On September 28, 2025, the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool was charged with anticipation and applause as Steve Reed, the newly appointed Housing Secretary, took the stage. The focus of his address? Nothing less than a sweeping promise to tackle Britain’s chronic housing shortage and revive the nation’s dreams of homeownership—dreams he claimed had been dashed by more than a decade of Conservative rule. Reed’s message was clear: Labour intends to build, and to build big.
Reed began his speech by acknowledging the contributions of his predecessor, Angela Rayner, who had recently resigned following a scandal involving underpaid stamp duty tax. The conference hall erupted in a standing ovation as Reed called Rayner “a true working-class hero” for her tireless work on workers’ rights, council funding, and housebuilding. “Thank you, Angela, for all you have done for our party and our Government over so many years,” Reed said, his words echoing through the packed venue, according to LabourList.
But tributes quickly gave way to policy, as Reed doubled down on Labour’s flagship commitment: building 1.5 million new homes by the end of this parliament. “When I said ‘build baby build,’ I meant it,” he declared, donning a red hat emblazoned with those very words. The government, Reed announced, would launch work on 12 sites to develop a new generation of New Towns, with Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Leeds South Bank, and Crews Hill on the outskirts of north London identified as the most promising locations. “We’ll build the homes people need. We’ll build the communities where they can thrive. We’ll bring in the investment and the jobs that will open up opportunities,” Reed told the conference, as reported by The Guardian.
Reed’s pledge was not just about numbers and blueprints—it was a rallying cry against what he described as years of Conservative obstruction. “The Tories spent 14 years blocking the homes that people need. They didn’t just hold back the economy, they crushed the dreams of families who couldn’t afford a decent home,” he said. “Well, conference, no more. We will fight the Tory blockers and give working people the key to a decent home they can afford to live in.”
To back up these ambitious words, Reed confirmed that construction on three of the new towns—Tempsford, Leeds South Bank, and Crews Hill—would begin before the next general election. In addition, he announced a massive £39 billion investment to build 300,000 social and affordable homes, aiming to address both the housing crisis and the broader issue of community renewal. “We know that national renewal depends on the renewal of every town, village and community that makes up our great country,” Reed said, channeling the spirit of Labour legend Nye Bevan: “We have been the dreamers, we have been the sufferers, but now, we are the builders.”
Yet, for all the optimism on display, Reed did not shy away from acknowledging the challenges ahead. In a separate interview with GB News, he admitted that the pace of housebuilding over the past year had been “appalling,” blaming a lack of permissions granted under the Conservatives. “It takes more than 18 months from application to the home being built,” Reed explained, noting that the current total stood at just 120,000 homes—far short of the 1.5 million promised. “We’re currently dealing with the tail end of what the Conservatives are doing,” he said, but assured viewers that Labour was changing the rules to speed up planning and prevent similar bottlenecks in the future.
The new towns plan, however, has not been universally embraced. James Cleverly, the shadow housing secretary, dismissed Labour’s proposals with characteristic bluntness. “They could promise a free unicorn for every child and it would have more credibility than these new towns that they’re promising,” Cleverly quipped, casting doubt on the feasibility of Reed’s vision. The skepticism didn’t stop there; questions remain about whether Labour can deliver on such an ambitious scale, especially given the slow start and the formidable bureaucratic hurdles that have historically plagued large-scale housing projects in the UK.
Meanwhile, the internal dynamics of the Labour Party added another layer of complexity to the proceedings. Sharon Graham, general secretary of the influential Unite union, used the conference as a platform to urge Labour’s leadership to stay true to its roots. “Don’t be embarrassed to be Labour. They are a Labour government – do Labour things,” she said, warning that it was becoming increasingly difficult to justify large donations to the party. Graham’s message was clear: Labour must not lose sight of its core values or alienate the working-class base that has long formed the backbone of its support. Reed, for his part, expressed confidence that Unite would not abandon the party, emphasizing the shared goals and history between Labour and its union partners.
Throughout the day, Reed also found time to defend party leader Keir Starmer, whose leadership has come under scrutiny from some quarters. Speaking to Sky News’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Reed insisted that Starmer would lead Labour into the next general election, offering a note of stability amid the political turbulence. “We’ll fight the next election with Keir Starmer at the helm,” Reed affirmed, seeking to quell any rumors of discord at the top.
Behind the scenes, the Labour conference buzzed with activity. Delegates debated party rule changes, strategized over upcoming votes, and networked with like-minded activists. The sense of urgency was palpable—Britain’s housing crisis is not a new problem, but the stakes have rarely been higher. For many, the promise of 1.5 million new homes represents not just a policy pledge, but a lifeline for families priced out of the market and communities struggling to retain their character in the face of rising costs and declining services.
Still, the road ahead is fraught with obstacles. Planning reforms, funding allocations, and local opposition are just a few of the hurdles Labour will need to navigate if it hopes to transform promises into reality. Reed’s invocation of Nye Bevan, architect of the postwar welfare state and founder of the NHS, was more than rhetorical flourish—it was a reminder of the transformative power of political will when matched with concrete action. But as history has shown, even the boldest visions can falter without sustained commitment and broad-based support.
As the conference drew to a close, the mood among Labour faithful was a mix of hope and realism. Reed’s speech had galvanized supporters and set an ambitious course for the months ahead. Whether Labour can truly “get Britain building” remains to be seen, but for now, the party’s housing agenda stands as a central pillar of its promise to renew not only the nation’s homes, but its very sense of possibility.
