforced across local housing departments.

“Homeless people are attacked on the street on a sickeningly frequent basis and dehumanised by the day to day struggle of getting by and surviving.”

I was careful not to create a Bill which could lead to rash interventions in the housing market as this, in turn, could have unintended consequences. The entire Homelessness Reduction Act was therefore built upon a solid research base with immeasurable scrutiny – by the government, the Housing, Communities and Local Government select committee, the Bill Committee and by stakeholders such as Crisis. Besides extending the period ‘threatened with homelessness’ from 28 to 56 days, the Act places a duty on local authorities to prevent and relieve do with the site, nor thinking of whether permission is granted, Homes England homelessness for all eligible applicants suitable and affordable housing will be would contract a developer to see to the threatened with homelessness, regardless placed there. Thus land in the immediate plans. Taxpayers need assurances that a of priority need. It also introduces a new area spikes in price. This spike becomes council will not squander millions on such ‘duty to refer’ – which means that public the new norm and the cycle repeats. This is a procurement process, hence why Homes services will need to notify a local authority not a healthy or sustainable market. England should take the lead. if they come into contact with someone This cycle affects the price of houses for An incentive for local authorities to they think may be homeless or at risk of prospective buyers and rental rates for new identify the public land which they own becoming so. or existing tenants. Particularly in urban and to go to these lengths would be for The National Housing Federation and suburban settings, as I see in Harrow the Treasury to design and implement a described the Act as “the biggest change East, people often struggle to make rent compensation scheme. This would not be to homelessness legislation in 40 years”. or mortgage payments as a result of land a case of the Treasury granting several But we can do more. Beyond the Act we and property speculation. These pressures millions which an authority might waste, must examine how to increase the supply are particularly felt by those in private but rather giving a sum of money equal to of good quality housing stock, while not rented accommodation who hope to buy a the value of land which must be invested burdening local authorities or housing property in the city. in public services. This compensation associations, and ensuring developers stick My solution would be for planning could apply to government departments, to promises and crack on with new build permission to be sought before public especially the Department of Health and completions. I have a few suggestions. land is sold for the type of residential the Ministry of Defence. Something which worries me is how we development which the area requires, After the development of new homes manage land. The transfer of land from according to demand and factors such as on previously public land, the time comes public to private ownership usually takes the density of the local population. Local to set rental rates or the sale price. the form of highest bid wins: not looking residents would be notified and consulted These figures should be pegged to costs at what the prospective owner wants to as part of the process. Then, once incurred by construction – materials, HOME TRUTHS 15

>> labour, and services – but in absolutely transformative and would certainly increase tenants and must make clear how and when no way can the developer, or whomever the supply of affordable housing. rents can or will be increased. However, leads this calculation, use land value when we must remember that not all tenants undertaking the task. It would be amoral “Once they find themselves want long-term tenancies. A pathway must given the nature of the proposed scheme sleeping in their car, on a remain open for landlords to evict tenants and also lead to a significant price spike, park bench or in a shop who consistently fail to pay rent or damage denying many prospective buyers the doorway – even once – the the property. chance to purchase a home. cycle starts, and they have Housing and homelessness must be I would insert a clause in rental an almighty battle to get at the core of the new administration’s agreements which would give any tenant off the streets and into domestic agenda and that is why I took who continuously occupies one of these safe accommodation.” heart when the new Housing Secretary said properties on previously public land for “let’s build the homes our country needs ten years without break the right to buy Finally, Section 21 notices have a direct and make home ownership a reality for this at the market value at time of occupation. impact on tenants and landlords. Longer and future generations” – time is not on our This new kind of rent to buy could be tenancy agreements should be available to side, and we must act swiftly.

Mary Dejevsky is The property-renting democracy? a columnist for The Independent, The Guardian and Mary Dejevsky asks whether our attachment to the idea of a property-owning Unherd democracy is holding us back

he idea that the so-called ‘property- retirement, even as they must look forward war between those families that can and owning democracy’ is, if not dead, to selling their homes to cover savagely will help their offspring to buy somewhere, T then dying, is now almost treated means-tested care costs. and those who cannot. as established fact. Members of the But the whole argument about the self-styled ‘generation rent’ are especially “Is it really so wrong that, at ’property-owning democracy’ needs to go vocal, claiming that they might as well a time when people stay in back to first principles. Was there ever spend their paltry earnings on short-term education longer and start such a thing, really, as a ‘property-owning pleasures, as home-ownership will forever families later, they should democracy’ in the UK and, even if the term be out of reach. There is even a culprit: we also buy their first home carries conviction , was it necessarily such baby boomers are accused of clinging to later, too?” a wonderful thing? big homes that we bought for a supposed pittance, made a mint from, and now refuse In fact, it would make sense, given “The supposed generational to vacate gracefully, even as we extract all the competing pressures, for them to war in housing is nothing equity to fund our luxury lifestyle. plunder their pension funds or release of the kind. It is the old war Well, I am sorry, but this is a travesty – equity from their houses, less to repair the between those families particularly the harnessing of housing to roof or cruise the world, than to help their that can and will help the popular, but pernicious, concept of a grandchildren to buy a home. Hang on a their offspring to buy ‘generation war’. If anyone is suffering from moment, though, financial firms are worried somewhere, and those present financial realities it is the ‘oldies’ that so many are already doing this that who cannot.” and upcoming ‘oldies’ who receive next they could run out of money in their dotage. to no return on the savings successive So, the supposed generational war in The millennials’ grievance often seems governments told them to accrue for their housing is nothing of the kind. It is the old to boil down to “Woe is us, that we cannot HOME TRUTHS 16

>> buy our own home in our twenties”. of our housing market to foreign money and fostered by the ‘ladder’ and successive But the time when your average the preference of developers for building governments’ misguided attachment to buy- twentysomething could take out a £2 million two-bed flats for investors rather to-let that has been lethal. The result is less mortgage and buy a home – the heyday than family housing. But today’s ultra-low that first-time buyers have faced competition of the ‘property-owning democracy’ – was mortgage rates need to be factored in, from potential landlords, though that limited to a single recent decade, when the too. The £60,000 mortgage my husband happens, than that the UK’s middle earners lax credit that funded it helped precipitate and I were granted in the 1980s was have been deprived of something their the financial crash. proportionately more expensive to service counterparts in many European countries than a £600,000 mortgage today. Is it take for granted: a stable, sufficient and “If anyone is suffering it is any wonder house prices have risen in the professionally-run rental sector they can the ‘oldies’ who receive places people want and need to live? The afford. Instead of fixed rules and standards, next to no return on Government’s ’Help to Buy’ – ’help’ mainly they often have to deal with individuals the savings successive for those who do not need it in raising a who can throw them out on any pretext at governments told them to deposit – has only made matters worse. minimal notice and who regard the property accrue for their retirement, To my mind, the two biggest faults in the essentially as theirs. even as they must look UK’s housing market are the concept of the The UK’s property-owning fetish has at forward to selling their ‘ladder’ and buy-to-let. The first might be once fostered a condescending attitude homes to cover savagely seen as the great enabler of the ‘property- to renting and militated against serious means-tested care costs.” owning democracy’. But what it has actually corporate investment in the rental sector. done is to encourage the proliferation of For our friends on the continent, such a Not only were those years an exception poorly-built ‘starter-homes’, and reinforced sector at once offers a stepping stone to – we are now back closer to the norm – the idea of a home as a money-machine. ownership, and a reliable alternative of but is it really so wrong that, at a time when If interest rates start to rise and/or prices decent quality. It is past time that we had people stay in education longer and start to fall, the ‘ladder’ will become a snake. the same choice. If the 1990s property families later, they should also buy their first Buy-to-let, for its part, is actually the idea of bubble is regarded as the heyday of a home later, too? the ’property-owning democracy’ run wild, ‘property-owning democracy’, to be exalted Yes, there is a London and South-East thanks to tax inducements. and repeated, then we have got something problem, caused in part by the openness But it is the combination of the ambitions very wrong. HOME TRUTHS 17

