Just before Easter it was decided to form an All-Party Parliamentary Group on residential leasehold and commonhold.
It is proposed that the chairmen will be jointly Sir Peter Bottomley and Jim Fitzpatrick, both patrons of LKP, and LKP will provide the secretariat.
So far 20 MPs and Lords have signed up to join the group, including two former housing ministers: Mark Prisk and Lord Young.
Last week the veteran columnist Peter Bill announced the proposed APPG in his column in Estates Gazette, the property world’s most authoritative publication.
Click to read
An initial meeting was held between LKP and London Labour MPs Jim Fitzpatrick, Barry Gardiner (Brent North) and Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth).
Now the following have signed up:
Andy Slaughter (Labour, Hammersmith)
Bob Blackman (Conservative, Harrow East)
Catherine McKinnell (Labour, Newcastle North)
Graham Brady (Conservative, Altrincham and Sale West)
Julie Elliott (Labour, Sunderland Central)
Mark Prisk (Conservative, Hertford and Stortford)
Paul Flynn (Labour, Newport West)
Rebecca Long-Bailey (Labour, Salford and Eccles)
Rosie Cooper (Labour, West Lancashire)
Sir David Amess (Conservative, Southend West)
Will Quince (Conservative, Colchester)
Lord O’Neill of Clackmannan (Labour)
Lord Truscott (Independent)
Lord Young of Cookham (Conservative)
Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative)
Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative)
If you believe your MP should be a member, please do write to them and urge that they join.
It is vitally important that all MPs who have had some informed dealings with leasehold take part.
The LKP-prompted amendments to the Housing and Planning Bill, which have been accepted by the government, are the first changes to leasehold law since 2002.
Far more substantial reforms should follow.
Related posts:
MPs call for all-party group on leasehold
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation / LKP holds Westminster meeting on commonhold
LKP / Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation suggestions prompt amendments to Housing Bill
Mark Prisk’s department sabotages attempt to license leasehold managing agents
I will ask my MP Ken Clarke for his support.
I think I will also try Baroness Greengross as by now she may be convinced some reform is needed.