The housing policy offer at election time can often resemble an auction house, with parties putting up their hands with ever higher numbers – without any obvious plan for how to get the sector to increase its output substantially.

This election seemed to be following a similar path until the Conservative Party became the last of the three largest English parties to launch its manifesto.

Usually the more reserved party in their ambition for housebuilding, the Conservatives have committed to build just 200,000 homes a year over the next Parliament. That’s 40,000 less than were built this year.

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