Portsmouth Tories hit out as housing row erupts

Yesterday saw the Liberal Democrats calling on the Tory-run authority to build more council homes.

But Tories have hit back over the campaign, claiming it is something the council agreed to do in March 2015.

Tory housing boss Cllr Steve Wemyss criticised Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson’s party for launching the campaign.

He said: ‘We all get things wrong from time to time and if that is what has happened here and he (Cllr Vernon-Jackson) admits it, then fine.

‘If he proceeds with his campaign however, then I am afraid it will look like a cynical attempt to take credit for someone else solving a problem that he did nothing about during 10 years in office.’

Cllr Vernon-Jackson said the plea ‘wasn’t a criticism’ of the Tories and that he would back any plan to boost affordable housing.

But he said he wouldn’t be drawn on politics and added: ‘I think everyone is on the same page here in that we need more affordable housing.

‘But we don’t want just thoughts and words – we need action.’

There are more than 1,500 households on the council’s housing waiting list, the Lib Dems have claimed.