Lunchtime news June 22

The housing minister will attend Cabinet meetings, Gordon Brown confirmed in his acceptance speech as the new Labour leader yesterday, while housing will be a priority alongside health and education. The speech is covered in today’s papers including the Financial Times and Independent.

Government plans to build 200,000 homes a year display a ‘poverty of ambition’ according to Conservative housing spokesman Michael Gove speaking at Harrogate last week.

But Tory MPs and councillors are promising a big revolt if the party leadership tries to push through more housebuilding in the South East, according to today’s Telegraph.

The worst housing crisis in Britain? The Herald profiles the Isle of Arran, which is says has the longest waiting list in the country as a proportion of residents.

Housebuilder Persimmon said the housing market was set to shrug off recent interest rate rises as it reported higher profit margins this morning.

Buy-to-let landlords get £2bn a year in tax relief from setting mortgage payments against rental income, according to Saturday’s Guardian. But the Observer warns amateur landlords could be caught out by a crash.

HIPs for three-bed homes may come in as early as September, says Saturday’s Guardian. But the Observer says the delay in the timetable is causing chaos in the private rented market.

Ballot papers are going out to 30,000 tenants in Lambeth today over the London council’s plan for an almo.

Local authoritites should see their first increase in capital receipts for four years this year, according to DCLG figures released on Friday. However, much of the increase will come from a share sale and property deal rather than right to buy sales.