This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24319583
The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Conservatives bring forward second phase of Help to Buy | Conservatives bring forward second phase of Help to Buy |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A scheme designed to make it easier to get a mortgage will start in the next few weeks, the Conservatives have said, as their party conference opens. | |
| The second phase of Help to Buy, which allows people in England to get 95% mortgages, was due to start in January. | |
| Shadow chancellor Ed Balls said David Cameron should bring forward investment to build more affordable homes instead. | Shadow chancellor Ed Balls said David Cameron should bring forward investment to build more affordable homes instead. |
| The Conservatives will also announce a crackdown on police giving cautions for serious criminal offences. | The Conservatives will also announce a crackdown on police giving cautions for serious criminal offences. |
| Housing ladder | Housing ladder |
| The Help to Buy initiative, which applies to England only, aims to make it easier to afford a deposit for a property. | The Help to Buy initiative, which applies to England only, aims to make it easier to afford a deposit for a property. |
| The government will guarantee 15% of a mortgage, allowing lenders to provide up to 95% mortgages at reduced risk. | The government will guarantee 15% of a mortgage, allowing lenders to provide up to 95% mortgages at reduced risk. |
| In an interview in the Sun on Sunday, the prime minister said he was eager to get young people on the housing ladder. | In an interview in the Sun on Sunday, the prime minister said he was eager to get young people on the housing ladder. |
| Mr Cameron said: "The need is now. I have always wanted this to come in and frankly the earlier the better. | Mr Cameron said: "The need is now. I have always wanted this to come in and frankly the earlier the better. |
| "What concerns me is that you can't buy a house or a flat even if you are doing OK, you have got decent job prospects and good earnings. | "What concerns me is that you can't buy a house or a flat even if you are doing OK, you have got decent job prospects and good earnings. |
| "I am not prepared to be a prime minister of a country with caps on aspiration." | "I am not prepared to be a prime minister of a country with caps on aspiration." |
| 'Slap on wrist' | 'Slap on wrist' |
| Responding to the announcement, Labour's Ed Balls said: "Rising demand for housing must be matched with rising supply, but under this government house building is at its lowest level since the 1920s. | Responding to the announcement, Labour's Ed Balls said: "Rising demand for housing must be matched with rising supply, but under this government house building is at its lowest level since the 1920s. |
| "Unless David Cameron acts now to build more affordable homes, as Labour has urged, then soaring prices risk making it even harder for first time buyers to get on the housing ladder. | "Unless David Cameron acts now to build more affordable homes, as Labour has urged, then soaring prices risk making it even harder for first time buyers to get on the housing ladder. |
| "You can't deal with the cost of living crisis without building more homes, so it's no wonder that for millions of families this is no recovery at all." | "You can't deal with the cost of living crisis without building more homes, so it's no wonder that for millions of families this is no recovery at all." |
| Elsewhere, new guidelines to be announced at the conference in Manchester will scrap the giving of police cautions for rape, manslaughter, robbery, child sexual abuse and other serious offences. | Elsewhere, new guidelines to be announced at the conference in Manchester will scrap the giving of police cautions for rape, manslaughter, robbery, child sexual abuse and other serious offences. |
| The Tories said the move would stop offenders who commit such crimes ending up "with just a slap on the wrist" | The Tories said the move would stop offenders who commit such crimes ending up "with just a slap on the wrist" |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| A Tory source said: "80% of our councillors didn't respond to this survey so it's hardly representative. It should be taken with a large pinch of salt." | A Tory source said: "80% of our councillors didn't respond to this survey so it's hardly representative. It should be taken with a large pinch of salt." |
| In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Cameron insisted he was "not chasing off to the right". | In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Cameron insisted he was "not chasing off to the right". |
| "I'm very firmly anchored where I have always been," he said. "Yes, I want to win back voters from Ukip." | "I'm very firmly anchored where I have always been," he said. "Yes, I want to win back voters from Ukip." |
| Swing voters | Swing voters |
| Meanwhile, proposals for tax breaks for some married couples and civil partners have come under attack from both Labour and the Liberal Democrats. | Meanwhile, proposals for tax breaks for some married couples and civil partners have come under attack from both Labour and the Liberal Democrats. |
| Mr Cameron said introducing tax breaks would mean four million married couples and civil partnerships - those paying lower tax rates - could be up to £200 a year better off from April 2015. | Mr Cameron said introducing tax breaks would mean four million married couples and civil partnerships - those paying lower tax rates - could be up to £200 a year better off from April 2015. |
| Defence Secretary Philip Hammond also announced plans to offer interest-free home loans to armed forces personnel. | Defence Secretary Philip Hammond also announced plans to offer interest-free home loans to armed forces personnel. |
| Other policy announcements are set to include a crackdown on welfare payments and an expansion of free schools. | Other policy announcements are set to include a crackdown on welfare payments and an expansion of free schools. |
| On the eve of the conference, BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the Tories would be trying to convince swing voters that they should be the party of choice for hard-working families. | On the eve of the conference, BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the Tories would be trying to convince swing voters that they should be the party of choice for hard-working families. |
| The conference will open on Sunday with a tribute to former Prime Minster Baroness Thatcher, who died aged 87 in April, and close with Mr Cameron's keynote speech on Wednesday. | The conference will open on Sunday with a tribute to former Prime Minster Baroness Thatcher, who died aged 87 in April, and close with Mr Cameron's keynote speech on Wednesday. |