On 21/01/2021 14:46, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Tim Lamb wrote:
I already had a house and didn't pay much attention at the time they
were sold off. Without knowing anything about the construction funding,
it seemed not unreasonable at the time.

Is something preventing any local authority building more?

Thatcher specifically forbad the use of money obtained from the sale of
council housing being used to build more. She didn't want any in
subsidised housing, as they would be more likely not to vote Tory.

Which is the bit I feel was criminal. However it did save councils from
maintaining council stock, which was often at a loss wrt rent.

And once you legislate how councils spend what money they have, it becomes
very difficult for them to go back to building housing.

Councils can borrow money, and could invest in housing stock if they wanted.