For some time now we've heard a lot about the 'housing crisis' in the UK. As a result of this 'crisis' the Labour Government intends to build 3 million new homes - oh yes, and they're also relaxing the planning laws for major infrastructure projects (how relaxed can you get?).

I've never been terribly convinced by any of this. My perception is that Labour is in thrall to property developers and it is they who call the shots (when they say "jump!", Labour says "how high?"). I suspect that the case for covering more of our 'green and pleasant land' with shoddy (and they will be shoddy!)little boxes has got much more to do with profit than it does with need. After all the 'crisis' is largely self-inflicted - houses are too expensive (largely due to the fact that 'market forces' have been allowed to rage unchecked) Thatcher sold off most of our social housing, many inner cities are full of decaying, unoccupied houses and only about 30% of the planned 3 million are 'planned' to be 'affordable' (the remaining 70% are, presumably, for profit?).

Now the press is full of allegations about leading Labour politicians receiving possibly illegal donations from a North Eastern property developer ... I wonder if there's a link?