Securing tenure Dan Wilson Craw is the Director of Generation Rent We must improve the private renting sector, argues Dan Wilson Craw

he private rental market is home to one other tenures, private rented homes are more community. As a result, private tenants are fifth of the UK’s population, after rapid likely to be unsafe, with 690,000 containing less likely to feel happy with how their home T growth over the past two decades. hazards such as leaks, faulty electrics looks or know many of their neighbours than Long regarded – and often dismissed – as a and mould. While local councils have homeowners and social tenants. tenure for students and young single people, responsibility for enforcing safety standards, During her time as Prime Minister, private tenants are now more likely to be aged tenants are easily intimidated into not Theresa May recognised this and pledged over 35, and one in three has children. complaining in the first place by the threat of to abolish Section 21 so that landlords Two trends have led us to this scenario. a no-fault eviction or rent hike. must need a valid reason to take their First, the lack of social housing for tenants Since 2015, local councils have been property back. A consultation is under way, on lower incomes – a result of the failure, by able to protect tenants in unsafe homes and it must remain a priority under Boris successive Governments, to replace council from retaliatory eviction, but budget cuts Johnson’s administration so that tenants houses sold off under Right to Buy. And have limited their ability to make use of these and their children can enjoy a stable life that second, house prices rising out of the reach powers. Generation Rent research estimates homeowners often take for granted. of middle-income households, particularly in that only one in five such tenants get the But even with a stronger set of rights, London and the South East. protection to which they’re entitled. private renters will still face high costs. A Uniting these factors was the rise of Recent legislation has also made it easier previous Conservative Government justified buy-to-let as a popular investment – it led for local councils to fine, and for tenants increasing private sector provision of housing to a large proportion of former Right to Buy to sue and claim rent back from negligent by promising that Housing Benefit would homes ending up on the rental market (40% landlords. But until tenants no longer face the “take the strain”. This doctrine was scrapped in London), while the spending power of threat of losing their home for exercising their under austerity and now tenants receiving speculators chasing capital gains in the right to a decent home, private renting will Housing Benefit find it is no longer covering property market priced out people who continue to be a second-class tenure. the rent, being paid late, and is causing them simply wanted a home. Under Section 21 of the 1988 Housing to be rejected when searching for a new The collapse in home ownership has Act, landlords can evict tenants without home. This is creating more hardship, which animated much of the political response needing a reason. Not only does this allow is manifesting itself in the courts, health to this trend, with measures such as Help the worst landlords to bully their tenants, service and the schools system. to Buy and the Stamp Duty surcharge on it enables others to churn their properties The Government must recognise that landlords designed to bolster first-time to take advantage of rising local rents, and helping people keep a roof over their head is buyers’ position in the market. The number of amateurs to sell up with a vacant property an investment in society as a whole – stable people buying their first home is now nearly and no obligation to help the tenant find a homes mean stronger communities, personal back at the pre-financial crisis level. But new home. wellbeing and a safe environment for children millions more, having paid expensive rents While the vast majority of landlords to flourish. To ensure that everyone can afford for years, have meagre savings as a result, value their tenants and want them to stay a place to live in, the government must put with two thirds of private renters having none, long term, the lack of legal certainty for the money towards a functional benefits system, meaning they face many more years in the tenant makes private renting fundamentally but also – to bring down rents across the same expensive tenure. Despite some efforts precarious. Private tenants are more likely board – a programme of housebuilding. This to address this, the Government still has a to worry they will have to move home in the will not only take the pressure off families long way to go. next year, so it often feels like there is little at the breadline, but also boost the savings As well as being more expensive than point in investing time in your home or your power of aspiring homeowners.

GOING PLACES? 19

Everyday beauty Nicholas Boys Smith is the Director of Create Streets and co-chair of the Nicholas Boys Smith notes that there is a strong consensus Building Better, Building on the aesthetics of our neighbourhoods Beautiful Commission

omewhere, somehow, over the last century we dropped beauty, mislaid S it, and forgot that we needed to pick it up again. The great visionaries who created the National Trust, the Garden Cities movement and who took the first halting steps to what became the Town and Country Planning Act were not afraid of beauty. When Octavia Hill campaigned to save common land or to provide housing for the poor she sought to protect or provide “beauty… for the refreshment of our souls.” When Clough Williams-Ellis penned his ground-breaking polemic against 1920s ribbon development, England and the Octopus, he wished that “a happy awareness of beauty about us should… be the everyday condition of us all.”

“If local councils want to philosophers and poets have debated this. The good news is that I think we boost the wellbeing of a for millennia. But they have always been can. First of all, the Government is now Brexit-perturbed populace difficult. What has changed is our reaction thinking about this. Earlier this year they set the answer is staring to the challenge. Even if we cannot fully up the Building Better Building Beautiful them in the face. Ask what and always agree about what we find Commission, which I am co-chairing people find beautiful.” beautiful, the process of debating and alongside Sir Roger Scruton. discussing it can lift our collective sights This confidence, this surety of everyday and help us strive for better things. The “People recoil from streets beauty as a worthwhile aim, not as the problem is that we are not even trying any without colour, a sense of only thing that matters but as something more. The former head of the National place, variety in pattern or critically over-arching and aspirational was Trust, Fiona Reynolds has written: “Today a coherent complexity of not without legislative consequences. In to talk of beauty in policy circles risks windows and doors in a Parliament, the 1909 Planning Act was embarrassment: it is felt both to be too near symmetrical pattern.” defined as being “to secure the home vague a word, lacking precision and healthy, the house beautiful, the town focus and, paradoxically given its appeal Second, it is increasingly being pleasant, the city dignified and the suburb by contrast with official jargon, elitist. Yet recognised how pernicious is the old salubrious.” in losing the word ‘beauty’ we have lost lie ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’ But how do you measure beauty? something special from our ability to shape Simple clichés are dangerous things. How is beauty defined? Who’s defining our present and our future.” And this one has probably done more it? Difficult questions that architects, She is right. And we need to change harm than most. In fact, polling, focus GOING PLACES? 20

>> group, psychological and pricing data is that people actually like and the ones they sacs they churn out. They’re both wrong. consistent and compelling on the types of actively avoid. We polled over two thousand The least popular places and the lowest homes, places and towns that most people people with carefully controlled images. scoring images in our polling were defined want to live in and find attractive most of And we ‘dropped’ a visual preference by lakes of tarmac and sheer, grey, faceless the time. The precise nuances and relative algorithm developed at the Turing Institute buildings. Drive to cul-de-sac streets scored weightings vary from time to time and place and trained by 1.5 million responses to over pretty badly too. People recoil from streets to place. There may even be generational 200,000 images, into just under 19,000 without colour, a sense of place, variety in patterns. However, the types of place, even streets and squares in six British cities. pattern or a coherent complexity of windows adjusting for wealth and health, which we Could we find patterns in the types of and doors in a near symmetrical pattern. aesthetically prefer, in which most of us feel places people like by comparing the scores happier and whose creation we are more of the algorithm with the ‘big data’ on our “It is increasingly being likely to support, are remarkably consistent cities? You bet we could. recognised how pernicious in most research. The social enterprise that Take London, one of the six cities is the old lie ‘beauty is in I founded and run, Create Streets, exists we investigated. The types of place that the eye of the beholder.’ to carry out this research and to support came out top were very consistent. Old Simple clichés are its practical application by neighbourhoods fashioned squares and beautiful walkable dangerous things. And this and landowners, councils and developers. streets with a rich diversity of uses. They one has probably done had some greenery but also a sense of more harm than most.” “The types of place that enclosure (buildings about as wide as the came out top were very street was tall). They had ‘gentle density’ When, six years ago, Create Streets consistent. Old fashioned half-way between the extremes of tower started making this case we were largely squares and beautiful block and extended suburbia. They also ridiculed by the design and planning walkable streets with a had what we call the ‘narrow fronts, many professions. That is now changing. rich diversity of uses. They doors’ model. No long blank walls but Rationality is breaking out. If local councils had some greenery but frequent front doors and windows. Similar want to boost the wellbeing of a Brexit- also a sense of enclosure.” patterns emerged in our visual preference perturbed populace the answer is staring surveys with Ipsos MORI. them in the face. Ask what people find So what do we like? For our book, Urban designers often tell us that beautiful. You’ll get remarkable agreement Of Streets and Squares, we’ve recently buildings don’t matter, ‘it’s the space in from rich to poor, from north to south. And been using a uniquely wide data set to between.’ And volume housebuilders tell us then support that though planning policy, research the types of streets and squares that people aspire to the drive-to cul-de- not walls of glass or repetitive ugliness.

