Conservative shadow local government secretary, Caroline Spelman, has invoked the fury of housing charities following her controversial leaked letter suggesting councils should delay some housing developments until after the general election. Campaigners have condemned Ms Spelman's stance and warned it could lead to more poor families being placed on council house waiting lists during the recession, as well as hold back vital local investment to help stimulate the economy. Sam Younger, chief executive of charity Shelter, said: ‘There is already a huge shortage of affordable homes, and house building has now slumped to an all-time low.' Ms Spelman incurred the wrath of housing minister, John Healey, last week, when a leaked letter she sent to Conservative authorities stated: ‘We would advise councils not to rush ahead with implementing controversial elements of regional spatial strategies.' Ms Spelman promised councils the Tories would ‘revoke… in whole or in part' the associated national and regional house-building targets currently being used to boost the housing sector if they win next summer's election. A Conservative spokesman said Ms Spelman did not mean to imply that all major housing developments should be delayed – merely the ‘unpopular' initiatives.
