Keir Starmer 'willing to override local councils' to meet housebuilding targets in the south

• ITV Meridian's Political Correspondent Kit Bradshaw has been speaking to Sir Keir Starmer about his priorities for the south.

The Prime Minister says the government is willing to override local councils to ensure that housebuilding targets are met in the south.

Speaking to ITV Meridian this morning, Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the average age for people to be able to own their own homes is now over 35.

In an interview with political correspondent Kit Bradshaw, Sir Keir said: "It's very important that we take action on this.

"There will be many people watching this who desperately just want the security of their own home, feel it's out of reach and we want to make sure that dream is real for them."

Just weeks after winning the General Election, the Labour party announced that all councils in England are to be given new, mandatory housing targets to deliver 1.5 million more homes.

It'll mean the doubling of housebuilding targets in Worthing, Rushmoor, Surrey Heath, the New Forest, West Berkshire and South Oxfordshire.

"The ambition is to make sure that young people who want to own their own home can see their dream fulfilled," the Prime Minister said.

"And it's been dashed for years now, and I know the South East very well - that's where I was brought up, that's where my family members are.

"So I know how this feels, and we need to get the houses to make sure that home ownership, which means a lot to people, can happen.

"Obviously, what we need is the infrastructure to go with it, and I think many people understandably do not like housing projects.

"If there isn't a GP surgery, if there isn’t the local schools, the local facilities to go with it = so that's why our plans will ensure that all of that comes together - so communities can see a community emerging, not just more housing, which understandably without the infrastructure - they're worried about."

• Keir Starmer says he will override local councils to ensure that housebuilding targets are met in the south.

Asked whether the government would commit to numbers for some of that infrastructure, like GP surgeries and schools, the PM added: "I'm not going to go through individual numbers here, but the commitment is very real.

"I do absolutely understand the one thing people hate more than anything is saying housing going up, but not the schools, the surgeries, the infrastructure, the roads that are necessary to go around that and make sure it works."

The Deputy Prime Minister has written to every council Leader and Chief Executive in England to make clear that there is “not just a professional responsibility but a moral obligation to see more homes built”, and that she will not hesitate to use her powers of intervention should it be necessary – including taking over an authority’s plan making directly.

Speaking following the announcement in July, Angela Rayner said: “Today marks a significant step to getting Britain building again.

“Our decisive reforms to the planning system correct the errors of the past and set us on our way to tackling the housing crisis, delivering 1.5 million homes for those who really need them.

“And something I am personally proud of, our new flexibilities for councils will boost the number of social and affordable homes, and give working families a better route to a secure home.”

• The Prime Minister says those who are putting vulnerable people into boats need to be taken down and brought to justice.

The Prime Minister also spoke about the number of small boats crossing the Channel - confirming that 3000 people have been returned to where they came from.

"We need to make sure that those who shouldn't be here are returned to where they came from.

"And since we've been in government just 11 weeks now, over 3000 people have been returned to where they came from because they shouldn't be here, including the single biggest flight that's ever taken people back to where they came from."

More than 23,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats to the Kent coast so far this year. The Prime Minister described those behind it, as running 'a vile trade'.

"That's why we've set up the Border Security Command - that's why I've already had discussions with leaders in France, Italy and in Germany so we can coordinate work together to bring those gangs down.

"The boats and the engines are being transported across Europe - we need to intercept that, bring those gangs down, bring them to justice.

"I'm determined to do that. I think the deterrent is knowing that the gang can't operate. Those people who are putting vulnerable people into boats need to be taken down and brought to justice.

"Before I was a politician, I was the Chief Prosecutor for England and Wales and we worked with other countries to take down gangs who were involved in terrorism and gun running, in drug running.

"We took those gangs down - I'm absolutely clear that we can do the same with these gangs, but we also need the added deterrent, which is that if you're here and you shouldn't be here, you're going to be returned to where you came from.

"That's a really important part of the deterrent."

The Prime Minister also confirmed that plans to build new hospitals for patients in Reading, Basingstoke, Winchester and Eastbourne are still being reviewed."The promise of the last government was 40 new hospitals, the problem is they weren't 40, and they weren't new," the PM said.

"A bunch of them weren't hospitals and they weren't deliverable, so we're reviewing that.

'We will build the hospitals that are necessary.

"But I want to be absolutely assured that there's deliverability so we can look people in the eye and say, we will do this. But it's a deliverable project, not the false hope that I think has been too prevalent in recent years.

"We also need to bring down the waiting lists which are at record highs.

"That's why we settled the strike with the doctors who are now back in the operating theatres, bringing down those waiting lists for people watching this and listening to this, they know that the NHS is on its knees.

"We're going to get it back on its feet, but also make sure it's fit for the future."

• Watch the full interview with Sir Keir Starmer

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...