Lord O’Neill is the Lost towns? Vice Chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership

‘Left-behind’ places should either be closer to their city neighbours, or reinvent themselves, argues Lord O’Neill

have spent a lot of time in the past cities. This Cities Growth Commission Westminster to major urban areas. six years thinking about the excessive appeared to be a big influence on the In that Commission, and much of the I dependence of the UK economy on then-Chancellor of the Exchequer, George subsequent focus of thinking of mine, the performance of London and the Osborne, and our ideas played quite a the prime areas of attention were larger surrounding South East areas, originally role in the conception of the Northern metropolitan areas of at least 500,000 being asked to chair an independent review Powerhouse, as well as the separate issue residents. This was done, not because we into how to invigorate other major British of devolving decision making away from didn’t care about smaller cities, towns or GOING PLACES? 21

Matt from Oldham

>> rural areas, but simply because we what to do about these smaller, so-called to London, or geographically lie within the were tasked with coming up with ideas that ‘left-behind’ places. Northern Powerhouse or the Midlands could boost national economic growth, and At the same time, what is similarly true, Engine, should play a crucial, indeed, central the evidence strongly suggested that if you as evidenced by the 2016 EU referendum, role to the broader agglomeration theory could boost the economic performance of is that even if you can’t think of policies to that underpins the economic case for them. these 14 metro areas while not weakening help all these smaller places that would Indeed, as can be observed readily in towns that of London and the South East, indeed make as much difference as policies for not too geographically distant from London, the overall trend growth performance of the 14 metro areas, it is rather dangerous to for example Guildford, they have obvious UK could be improved. not think about them. While there remain benefits to many people that enjoy active endless discussions about what caused working lives in the heart of London. “Feeling sorry for citizens to vote to leave the European themselves because they Union, it is reasonably clear that it was not “The path of disappearing have been on the wrong led by those living in London or other major off to a university, then end of major global, and metro areas. So it is definitely important for finding the first job perhaps domestic, forces policymakers to think about new policies on in London, and then won’t really succeed.” place as it relates to less populated areas. disappearing to London Hence, let me concentrate on towns, for the rest of one’s active When thinking about smaller towns, but to some extent, the ideas may be life, can be broken. Indeed, villages and rural areas, it is the case that applicable to even smaller conurbations. I detect the faintest of if all of them around all the UK could also Let me also make a clear distinction signs that this might be see their general vibrancy uplifted, then between those towns that lie close to happening a bit, at least this would also boost national economic major metro areas from those that are more around the Manchester performance, but there are thousands isolated, such as coastal towns, or other and Leeds areas.” of these, and unless you can positively more remote locations. It is clear to me that change a large majority of them, it likely policymakers should make this distinction The core of the Northern Powerhouse wouldn’t influence the overall national when thinking about towns close to is the region that is bounded between economy. This observation is often not Greater London, or within the Northern the metro areas of Leeds, Sheffield to something many wish to focus on, but in Powerhouse, or even the so-called the east, Liverpool to the west, and my view, it is a harsh reality. If accepted, it Midlands Engine. Manchester, centrally. Including all the would allow a more rational discussion of In principle, towns that are commutable towns and villages in between as well GOING PLACES? 22

>> as those cities, this totals around eight then finding the first job in London, and that are more remote, including those in million people. If policies can be done to then disappearing to London for the rest of the North. Many of these proud places, allow this whole area to function as one one’s active life, can be broken. Indeed, I historically vibrant due to manufacturing economic unit, both as consumers and detect the faintest of signs that this might industry or coastal tourism, need to producers, then all the smaller towns would be happening a bit, at least around the take a good hard analytical look at benefit immensely. Barnsley, Doncaster, Manchester and Leeds areas. themselves, and objectively articulate what Oldham, Warrington and so on, all stand to is their modern ‘edge’? Feeling sorry for benefit just as much as Manchester itself, “While there remain endless themselves because they have been on the if done properly. This is why, of course, the discussions about what wrong end of major global, and perhaps Northern Powerhouse Rail is so central caused citizens to vote to domestic, forces won’t really succeed. to the concept. And equally importantly is leave the European Union, Trying to position yourself in a different what we used to call the ‘Noyster’ at the it is reasonably clear that it way is the right path. Carlisle I think, Cities Commission: a system for allowing was not led by those living which is very isolated from the major seamless and affordable travel around the in London or other major urban centres of the north, has started Northern Powerhouse. metro areas.” to have some success. It has persuaded There is also the topic of young people policymakers to think of it as being in the from towns that, understandably want I often think, in this regard, the N8 entity, centre of the ‘Borderlands’ area and has to disappear off to universities. If the that informally links the historically regarded managed to attract government funding Northern Powerhouse develops credible best northern English universities, could for some new ideas that go with this. traction, and young ambitious people feel play a much more dynamic and forceful Most recently, Stockport, long a town they can develop a fulfilling and rewarding role in pursuing some related goals for the felt bypassed by Manchester’s success, career, then some of these towns could success of the Northern Powerhouse, and has decided to become more ambitious become the Guildfords of the Northern indirectly and also directly, help more the and has some truly exciting ideas about Powerhouse in the future. Similarly, the towns located nearby. recreating its central areas. I am sure there path of disappearing off to a university, It is undoubtedly tougher for towns must be many others.

Vidhya Alakeson is the Power to the people founding Chief Executive of Power to Change

Empower communities to arrest the decline of our high streets, writes Vidhya Alakeson

n recent years, a series of high-profile for fundamental reform of the system this retail and consumer preferences for more closures has put the decline of the high summer. Clearly, there are big problems locally grounded, independent services and I street firmly in the headlines. The travails with the way the business rates system experiences. We have to move to a new of household names like Debenhams, works – not least the fact that increasingly model in which high streets are places for House of Fraser, Toys R Us, Mothercare, cash-strapped local authorities now greatly us to congregate, to interact and to live and many more have sparked renewed rely on business rates income, meaning our lives – places of entrepreneurialism, interest in what can be done to turnaround any reform would also have to address business and trading, yes – but also places fortunes on the high street, as one in ten issues around local government financing. of citizenship, not just commerce. Central to shops remains vacant. But more significantly, focusing on rates the emergence of this new model is a simple Much of the focus has been on the assumes that the problem we are trying to idea: that communities themselves are best thorny issue of business rates, with more fix is retail. placed to rebuild their high streets. than 50 of Britain’s largest retailers calling We cannot unwind patterns of online Our work at Power to Change in GOING PLACES? 23

Mtaylor848

>> support of community businesses has town centres. In the White Rock area Working together, Kitty’s and Homebaked highlighted the raw economic value of of Hastings, a group of community-led plan to regenerate the whole street which communities taking the lead. Community organisations have between them taken lies between them. businesses can grow the local economy ownership of seven derelict properties from within, harnessing the entrepreneurial over the last five years. One, Rock House, “Empowering communities talents of local people to revitalise the high has already been successfully brought is the most serious thing street. In areas of significant disadvantage back into use as a vibrant and financially we can do in response to and dereliction, a community-led approach viable hub combining a community kitchen, the decline of our high can create a much needed economic work space, community meeting space streets.” turnaround in the absence of significant and affordable housing. The rest will be interest from private developers and reimagined over the next few years to However, a number of barriers get in commercial businesses. Our new research meet the needs of local people, working the way. Rents remain stubbornly high, estimates that there are at least 6,300 in partnership with local independent even where there are large numbers community-owned buildings and green businesses in the White Rock area to of vacant units, locking out community spaces, including a significant number on create mutual benefit. businesses and other locally-minded the high street. Together, they contribute And in Anfield, Homebaked – a organisations which might restore a sense £220 million to UK Gross Value Added. community-led bakery and community of local pride and identity to a place. This And by employing local people and using land trust – now owns the entire derelict would be less of a problem if communities other local businesses in their supply terrace on which the bakery is based and were more often owners on the high chains, 56p of every £1 they spend stays are redeveloping it as a mix of commercial street, but opaque and fragmented in the local economy. space, affordable homes and workspaces. ownership, coupled with financial barriers, There are hundreds of examples of Down the same street, Kitty’s Laundrette makes it a challenge for communities community businesses and other types has recently opened, combining affordable, to shape their own high streets. Finally, of community organisation bringing new environmentally-friendly laundry facilities current approaches to local economic energy and vitality to high streets and with a space for community activities. priority setting means that community GOING PLACES? 24

