Interested in UK housing policy, planning, economics, housebuilding, energy, social policy. Cambridge based.https://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mxekmlvyzk25The more I think about it, the more I realise how many problems you'd create by the combination of abolishing stamp duty and allowing unlimited exemption from inheritance tax for housing. You'd get a massive demand for "upsizing", putting all your wealth into housing, to avoid inheritance tax.08 Oct 2026 13:24 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mxekmlvyzk25https://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mx4fp5xmmk2dCutting the costs of housebuilding by £50k per home would be really helpful in getting much-need new homes built. But if you don't get developers to pay for new schools and infrastructure you need to pay for them someotherhow. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/oct/04/tories-scrap-environment-agency-natural-england-conservative-conference?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other05 Oct 2026 07:34 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx4fp5xmmk2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mwo6bikdhc2zI think we need to see details of Burnham's proposals on the triple lock - but it does sound like something along the lines that the Resolution Foundation have set out here. Good to see he's made use of the work already done on this, and isn't kicking it into the long grass via a long review. [contains quote post or other embedded content]29 Sep 2026 15:44 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwo6bikdhc2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mwifhkiwac2kWe badly need a better system of social care. But how can Burnham possibly hope to build cross-party consensus if he's intending to put it on the ballot paper for the next election? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cj4zwkp2p1kt?post=asset%3Adde25c95-91ce-4e92-955c-d4f99dfc7734#post27 Sep 2026 08:37 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwifhkiwac2khttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mwgqhchvck25Help to Buy is back! Or rather, a new version - more tightly targeted and less likely to overinflate the housing market. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/sep/26/andy-burnham-announces-new-scheme-for-first-time-home-buyers-england?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other26 Sep 2026 16:48 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwgqhchvck25https://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mwaz3xkdcs2xNew housebuilding figures have been published today - including from the 2025-26 year. They're not where they should be, but have turned the downwards trend upwards.24 Sep 2026 10:07 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwaz3xkdcs2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mvzb2awptc2rI'm certain that no council will have budgeted for its temporary accommodation costs rising by 88% in just 5 years. So they'll be needing to make cuts to other services to pay for it. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/temporary-accommodation-spending-burnham-councils-homeless-b3051825.html21 Sep 2026 08:08 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvzb2awptc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mvv6clqbwc2gThis is a really stark graph. And strongly suggests that the cost of housing is the main factor causing young people to remain with their parents (not choice, culture, lack of partner or online living - all of which I've heard suggested as alternative explanations) [contains quote post or other embedded content]19 Sep 2026 17:08 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvv6clqbwc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mvaawpai722kExcellent thread here on housebuilding rates, and why they're falling - despite the Government's ambition to build more homes. [contains quote post or other embedded content]11 Sep 2026 09:29 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvaawpai722khttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mv6kulspu22hThis is a really sensible and *cost-neutral* suggestion from the Resolution Fountain here - would direct support where it's needed and ensure everyone can both pay their rent and eat. [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Sep 2026 17:22 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv6kulspu22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mup5qteh622eThis is my favourite tip when chairing a panel discussion. "2 minute" opening statements turn into 5-10 each and are always dull. So much better to go straight in with the question you'd most like to ask to each panelist in turn (not necessarily the same one). [contains quote post or other embedded content]04 Sep 2026 14:17 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mup5qteh622ehttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mu2sdqcw4c26Buried in this article is some good news about how well courts are dealing with the (expected) increase in tenants challenging rent increases since the Renters Rights Act came in - Time to hear cases has fallen to 80 days in July, down from 113 days in May and 172 in April. [contains quote post or other embedded content]27 Aug 2026 12:00 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu2sdqcw4c26https://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mtvtnuk3yc26Press release not quite matching reality here - just 4% of the funding announced today is going to councils to build new council housing, with funding for around 3,000 new council homes over 10 years. So not really the "historic council housebuilding comeback" that some had hoped for.25 Aug 2026 12:40 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtvtnuk3yc26https://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mtvdudr4kc27I'm really pleased to see this £10bn of social housing grant is now allocated across England. This means councils and housing associations can start cracking on with building these new homes. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnvly73jrrdo25 Aug 2026 07:57 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtvdudr4kc27https://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mr5cditzy22wNo, it didn't just take political will - if it was easy to end rough sleeping, we'd have done it by now. Here are a few ways you could try - but all come with downsides... 🧵 [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Jul 2026 07:35 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr5cditzy22whttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mtb47fegds2ePress release on the new changes to planning policy now out. We're expecting the details later today. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/full-steam-ahead-to-fast-track-more-homes-near-stations17 Aug 2026 06:47 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtb47fegds2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mt7ktv7sak24Nothing in planning legislation can make a non-viable pub viable. It'll likely just mean a closed and vacant pub sits empty for years, or decades, instead of being reused as housing or something else. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyllg1v0kdo16 Aug 2026 16:04 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt7ktv7sak24https://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mt2su6efrc2gThis is precisely why the government shouldn't be using an emergency alert system for things that -whilst important - are not emergencies requiring immediate action. [contains quote post or other embedded content]14 Aug 2026 18:44 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2su6efrc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3msnwxc7ncs2vActually using prisons to rehabilitate prisoners is a much better solution to overcrowded prisons than chaotic early releases. [contains quote post or other embedded content]09 Aug 2026 15:52 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3msnwxc7ncs2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mr5cditzy22wNo, it didn't just take political will - if it was easy to end rough sleeping, we'd have done it by now. Here are a few ways you could try - but all come with downsides... 🧵 [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Jul 2026 07:35 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr5cditzy22whttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mr5c2vttjs2wInteresting that the VAT cut to electricity bills is being badged as cost of living support. It's also very much the direction of travel needed for decarbonisation - making it more financially attractive to move off gas and onto a heat pump.21 Jul 2026 07:31 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr5c2vttjs2whttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mqx5jk2aes2cIf Andy Burnham (or anyone else) wants to understand the challenges of building more homes, I'd strongly recommend this balanced and nuanced article by @jburnmurdoch.ft.com How to fix the housing crisis - https://giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/actions/redeem/67406d4c-986b-4b32-8652-6bf687940766 via @FT18 Jul 2026 20:53 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqx5jk2aes2chttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mqotbpkxcc2kThese are the kinds of radical environmental policies I'd like to see from the Green Party. Would be so much more helpful for opening up the debate on the pace and route to net zero, than just advocating for a wealth tax that can somehow pay for massively expanded spending. [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 Jul 2026 13:29 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqotbpkxcc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mq7ufpyhv22pChina often gets seen as behind in addressing climate change. But having been there recently, this doesn't surprise me - They're really proud of their reforestation efforts, and very much starting to plan for a future beyond coal. [contains quote post or other embedded content]09 Jul 2026 14:39 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq7ufpyhv22phttps://bsky.app/profile/annaclarke.bsky.social/post/3mq36mxdps22uAll the main parties have now confirmed they're not standing I believe. So Count Binface could plausibly pick up all the anti-Farage voters.... [contains quote post or other embedded content]07 Jul 2026 17:59 +0000at://did:plc:vmrvfcdfx2yi2b2attuigson/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq36mxdps22u