A Conservative council leader has issued a blistering attack on the communities secretary, John Denham. Speaking at his party's conference in Manchester, Hammersmith and Fulham LBC leader, Stephen Greenhaugh, denied Mr Denham's claims that he wanted to get rid of council housing. Cllr Greenhaugh also attacked housing minister John Healey's attempt to challenge his council's housing policy as ‘puerile'. Speaking at a fringe meeting, he claimed the quotes attributed to him by Mr Denham were ‘frankly, a lie'. He revealed Mr Healey had sent him a letter challenging his commitment to social housing and security of tenure: ‘It's offensive. It's all politics – puerile and pathetic.' The leader added: ‘I resent the idea that the Labour Party has a monopoly on helping the dispossessed.'
