The place for progressive housing debate
Red Brick is a progressive political blog with a particular focus on housing policy edited by Alex Toal since March 2024.
As a forum it is open to anyone interested in the progressive debate about housing, communities, and wider politics.
We are linked to the Labour Housing Group but the views expressed here are those of individual authors and/or the editors and are not necessarily the view of LHG or London LHG.
Through debate and the sharing of ideas in this open forum, we will help to develop sound Labour housing policies, support Labour councils to do their best to address housing needs, and support LHG to make sure housing is seen a priority for Labour.
It was founded in 2010 by Tony Clements and Steve Hilditch and been previously edited by our pseudonymous friend Monimbo.
- The homelessness strategy must tackle surging rough sleeping
Josh Nicholson, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Social Justice, looks to the upcoming homelessness strategy as the number of individuals experiencing rough sleeping continues to increase. - Lessons learned from Australia: maximising the economic benefits of the £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme
Simon Barrow looks internationally at Australian Labor’s Social Housing Initiative and what the Government can learn in implementing the Social and Affordable Homes Programme - Abolish Private Landlords?
Paul Smith questions the Green Party’s plans to “abolish private landlords” and whether severely clamping down on the private rented sector is workable policy - The Retrofit Challenge: Why Leasehold Flats Risk Being Left Behind
Amanda Hack MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Future Homes, Skills and Innovation, looks at the challenges behind decarbonising flats in a leasehold environment