>> organisations do not have an equal voice There is also a strong case for the to make best use of this fund, the new at the planning table. They are consulted but extension of the Right to Bid under High Streets Task Force should provide are not decision-makers with real influence the Localism Act 2011 to a powerful access to capacity building for community to shape how the high street evolves. new Community Right to Buy. This organisations that successfully secure extension would give specifically defined funding. An additional £10 million should “We have to move to a communities priority rights to buy land in be made available to the High Streets Task new model in which high which they have registered an interest, and Force to provide this support. streets are places for us to a generous window of opportunity to raise congregate, to interact and the funds necessary to meet the price of “To ensure that communities to live our lives – places the land as determined by an independent can play their part, we of entrepreneurialism, valuation. In addition, the new Community need to make it easier for business and trading, Right to Buy should include the right for communities to become yes – but also places communities to force the sale of a building owners and influencers on of citizenship, not just or land if it is in a state of significant the high streets.” commerce.” disrepair or neglect and is contributing to the decline of a neighbourhood. For too long, not just in the high streets To ensure that communities can play To tackle financial barriers to ownership, debate but across the broad sweep of their part, we need to make it easier for Government should earmark £300 million economic regeneration policy, community communities to become owners and of the additional funding announced for empowerment has been seen as a nice thing influencers on the high streets. the Stronger Towns Fund to support to have in addition to the supposedly more To begin with, there are a number community-led organisations to take on serious business of tax reform, Whitehall- of changes that could be made to local buildings and land that matter to them led industrial strategy and so on. In fact, economic planning, such as including in their town centres over the next five empowering communities is the most community representatives in the years. This funding should include initial serious thing we can do in response to the governance of Business Improvement feasibility funding, capital funding for decline of our high streets. Because when Districts and ensuring technical support for building purchase and, critically, revenue people take real control over the places neighbourhood planning extends to cover funding to support the early running costs where they live, that is when genuinely town centre vitality. of the building. To support communities transformative change can take place.

Nicola Yates OBE is Cities of the future the CEO of Connected Places Catapult

The best way to future-proof our cities is to make them adaptable and responsive, argues Nicola Yates OBE

ities are shaped by complex, by adaptability. Luckily, the very forces Keynes, who could think of little else, often competing, local, national driving the transformation of our cities and developers and planning officers are often C and global forces. That makes towns also offer the tools needed to enable making decisions about tomorrow based it hard for place leaders, both public and such adaptability. on today’s ideas. Of course, the best private, to accurately predict and plan for From the winding pedestrian lanes planners and developers do consider the the forces that shape our streets, towns of Brighton, conceived by people who future, but in doing so they face an uphill and cities – especially when trying to look never imagined the need to make space struggle. In a rapidly changing world, further ahead than a few years. Successful for ‘horseless carriages’, to the planners anyone making decisions about something future cities will therefore be characterised behind the likes of Swindon and Milton as complex as a city must channel GOING PLACES? 25

>> their inner mystic when developing Which brings us to predictable fruits of innovation, the Connected Places and evaluating plans – considering not behaviour – a trend grounded in the ever- Catapult is working with place leaders just one set of trends, but a complex growing bank of data about how people, and private firms across the UK to support interplay of different possible futures that vehicles and goods move through cities, local authorities engage the market with intersect and overlap. and the increasingly intelligent algorithms confidence, and with the private sector At the Connected Places Catapult, which can sift valuable insights from that to help firms develop and demonstrate the UK government-backed centre of data. Such analysis allows for complex solutions to the pressing needs of buyers. excellence for innovation in mobility and urban modelling and more accurate In particular, we have been working with the built environment, we see four key insights into how cities function today planning authorities and developers technology-enabled trends which are and how they might work tomorrow. Since to catalyse an urgent upgrade in the shaping towns and cities by redefining 2007, Google has provided live traffic UK’s planning sector. This ‘PlanTech’ our collective relationship with the built information in its wayfinding apps to help revolution has seen firms large and small environment, the economy and each other. users avoid congested areas of the city in applying data analysis, augmented reality, The first of these trends, ‘Space-as- real-time. This year, CrimeRadar launched machine learning and a range of other a-Service’, has emerged from the recent in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, using machine- digital technologies to bring land use shift in the way the commercial real estate learning to predict where and when crime and transport planning into the twenty- industry provides products and services to is likely to occur. Drawing on five years of first century, reducing risk and therefore tenants, transforming their role from rent crime data and 14 million crimes provided cost for developers, driving efficiency collectors to service providers. In short, by the state police, every part of the city in planning services and delivering it is the change from accessing space is now rated. Meanwhile, academics transparency for the public. With our help, through ownership or long-term rent, to a at University College London and the many of these once futuristic products are model where space is something we can Centric Lab are looking at how cutting on the market today to help place leaders access when and where we want. This edge neuroscience data can be integrated make smarter choices that will stand the trend can be seen across UK cities, from to models to improve the fidelity of test of time. Box Park’s ‘meanwhile use’ retail centres behavioural predictions still further. to WeWork’s co-working spaces, The Advances in data analysis and “Just as we are using tech Collective’s co-living spaces and peer-to- monitoring are not limited to things that to find our way through peer home sharing platforms like AirBnB. move. They are also being applied to the the city, it is tracking These businesses represent a distinct built environment itself to create intelligent our movement as well – shift towards the agile optimisation of infrastructure. From sensors threaded generating valuable new space and services within cities. throughout the London Underground data, but also raising Moving on to the theme of augmented which enable predictive maintenance questions about individual and navigable space, the emergence of and reduced management costs, to the privacy and public trust.” services like Google Lens and Google proliferation of smart metres which will Map Augmented Reality (AR) means enable more dynamic energy networks Looking ahead, the next level of our experience of the world around us (‘smart grids’), infrastructure and the innovation will see whole infrastructure is increasingly mediated through digital services they support are becoming more systems and the places they support filters, adding a new layer of information responsive and resilient. reproduced in the form of ‘digital to our everyday lives. With the rollout of For both city managers and private twins’ – incredibly sophisticated virtual ‘smart street furniture’ like BT’s InLink UK developers, staying ahead of the models which can be used to test pods, which serve advertisements and innovation curve is as essential as it is proposed changes before making costly hyperlocal content tailored to individual challenging. Places that plan for and interventions in the real world. Combining passers-by, soon everyone will have a city harness innovative connected places dynamic data about fixed assets like experience unique to themselves. Just as technologies are likely to reap benefits in buildings, transport infrastructure and we are using tech to find our way through terms of economic productivity, prosperity utilities networks with real time and the city, it is tracking our movement as and citizen satisfaction, while those which modelled data about the movement of well – generating valuable new data, but fail to adapt to the changing world may fall people and goods through the space, also raising questions about individual behind. these digital twins will be an essential tool privacy and public trust. To ensure that more places enjoy the for city managers of the future. GOING PLACES? 26

