Best of the Spectator Coffee House Shots: Michael Gove interviews Steve Reed
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Sep 26, 2025 Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, shares insights on Labour's ambitious goal of building 1.5 million homes. He highlights the £5 billion funding package aimed at revitalizing local communities and emphasizes the importance of fair funding and devolving powers to local councils. Reed discusses tackling regional inequalities, investing to combat political despair, and the need for local leadership. He also critiques existing planning regulations while advocating for new town developments and environmental restoration efforts.
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Regional Imbalance Harms The Whole Country
- Reed frames regional inequality as economically unsustainable and socially corrosive, comparing some regions to Eastern Europe.
- He argues rebalancing creates opportunities and eases pressures on London housing and jobs.
Investment Answers Political Despair
- Reed links deindustrialisation to political anger and votes for populist parties, driven by lack of investment.
- He stresses investment is deserved on grounds of fairness, not just political calculus.
Build Local Leadership Capacity
- Do build local civic leadership and capacity so communities can take control of investment and decisions.
- Use targeted funding like Pride in Place to enable people to exercise that power on their terms.