The New Statesman.

The last time average house prizes were this expensive in relation to the average salary,

Queen Victoria sat on the throne.

We hadn't invented cars.

So you could say the situation is quite bad.

In simple terms, the UK doesn't have enough houses.

Specifically, actually, it doesn't have enough council houses. Steve Reed, the housing secretary,

says he's going to do something about it. Speaking exclusively to the new statesman,

as he announces the allocation of billions of pounds to local mayors, we discussed rent controls abolishing landlordism and his longstanding friendship with Morgan McSweeney.

I'm Olly Dougmore and this is the New Statesman podcast.

Steve Reed, hello.

Good to be here.

Very glad to have you on the New Statesman podcast.

Tell us about your announcement today. What are you announcing?

We are announcing an allocation of seven billion pounds going to the six established mayors running mayoral combined authorities that they can now use to start building social affordable homes.

That $7 billion is part of a bigger package,

which is the single biggest investment

any government's made in social and affordable housing

in over a generation, and it's desperately needed.

I know from my own caseload that I get family after family coming to see me.

They've been on the waiting list for a council home for years and they can't get one because

too many were sold off without new ones being built to replace them.

...