Alister Scott is a Tightening our green belts Professor of Environmental Geography at Northumbria University Professor Alister Scott outlines how the green belt can transform cities as well as protect them

ngland’s green belts are viewed help deliver the 300,000 homes per year significant as planning policy for green by some as one of the great that Government estimates we now need. infrastructure is framed more positively as E policy successes of the twentieth an environmental, social and economic century. Established in 1955, in response “We need to move away asset in terms of the multiple benefits it can to concerns at the scale of urban from viewing green belt deliver. development in the interwar period, simply as a constraint to With criticism of green belt evident from today’s green belts represent about 13% development and growth multiple interests, it is timely to rethink of England. to viewing it as a green what and who the green belt is for and how Under current national planning policy asset that delivers multiple it might be managed to become a more guidance, there are five purposes for benefits.” productive space. green belt land: to check the unrestricted Green belts typically surround the sprawl of large built-up areas; prevent Meanwhile, environmental environs of a city to prevent sprawl. This neighbouring towns merging into one commentators, pointing to the need for imposes a one-size-fits-all solution, where another; assist in safeguarding the actions to address environmental crises in the multiple benefits of green space, such countryside; preserve the special character climate change and biodiversity, argue that as recreation, health and well-being, are of historic towns; and assist in urban green belts could play a more positive role. most accessible to those who live nearby regeneration, by encouraging the recycling Furthermore, they offer significant potential or can readily travel. Other countries such of derelict and other urban land. to deliver UN Sustainable Development as Denmark have adopted a more inclusive Goals which the UK government has ‘green fingers’ approach that enables more “So in reframing the green signed up to. However, current policy lacks people to benefit from access to the green belt, we need to keep the any explicit mechanisms for such proactive belt. These ‘fingers’ extend right into the ‘protect’ function but add a land management. heart of the city, thereby helping address new ‘transform’ function.” Additionally, there is criticism from lack of access to green space within the national and local campaign groups who urban core which is a key problem in many These purposes have been translated see current protection for green belt as of our UK cities, particularly in the most into a strong presumption against inadequate, with a continual ‘nibbling’ away deprived areas. development within the recently revised at its boundaries. Green belt boundaries, however, must National Planning Policy Framework Finally, there is a hidden problem respect local context, peoples’ needs (NPPF). Thus, changes to green belt related to the way the NPPF treats green and priorities and whilst checking sprawl boundaries are only allowed in exceptional belt policy separately from policy for should remain a key function of green belt, circumstances and very special green infrastructure. In the green belt other twenty-first century priorities need circumstances for individual planning chapter there is no reference to green to be added. In particular, the climate applications. infrastructure; yet, within the 12 English emergency represents a key opportunity for Such a strong presumption against cities where green belt exists, it forms the a more explicit positive land management development in major cities across England majority of the green infrastructure network. focus for delivery of multiple environmental has led to sustained criticism of green belt The lack of explicit recognition of this dual benefits, transforming the green belt policy by leading housebuilders and think role in national and, indeed, local policy from a constraint to an asset for positive tanks. Many argue for selective green belt reflects a wider problem of dis-integrated interventions. releases, primarily near railway stations to development in planning policy. This is Designing and delivering successful GOING PLACES? 27

>> places represents a key challenge as assessments of green belt to draw upon conservation or access provisions that we tend to work in policy and sectoral here which represents a key evidence gap. relate to green belt purposes. Additionally, silos most of the time. For example, current Evidently, we need to change how better use of existing planning tools such housing policy is often framed with meeting our green belts are viewed and used in as the Community Infrastructure Levy, tax a target of 300,000 new homes built. But policy and practice and male them more incremental financing and Section 106 we need to build houses that have good productive spaces. But how can this be agreements could also help investment in community and environmental infrastructure achieved? these spaces. to enable them to become ‘homes’ within First, a new statutory purpose for green sustainable communities. Green belts are belt needs to be added, reflecting its role “The multiple benefits of core ingredients to help this transformation. as an opportunity space for climate change green space, such as Here, innovative standards frameworks, and wider environmental growth. recreation, health and well- such as Building with Nature, help mediate Second, the green belt needs to be being, are most accessible these tensions within more holistic reframed explicitly within guidance as green to those who live nearby or considerations of places, raising the infrastructure. Integrating these two policy can readily travel.” standards of green infrastructure. agendas is important to better realise the So in reframing the green belt, we need multiple benefits that green belts can and Finally, and perhaps most importantly, to keep the ‘protect’ function but add a should provide. we need to move away from viewing green new ‘transform’ function. This enables more Third, green belt needs to have belt simply as a constraint to development innovation in addressing climate change dedicated delivery mechanisms to enable and growth to viewing it as a green asset and biodiversity crises, but as an integral these changes to happen. For example, that delivers multiple benefits. Such an part of city living. Using natural capital a dedicated green belt stewardship argument in the green belt debate will accounts, the value of green belt can be scheme could be designed. This enable it to become a more radical and captured to challenge those interests who could be along the lines of countryside innovative place making tool that can see green belt as redundant space. Indeed, stewardship, whereby grants are available become part of the solution to many of our there are no dedicated natural capital for landowners to undertake positive key urban problems.

Paul de Zylva is the Greener, wilder, healthier Chair of the National Park City Foundation

Paul De Zylva sets out how our cities can become more sustainable

oon after London regained strategic commercial fisheries in the Thames Estuary. environment could be a new economic government – the Greater London driver and a force for better city living. S Authority with an elected Mayor – a “Too many town centres Looking back, most of what was called report called Making London Work made are characterised by trees for in the report has come to pass: well the economic and social case for London stuck in concrete and designed, higher density residences having a better environment. amenity grass and planting in mixed development in and around That 2001 report covered the usual of low nature value. Yes, London’s town centres; reduced need urban topics – transport, waste and these may be easy to to travel by private car because of real housing – and posed new thinking on maintain, but they do little choice for would-be walkers and bikers; fledgling eco-technologies and industries, or nothing to help nature.” investment in clean energy production and urban food growing and even maintenance consumption with clean, safe renewable of the urban realm and the potential for Making London Work said London’s tech incorporated into regeneration and GOING PLACES? 28

>> construction projects; intensive to fall off the spec for their latest grand recycling strategy with a focus on re- project. use and repair; making London a hub for Superficiality aside, this may point to a eco-industries and entrepreneurs; and, greater desire to make places better and integrating nature into spaces and places multi-functional. Just as people want more where people live and work. control over their workspace, they want to Many UK cities have transformed since more say over the spaces and places where 2001 – including London – but many of they live, work and pass through. the challenges remain the same – creating People value their green spaces and quality skilled work, dealing with waste, – if we needed to have it made plain for housing and getting to work on time. Now, us – the evidence is that urban greening with a majority of the world population provides us with multiple benefits for being urban dwellers, cities can and must free. The economists have figured that be a powerhouse for real progress, not just London’s ‘urban forest’ provides annual on those age-old challenges but on the benefits worth over £132 million. The next big ‘new’ challenges we face: an unstable time you pass an urban tree and green climate and an eroded natural world. space, say “thanks” for their help cleaning Even in the online era, cities are unique our air, preventing flooding, cooling the convenors of the professionals who can city, boosting health and recreation, and innovate and find solutions, and do so avoiding costs to the NHS. even in the absence of proper central For good measure, in its City Health government action and leadership, although Check report, the Royal Institute of British it would help enormously. Architects examined how design can save The future will not be shaped by one lives and money and found numerous person or profession; it requires the many examples of health and well-being benefits minds inhabiting cities: the designers, of nature and good planning in urban areas. designers, architects, planners and architects, planners, surveyors, landscape The report also linked the lack of quality master planners are starting to get this. architects, engineers, horticulturists and green space to the rising prevalence of But they are few and far between and too gardeners, and the skilled contractors who obesity and illness, including diabetes. many in the planning and construction then manage and maintain the urban realm. For now, too many town centres are sector are stuck doing the same things They can design, build and maintain characterised by trees stuck in concrete that perpetuates the same old problems, the quality affordable housing and the and amenity grass and planting of low leading to ‘business as usual’. multi-functional places and spaces we all nature value. Yes, these may be easy to need nearby. They can keep us safe from maintain, but they do little or nothing to help “Green walls and bee overheating, from extremes of drought and nature and will do nothing to help cities hives on the green roof flooding, and they can make energy use curb climate change’s worst effects. can be great if done clean and affordable. They can extend our Another characteristic is over- properly, but they can choices about how to get about, including development, where schemes overreach to also be superficial while to access real nature, not artificial grass, in grab land for security or other reasons, like clients allow important our streets and localities. a castle with a moat. London’s Docklands energy standards and This is the new city challenge in a is a classic case of over-reach of concrete, other ‘must haves’ to fall carbon constrained and nature deficient glass, steel and hard surfacing over all off the spec for their world. Currently, the greening of existing other considerations. Those parcels of land latest grand project.” towns and cities can appear trendy and could be better used for multifunctional a superficial passing phase. Green walls open nature and play spaces – softening As the world’s first National Park City, and bee hives on the green roof can be the urban landscape while building London is opening up rich conversations great if done properly, but they can also in resilience to urban threats such as about life in cities and how things can be be superficial while clients allow important excessive heat and flooding. if we started to view cities as living entities energy standards and other ‘must haves’ Some of the better developers, – cities for people and nature alike.

