The bedroom tax’s latest critic: Danny Alexander’s dad
The bedroom tax has been subject to another political attack – this time by the father of one of its most prominent advocates.
Di Alexander, father of chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander and a housing association boss, lashed out at the policy for the way it forced people into small housing units which often did not exist.
"The so-called bedroom tax is particularly unfair," he was reported as saying in the Mirror.
"It penalises both our tenants and ourselves for not being able to magic up a supply of smaller properties, particularly those with only one bedroom, when we have been funded by the government since our inception to build nothing smaller than two-bedroom flats and houses."
The benefit cut will be put to the vote in the Commons on Tuesday, with Labour intent on forcing a reversal of the infamous policy.
The vote comes as housing associations consider demolishing larger properties in what might be the most cost-effective way of addressing the policy.
Nick Clegg announced a review of the policy last month but it was mocked when parliamentary questions revealed it would only reporting back in 2015 and not involve any public consultation.
"What is the point of commissioning a review that will take more than two years to report and which will not hear views from the public in an open, transparent manner?" deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman said.
"They should have done the research before the bedroom tax was imposed, not two years after it has been inflicting hardship and unfairness.
"People who are being unfairly hit by the bedroom tax need it to be abolished now – they cannot afford to wait until this report has been published in 2015.
"The bedroom tax is cruel, unfair and unworkable and if Nick Clegg really wants to help, he should vote with Labour on Tuesday."
Harman published a report today into the policy's effect on her constituents in Camberwell and Peckham.
It found that of the 1,981 families affected 76% of which are unemployed and 83% are single parents.
Only four per cent of affected households had the option of moving to a smaller property.
