Lib Dem Win: Homes for Military Heroes

Today the Liberal Democrats have secured a huge win for military families. The government has finally given in to our longstanding campaign to improve the quality of military family homes.

Our military personnel sacrifice so much for our country, the least they deserve is a decent home for them and their family.

But many have suffered for many years, living in dire conditions with pest infestations, black mould, damp, flooding, and unreliable heating and hot water supply in winter.

Personally, I have heard some horrific stories from my constituents - service families who were being forced to live in rat-infested accommodation declared unfit for human inhabitation. And sadly, this problem has been rife in military housing across the country.

Research we obtained earlier this year found that on VE Day alone more than 400 families were forced to apply for emergency repairs. While the country celebrated our veterans, our housing system was letting them down.

For far too long, Ministry of Defence housing has not been subject to existing Decent Home Standards legislation that has protected social housing tenants and is rightfully being expanded to all private homes in the Renters’ Rights Bill.

Today, the Liberal Democrats have changed that.

The new amendment to the Renters’ Rights Bill will, for the first time, require the Ministry of Defence to assess service family housing annually and report on whether it meets the Decent Homes Standard - creating a clear statutory mechanism for identifying and addressing shortcomings.

Our previous attempt to amend the Renters’ Reform Bill last year was rejected by the last Conservative Government, with the Labour Government also initially rejecting my amendment when the Bill was in the House of Commons, this Parliament.

Thankfully, after relentless campaigning by our team in Parliament, the government finally conceded in the House of Lords today.

Victories like this show why our voice matters and what the Liberal Democrats can achieve. It’s proof that if we keep fighting for what we believe in, we can improve lives for the better. With this determination, I know we’ll have many more wins to come.