Labour civil struggle erupts as housing minister sparks fury in leaked file | Politics | News | EUROtoday

A leaked file has revealed that Labour’s personal pro-housing caucus condemned the now-housing minister for siding with anti-building lobbyists forward of the election. A central plank of Rachel Reeves’ pro-growth agenda has been to pursue constructing extra houses, latching onto the so-called ‘YIMBY’ (Yes In My Back Yard) motion.

However Labour YIMBY, an inside stress group comprised of MPs, councillors and activists, circulated a doc forward of the final election warning that the occasion’s personal housing spokesman was siding in opposition to the occasion’s pro-housing agenda.

The file, handed to the Express, reveals considerations about Matthew Pennycook’s dedication to the occasion’s official coverage platform, and his relationship with so-called ‘NIMBY’ teams. The report warned that Mr Pennycook had “Publicly taken a place in opposition to YIMBYism. He framed the YIMBY vs NIMBY debate as ‘reductive’ on a panel at Labour Conference in 2023.”

They also accused Mr Pennycook of “resorting to misinformed derision and simplistic sloganeering” instead of addressing key issues around the housing crisis, such as the need to “back the builders not the blockers”, and concluded that he was “at odds with the leadership” on the crucial issue.

Responding to the leaked warning from within Labour YIMBY circles, the former chairman of Homes England Simon Dudley said it “confirms what Express readers will instinctively know: Labour aren’t serious about building the homes Britain needs.

“Matthew Pennycook has spent extra time attacking pro-housing campaigners than fixing the planning system.”

Chris Worrall, the founding father of Labour YIMBY who made an astonishing defection to the Tories earlier this week, mentioned the report is “proof that beneath Labour, the blockers are nonetheless successful.”

A authorities spokesperson mentioned: “No one can doubt either the Government’s or the Minister’s commitment to build more homes and end the housing crisis.

“Since coming into office, we have driven forward the government’s ambitious plans to overhaul and streamline the planning system to deliver our 1.5 million homes target, introduced the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill to Parliament, announced financial support for stalled housing sites and SMEs, and committed to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation with record investment.

“What’s more the independent OBR has confirmed our planning reforms will drive housebuilding to its highest level in over 40 years and boost the economy by £6.8 billion.”

Marc Harris, co-chair of Labour YIMBY, insisted he had not seen the dossier in question, but defended Mr Pennycook’s course of action since entering government.

Mr Harris told the Express: “We’re proud of Matthew and this Labour government for their commitment to deliver the most substantial planning reform and social housing investment package in a generation, and we urge them to keep going and hold firm against the vested interests blocking the homes and infrastructure Britain urgently needs.”

Despite promising 1.5 million houses over the parliament, new figures earlier this month steered that Angela Rayner and Mr Pennycook are falling far behind goal.

Between July 2024 and June 2025, simply 186,600 internet new houses have been inbuilt England, 113,000 brief of what’s required to satisfy Labour’s goal.

Just shy of 40,000 houses have been granted planning permission within the first quarter of 2025, the bottom determine since 2012 with home constructing teams warning the collapse may “cripple” Labour’s housebuilding plans.