SNP’s first refusal housing pledge ‘will not fix broken system’, Sarwar says

The SNP’s pledge to give private renters first refusal if their home is put up for sale “will not fix a broken system”, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said.

Speaking as he launched his party’s battle bus in Glasgow ahead of the May election, Mr Sarwar said many renters in Scotland feel they have been “forgotten about” by the SNP Government.

It came after First Minister John Swinney announced plans to introduce legislation to bring in the change if the SNP secures another term in power.

This would mean if a landlord decides to put a property on the market, tenants would be given a period of first refusal to buy it “at a fair market rate”, Mr Swinney said.

He said such a move could “help people to put down roots and to feel secure in their own home”.

But Mr Sarwar criticised the idea, claiming it would not fix the problem.

He said: “I think everyone will accept in principle that those who have been long-term tenants should have the right to buy their home, but the reality is it will not fix a broken system that the SNP has broken over the last 20 years.

“The record that they can’t run away from is the fact that on their watch, rough sleeping has increased by 66%.

“On their watch we have a record number of children who are homeless.

“There are over 10,000 homeless children in Scotland as we speak, that’s why we will confront that, we will build 125,000 new homes in the next parliament, we will give a tax rate to young people who are buying their first home so we can bring back the dream of home ownership.

“We’ll take action to drive down the cost of rent and mortgages, and we’ll make sure we have a housing system that works for every part of our country, because I think a lots of communities feel that they’re forgotten about by this SNP Government.”