Reform’s Laila Cunningham struggles to explain party’s own social housing policy in disastrous interview
Cunningham claimed Reform’s policy would not prioritise married couples, despite deputy leader Richard Tice specifically saying it would
Reform’s London mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham struggled to explain her party’s social housing policy in a disastrous interview.
Speaking to Daily Mail columnist Dan Hodges on GB News, Cunningham was quizzed on Reform’s newly-announced social housing policy, which would prioritise married couples with children and British workers who are under 35.
The controversial policy would also bar people with indefinite leave to remain from accessing social housing and put unemployed people further down the waiting list.
Announcing the policy on Monday, Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice defended prioritising married couples, saying “I don’t think it’s wrong to be ambitious and to promote marriage and that’s the right thing to do in our judgement.”
Cunningham defended the policy, arguing Tice had said it was “preferable to have two parents”.
Hodges responded: “No I’m sorry he didn’t say that, he said your policy is going to prioritise young married couples and by definition it will penalise pensioners and people who are single parents.”
The Reform councillor questioned why the policy would penalise pensioners, stating “we’re not kicking them out”.
Hodges said that based on Reform’s policy, pensioners will come behind young married couples in terms of priority on social housing waiting lists.
“Vulnerable people will always go to the top of the list,” Cunningham said.
Hodges challenged her again, saying “That’s not what your policy says.”
Cunningham said “we’re setting priorities”, but that “it doesn’t mean we’re declaring you know single [parent] families as less morally acceptable”.
“It does, you’re prioritising married couples,” Hodges said.
Cunningham then appeared to contradict herself, stating: “And what’s wrong with prioritising married couples?”.
Hodges then pressed Cunningham on what the policy actually is, “Are you prioritising married couples over single parents or are you not? Are you prioritising young people over pensioners or not?”.
Cunningham said that “families with children will always go to the top because that is a vulnerability when you have a child”.
Hodges then said: “So what we saw Richard Tice say is wrong?”.
Cunningham said families with children can be married or not, which contradicts Tice’s announcement that Reform would prioritise giving married couples social housing.
Exasperated by the Reform politician failing to be clear about her party’s actual policy, Hodges said: “This is the problem, Reform announces a policy and within ten minutes the whole policy falls apart.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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