The Centre Write interview: Shaun Bailey AM

Anvar Sarygulov and Sam Robinson sit down with the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London to discuss community, housing and conservatism

“ We have an environment in London where people at the top have done so much of passing the buck. They haven’t taken responsibility. They’ve made so many election pledges and broken them all. Of course people don’t trust.” THE CENTRE WRITE INTERVIEW 31

There’s a big debate on the centre-right now about whether the priority should be strengthening community or championing freedom. Which do you think the Conservative Party should prioritise?

I don’t think you need to do one or the other, you can definitely do two. There is no doubt that conservatism is about freedom. If there is a human right in the world, that’s probably number one – to be free.

But it’s more than just human rights. You can do more for your community if you are free, where community is understood in the broadest sense from your economic output to helping your mother. Freedom is directly linked to creativity, and it is creativity that solves the challenges of mankind, anything from who and how do you love to penicillin.

Freedom is important, but of course so is community, since we live and grow in communities. The wickedest thing you can do to a person is force them to be in isolation, so the single best thing you can do is put them in a community.

If you are talking about the difference between freedom and overbearing state, that’s a different question to answer, but a community for me is freedom. Diversity, community – they are freedom.”

“ I’m desperate to have a multicultural identity for London that isn’t based on guilt or a box-ticking exercise. That’s actually based on acceptance, not just tolerance.”

London seems to be full of ambitious, freedom-loving people – migrants from other parts of the UK and abroad. Does this undermine a sense of community in London?

When you talk about community there’s a few things I’d say. Firstly, most if not all people are a member of more than one community. And that is a beneficial thing, so I’m a member of a professional community – mine happens to be people who work in youth work. I’ve been a member of that community for over 25 years. I’m a member of another community, those who physically live on my road.

The challenge is that we have always been a tale of two cities and it’s getting worse. People who do not feel safe, and there are whole communities who are under the threat of violent crime. People who cannot afford their rent, people who travel such long distances to work and not through choice.

So the idea that it’s a challenge between the haves and have-nots, the socially liberal and free, and the socially downtrodden and trapped, there is some truth in that. But I see the job of the London Mayor to deliver – and when you deliver on housing, on safety, on transport, you break down those barriers and truly make London open. THE CENTRE WRITE INTERVIEW 32

>> Bright Blue research recently showed that the 10 local open if you’re keeping us separate? You can separate us in authorities with the lowest levels of neighborhood trust in many ways, by race, class, gender, sexuality, and too much of England are all in London. Why do you think this is the case? that has played out in the last 15 years. I’m desperate to have a multicultural identity for London that isn’t based on guilt or a The first thing I’d point out is that I bet that closely corresponds box-ticking exercise. That’s actually based on acceptance, not with the highest incidence of crime and antisocial behaviour. Let’s just tolerance. be clear, if you are under attack from knife crime, burglary, robbery, rape, you don’t trust easily.

The other thing, as well, is that we have an environment in London “ The idea that it’s a where people at the top have done so much of passing the buck. challenge between They haven’t taken responsibility. They’ve made so many election pledges and broken them all. Of course people don’t trust. That the haves and have- doesn’t surprise me at all. nots, the socially liberal

Some people claim that gentrification in London is and free, and the a form of ‘social cleansing’, or at least that working socially downtrodden class communities are being priced out of the area. Is and trapped, there is gentrification a problem? some truth in that.” Gentrification has always been a problem for London in some senses, but of course it’s also meant that huge parts of London have been repaired, modernised, made better. My response to What do you think is the main cause of the housing crisis gentrification is to make sure you defend any indigenous community in London? but never stop people in the community having the ambition to move. They may want to move away. One of the important things It’s just a failure to build over the years. In the last 10-20 years about British life is that middle classes follow the jobs, they live we’ve probably welcomed two million extra people to London and where they want to live, they move across the country, and you we’ve only built 200,000 dwellings. We simply have not kept up. must always have that as an option for people. London is booming now, but people forget that there was a point when London was emptying out. So people didn’t foresee that it But my policy response for that is that in any redevelopment of social would fill back up at such a rate. housing, you must give the residents the right to return. I would give the legal right, as far as I could give it as the Mayor, to return. The real response now is to build appropriate development in the right places across London, link it with transport links as well. That’s In the past, you have been sceptical of multiculturalism. Is why I’ve proposed Housing for London to collate together all of this still the case? the plans the Mayor currently has and spend the money he’s been given by central government – a record amount I might add – to What I was sceptical of is the multiculturalism that the political deliver. So what you’re looking at is a Macmillan-esque, centralised, Left was trying to sell to us 10-15 years ago, which is about City Hall-backed housing provider with one focus only – to deliver working on everybody’s differences – so you’re white, I’m black, housing at the scale that Londoners need. Where they need it, he’s Chinese, and we’re not the same, and forcing us apart. I’m when they need it and in what form they need it. more interested in is how you get people together. I’ve done lots of community work over my time and I always start with what are What do you think is the role of social housing in the similarities we have. You don’t need me to tell you that we are addressing London’s housing needs? more similar than we are different, but our differences are very important to us and they’re often played out in the wrong way As someone who was born in social housing and lived in it all his that pushes apart. life, I am testament to the importance of it. I would always build a lot of social housing, there’s no doubt in anybody’s mind that we need That’s why you’ve heard me challenge the idea. Is London really it. But there’s a very large number of people who are not eligible for THE CENTRE WRITE INTERVIEW 33

>> social housing who also have a dire housing need. One of the name, shame and blacklist them. chief mistakes that the current Mayor has made has been to remove the target for family housing. If you have any chance of starting a I’m also very up for doing something about longer tenancies. If you family in London, he’s just made it significantly more expensive. talk to the best landlords, they actually want people to have long tenancies. I also have a desire to figure out a ‘London mortgage’, If you look at some people who work for the police force, say, or a because if you speak to people who pay rent, they pay rent at often nurse, who probably wouldn’t be eligible for social housing, but still above the level that the mortgage would cost. I think you should be have a dire housing need. So I’d always build social housing first, able to use that as a record, a reference as to why you could afford but we have to build across the piece and not just in one sector. a mortgage. I’m trying to do a study into that now. If an insurance And, of course, the part of me that is conservative, and likes the company would underwrite it, is there any way City Hall could back idea of wealth creation and of passing wealth on, likes the idea of it financially, if it is legally possible? people owning. it isn’t just me who likes that idea – if you survey Londoners, they like the idea as well. Other than Brexit, why do you think the Conservatives have struggled in London in recent years? Part of your housing pitch is to ‘protect London’s character’ when building new homes. What is London’s character? What’s very interesting is when you campaign, people talk about a Conservative Party you just don’t recognise. People talk about a What makes London’s character is just how green it is. Of all the party for the rich, people talk about selfishness. I’m having to say major cities in the world this is the greenest by far, so we need to them, we have an NHS that’s worked because the Conservative to protect our green belt, our public open spaces and our parks. Party put more money in it than the Labour Party ever have. Running I know we have enough brownfield sites to really make a dent in the economy properly has meant we’ve been able to keep it going. our housing problem, and that’s why the Mayor’s ban on building on brownfield sites to me is just amazing. What I would be People talk about helping the poor. The single biggest help to doing is an audit of all strategic industrial land in London; which the poor is employment. The Conservatives have consistently parts do we accelerate and make more, which parts do we do provided employment to the poorest parts of the country, including something else with. London, whereas Labour Governments have consistently left more unemployment than they found. London has always been interwoven with logistics and strategic places to do business and we need to maintain that. But we also The other thing that conservatives need to be much bolder about need to protect our green belt. There’s a temptation for councils to is talking about other communities that they’re not from: going to constantly put in planning permission to build on the green belt, and those communities, making friends, showing people that actually we want to defend London from that. our values around freedom, dignity, family, religious freedom, all of those things, are important and ring home universally. The other thing is about the London vernacular – what does it actually look like? London is going to need greater density. But you How can the Conservatives win a majority at the next can disguise density, you can make it much more pleasant than by election? just building massive skyscrapers. Do you put 10% on the height of everything or 150% on the height of things in the wrong place, By being open, pragmatic, certain about what they believe, which is currently the case? demonstrating to the country that we are not the Conservative Party that the Labour Party would have you believe. What we There’s already been some action from the Conservative have to point out is that the Labour Party has become selfish Government on helping private tenants: agency fees have and navel-gazing. It’s an expression of the most selfish sort of been banned and there is an ongoing consultation on the individualism dressed up in cuddly warm clothes; it is not for abolition of Section 21. Do you think there is more to be done poor people. to help renters, especially as there are so many in London? The reason the freedom and the community of the Conservative Ultimately the best thing you can do is get more properties to Party is important is because it’s trying to give power to the rent. The better the supply, the better the cost is. I think we need individual and their communities. A big government run by Labour to look at supporting local authorities to find rogue landlords – is deaf. It’s just going to be horrific for the poorest people. BRIGHT BLUE POLITICS 34

The Rt Hon David Why I’m a Bright Blue MP Lidington MP was the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of Modern conservatism must embrace overlapping identities and champion the Duchy of Lancaster respectful debate, writes the Rt Hon David Lidington MP

he philosopher Michael Oakeshott alcohol misuse, gang crime, educational make devolution work. wrote that conservatism was not an underachievement, poor employment T ideology but an attitude: a sceptical prospects – will require sustained effort over “Conservatives understand disposition towards grand plans to remake years and effective cooperation between that no slogan or sound society, coupled with respect for time-tested different Whitehall departments. If we are bite can do justice to the institutions and traditions. Today I would to live up to our vision of the Conservative complexity of lived human add that Conservatives understand that no Party as the national party, we have to place experience.” slogan or sound bite can do justice to the social policy at the heart of our priorities. complexity of lived human experience. Second, liberal conservatives respect Third, the most noxious trend in politics and celebrate the fact that many people in the last few years has been the growth “A liberal conservative take pride in multiple identities. of intolerance towards people who knows that you can Millions of our fellow citizens think hold different views. Social media has disagree with someone, of themselves as British while at the aggravated this trend in two ways. It is now on Europe or anything same time taking great pride in their easy to assemble a media schedule and a else, without using terms Indian, Pakistani or Polish heritage. My network of contacts composed exclusively like ‘traitor’ or ‘betrayal’.” constituents from those communities see of people who agree with you. Add to no contradiction between those different that the fact that there are sadly too many I’ve been a member of the Conservative identities and nor should any Conservative. who online will employ vitriolic, aggressive Party for nearly 45 years. During that time, An understanding of and respect language that they would never use in my views on particular issues have changed for overlapping identities is key to the conversation or in an old-fashioned letter. in light of my own experience and changes successful integration of an increasingly A liberal conservative knows that you in our society. Overall though, the ten diverse country. can disagree with someone, on Europe principles for which Bright Blue stands sum Edmund Burke understood this more than or anything else, without using terms like up pretty well my own approach to politics. 200 years ago. His famous passage about the “traitor” or “betrayal”. Crude analogies Today, I’d single out three reasons to importance of the ‘little platoons’ saw them as between the European Union and the explain why I describe myself as a liberal part of a bigger pattern of social institutions. In USSR or Nazi Germany insult democratic Conservative. his words, they were “the first link in the series Europe and belittle the horror of those two First, there is an urgent need to heal by which we proceed towards a love to our twentieth century regimes. divisions within our country and in much of country and to mankind.” Whether the controversy is about the western world. It’s now commonplace to The question of identity also lies at the Europe or anything else, violent language say that the 2016 EU referendum revealed heart of the Conservative Party’s response and the bitter disparaging of opponents how some towns and villages and some parts to the challenge of separatism. drives good people (of both left and right) of society felt utterly alienated, not just from I believe that the survival of the Union out of politics and adds to public alienation parliamentary and council politics, but from will depend in large part on people feeling from democratic institutions. any sense that the country works for them. confident that they can be patriotically Being able to disagree vehemently with This won’t be easy. Nor are there Scots or Welsh and yet also proud of being opponents in a spirit of mutual respect is instant answers. An effective response part of a United Kingdom in which those a hallmark of a self-confident democracy. to the kind of social challenges which lie ancient national identities are respected It’s time for the Conservative Party and our behind that public disaffection – drug and and we are seen to be doing our utmost to country to relearn that lesson. BRIGHT BLUE POLITICS 35

Sam Robinson is a Research update Researcher at Bright Blue and Editor of Centre Write

Sam Robinson updates us on Bright Blue’s research programme

he last few months in politics it also revealed much deeper issues: cross-party consensus on pensions policy, have been a rollercoaster, to young adults think Britain is divided, its especially on auto-enrolment, reforms to T say the least. With the drama in politicians are terrible, and stress that they pensions tax relief and ending the triple Westminster unfolding in spectacular need help with affordable housing. These lock. This latest project will therefore ask fashion over the summer, pragmatic and are fundamental, long-term challenges whether this consensus provides fertile workable policies are needed now more that will not go away once Brexit is done. ground for creating an arms-length body than ever. Our most recent report, Emission on pensions. impossible? examined the sources of, “With a raft of intriguing impacts of and attitudes towards air “With the drama in projects lined up, Bright pollution in the UK. As well as showing Westminster unfolding Blue will continue to the enormous consequences of air in spectacular fashion contribute to the political pollution, the report suggested a range over the summer, world beyond Brexit of measures to tackle it. These include pragmatic and workable through original and timely ending the current fuel duty freeze, policies are needed now evidence-based policies.” introducing a citizen-based reporting more than ever.” scheme to strengthen the enforcement The team at Bright Blue has continued of anti-idling measures, and exempting Bright Blue Scotland will also conduct to put forward influential research output the purchasing of ultra-low emission analysis of original polling on attitudes to with the publication of two new reports. In vehicles from VAT. The report made twelve social security reform in Scotland, which will July, we published Distant neighbours?, recommendations overall, and received inform future policies north of the border. which argued for a new approach to social extensive media coverage. Meanwhile, our energy and environment integration. It recommended introducing team are busy working on a new manifesto a new definition and measure of social “Young adults think Britain for conservation. The project will look at integration that takes into account is divided, its politicians ways in which urban, rural, marine and levels of neighbourhood trust, ethnic are terrible, and stress international environments can be better diversity and residential segregation. The that they need help with protected and outline how this can be report also proposed several policies to affordable housing. These done through a series of credible centre- strengthen social integration, including are fundamental, long-term right policy recommendations. incentivising schools to participate in challenges that will not go Brexit still towers over British politics, school linking programmes and boosting away once Brexit is done.” and will continue to drown out other English for Speakers of Other Languages policy issues for the foreseeable future. (ESOL) courses. Looking ahead, Bright Blue’s key But the need for thinking about other Ahead of our annual conference in July, focus with regards to social policy will be issues, from social cohesion to welfare we also conducted polling to capture a working with the centre-left think tank, to the environment, has not disappeared. snapshot of young adults’ attitudes to the Fabian Society, to examine the case With a raft of intriguing projects lined up, public policy, the Conservatives and the for an independent pensions commission Bright Blue will continue to contribute to overall state of Britain. The results showed and what one could look like in practice. the political world beyond Brexit through that, like the majority of UK adults, young Previous Bright Blue research with the original and timely evidence-based adults want to see Brexit resolved. But Fabian Society has found a great deal of policies. ARTS & BOOKS 36

ARTS & BOOKS

Diane Banks is a Women of Westminster Non-executive Director of Bright Blue and By Rachel Reeves MP CEO of Northbank Talent Management

here have been 491 women elected Act is the only notable ‘women’s’ legislation that Eleanor Rathbone’s 1924 book The to Parliament to date, but it wasn’t advocated by a man. It’s unsettling to Disinherited Family heavily influenced the T until 2016 that the number of consider that it is primarily women who Beveridge Report. women ever elected equalled the number of have pushed for social reform – issues It sometimes frustrates me that female male MPs in a single parliament. In Women that, naturally, should be of concern to writers of non-fiction tend only to write of Westminster, Rachel Reeves – Labour everyone. Indeed, a key theme of the book about female subjects and topics, as it MP for Leeds West and former Bank of is the extent to which women’s issues have plays into the assumption that that is what England economist – has complied a typically been cross-party: Nancy Astor and they are ‘supposed’ to do. However, it’s comprehensive history and analysis of the Ellen Wilkinson became lifelong friends, clear that this works both ways: male diverse range of women who have served despite opposite backgrounds and parties, writers are not giving prominence to these in Parliament over the last 100 years, from with Astor calling for a women’s party as pivotal figures in history. I will look forward those who initially took over their seats early as the 1920s, though interestingly this to seeing what Rachel Reeves tackles from their husbands (Nancy Astor and the met resistance from working-class women next, and to more books from writers of Duchess of Atholl) to pioneering working- who also identified strongly with class. both sexes on representatives from the class women such as Ellen Wilkinson and Women of Westminster is an important other half of the population who have been Alice Bacon, and professional women like addition to an emerging canon of books instrumental in shaping the world as we Edith Summerskill. which bring to light the virtual erasure know it. From the outset, female MPs have of prominent women from history: Sonia rightly fought not to be seen as a subset, Purnell’s biography of Clementine Churchill, with Nancy Astor declaring that she Anne de Courcy on Margot Asquith, Sophy “didn’t believe in sexes or classes” and Ridge’s The Women Who Shaped Politics, Ellen Wilkinson’s retort that “I am not various books about Ada Lovelace’s a lady – I am a Member of Parliament” contribution to science, and I would also when an attempt was made to prevent add Mary Lovell’s excellent 2005 biography her from entering the smoking room in of Bess of Hardwick, which showed 1924. Nevertheless, most female MPs us that Bess was one of the UK’s most identified with the feminist cause and are prominent entrepreneurs, not just the wife mostly known for their advocating of issues of various rich men. Reeves speculates pertaining to women and the family, from that Edith Summerskill (a doctor, MP and Eleanor Rathbone’s family allowance in housewife) was sidelined by Nye Bevan 1924, Margaret Wintringham and Nancy because he worried she would upstage Astor’s work on the guardianship of children her on the day of the introduction of the in the 1920s, Edith Summerskill’s campaign NHS, resulting in “the virtual erasure of for clean milk and attempt to push a child (her) role from history.” We forget that the maintenance bill in 1952 to Barbara war government included Jennie Adamson, Women of Westminster, Castle’s 1970 Equal Pay Act, Margaret Florence Horsburgh and Ellen Wilkinson; Rachel Reeves; Beckett’s Minimum Wage Bill and Harriet that Ellen Wilkinson was a co-author of I.B. Tauris; Harman’s New Deal for Lone Parents (both Labour’s 1945 manifesto and made the 320 pages (Hardcover). 1997). Indeed, David Steel’s 1967 Abortion opening conference speech that year, and Published 7 March 2019. ARTS & BOOKS 37

Anvar Sarygulov is a Dignity: Seeking respect Researcher at Bright Blue in back row America and Editor of Centre Write By Chris Arnade

he seismic political events of to gain at least some understanding of their are not without issues. His analysis, where recent years across the West thinking and their lives. it is apparent, has a tendency to ignore the T have left many people confused Arnade, as someone who was born in historical context. This is most apparent and befuddled. In response, many have a declining town himself and escaped it with his discussion of racism, where his attempted to explain why these things by going to university, identifies education linking of such attitudes only to the current have happened and far too often such as the key dividing line. The ‘front row’ of context fails to take into account the long explanations are simplistic and attempt to America, who are mobile, metropolitan and complex history of race relations in US. comfort the reader, rather than confront and have little time for faith, have little But this is not a book that tries to them with the realities of today. Dignity, understanding of the importance of place, provide watertight analysis. It is first and without trying to, provides one of the most community and religion for those in the foremost a window into a fragment of powerful insights into why things are going ‘back row’. Yet, in the declining towns, society from which people who read the way they are. where factories have closed, bright political books tend to be completely youngsters leave on their eighteenth divorced. To make them pause and think “It is first and foremost a birthday and deprivation dominates, they about the divides of today not through window into a fragment of are the only things left to give people clinical quantitative analysis, but through society from which people dignity. raw experience. In this goal, the book who read political books Though the author only travels across succeeds absolutely. tend to be completely the US, the insights gained do not only divorced.” apply there. The rusting industrial towns of Midwest and the abandoned mining Chris Arnade’s journey to write the book communities of West Virginia echo the North is in itself revealing. A successful bond and the Valleys here in Britain. The opioid trader with a PhD in physics, he quit his job crisis that now engulfs the US is already to photograph and wander the roughest starting to emerge in the UK, if one were to parts of New York. There, he started to talk bother to look at our prescription statistics. to the people who live there and recorded And the divide between those who have their experience without judgement and degrees, and those who do not, resonates in with a great degree of empathy. our politics and society just as strongly. The book, despite its brevity, is an It is important to note that despite the arduous read. Each chapter documents a context, the book itself is not about Trump. neighbourhood in America and the people Arnade travels to some communities who live there, through photographs of which are predominantly African American them and in verbatim re-telling of their or Latino, while others are mixed or have stories. They are stories of hardship, of mostly white residents. The key political Dignity: Seeking respect addiction, of desperation. Of places which sentiment, across all of them, is apathy in back row America, have been declining for decades and and hopelessness. Mentions of Obama Chris Arnade; forgotten by most. It is impossible not to and Trump are primarily coloured by their Sentinel; emphasise with the dozens of people that potential to disrupt the status quo. 304 pages (Hardcover). Arnade has encountered along the way, not Arnade’s observations, though powerful, Published 6 June 2019. ARTS & BOOKS 38

Learned optimism Patrick Hall is a Researcher at By Professor Martin Seligman Bright Blue

n Professor Seligman’s 2006 book, he He also shows how pessimism is a likely optimism be measured, and furthermore, unearths why optimists lead happier, cause of depression. At the crux of it is the how can it be measured in historical figures I healthier, more successful lives than idea that pessimists will believe that nothing and those who have already deceased, pessimists. Seligman explains how the two they do will change anything. such as politicians from the early 1900s? Is mindsets are learned attitudes, and what The book touches on sports, showing it optimism that contributes to success, or one can do to become an optimist. that athletes and teams which were is it something else in which optimism is a Seligman draws upon decades of his measured to be more optimistic performed contributing factor? research in the field of positive psychology better. He measures the optimism of These were all questions which played to explain why some people go through life Olympians and baseball teams, then on my mind. Having now read the book, I seemingly better than others, drawing the highlights the connection between can confidently say that any doubts I had evidence-backed conclusion that they are optimism and sporting success. prior to reading it have been extinguished. It indeed optimists. This same connection rings true for is difficult to make the case for Seligman’s employee performance in the workplace. research methods and conclusions in a “All I can suggest is that Seligman’s study with insurance giant, synopsis such as this. All I can suggest if you are curious about Metropolitan, showed that optimism scores is that if you are curious about positive positive psychology and of sales employees were a more accurate psychology and want to enrich your own want to enrich your own indicator of employee success than skills- life, pick up the book and read it. life, pick up the book and based testing. The more optimistic the read it.” employee was, the better they performed. He does, however, recognise that not all He states that optimism and pessimism professions would benefit from an optimistic are ‘explanatory styles’; the way in which explanatory style. In the cases of roles which we explain negative events that happen to involve a greater deal of risk with more us. When experiencing a negative event, serious consequences should something go Seligman highlights the three ways in which wrong, such as a pilot, optimism is not the optimists and pessimists differ. appropriate explanatory style. First, optimists see negative events Somewhat controversially, Seligman as temporary, pessimists as permanent. makes the claim that the more optimistic Second, optimists consider negative you are, the healthier you will be. He draws events as specific to a situation, pessimists on studies which show that cell-mediated consider them as part of a broader pattern. immunity was higher in individuals who were Third, optimists see negative events optimistic, when compared with pessimists, as having an external cause, whereas and even showed that cancer patients with a pessimists see themselves as the problem. more optimistic explanatory style lived longer. Learned optimism: how to change your Seligman describes how your When hearing about this book and mind and your life; explanatory style is predominantly learnt before reading it, I approached it with a Martin E.P. Seligman; from your parents and teachers at a young fair degree of scepticism. Are Seligman’s Vintage; age. As both styles are learnt, they can be clinical experiments robust enough to 319 pages (Paperback). unlearnt and relearnt. reliably draw these conclusions? How can Published 3 January 2006.

Centre Write Autumn 2019

On the home front

David Lidington MP | Shaun Bailey AM | Lord ONeill | Mary Dejevsky