Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice has sparked criticism after suggesting that married British couples should be prioritised in the government's housing programme over single mothers. The MP for Boston and Skegness explained that children of married couples 'do really well at school' and should be encouraged.
'Families are a good thing. We need to encourage that,' Tice said during a radio interview when asked if married couples will be prioritised in housing programmes. 'In an ideal world, it is well known that married couples—children in married couples, for example, will do really well at school. And we would like to encourage that.'
Some MPs voiced strong objections, noting their own experiences growing up in single-parent households. Stephen Race, MP for Exeter and member of the Labour Party, said on social media: 'Reform would deny social housing to single parents with children—like the family I grew up in. They would deprioritise same-sex couples with children. Most chilling, they think they can free up 500,000 homes by kicking families out. Time for people to reject this division.'
Race's party mate, Callum Anderson, MP for Buckingham and Bletchley, added: 'My mum brought me up alone. She was the parent who stayed. A council flat gave her and me the security we needed at the time we needed it most.'
Reform would deny social housing to single parents with children – like the family I grew up in. They would deprioritise same-sex couples with children. Most chilling, they think they can free up 500,000 homes by kicking families out.Time for people to reject this division. https://t.co/qKiHpBc1Mg
An important interview by @CalumAM.My mum brought me up alone. She was the parent who stayed. A council flat gave her and me the security we needed at the time we needed it most.This ill-thought through, let’s-change-the topic Reform policy was dreamt up by men, for men. https://t.co/ycWzekkXwr
Criticism also came from Conservative ranks. Benjamin Obese-Jecty, MP for Huntingdon, said: 'Eye-opening to see how Reform plans to allocate social housing by prioritising heterosexual married couples over unmarried parents, single parents or same-sex married couples.'
'Serious questions here about their potential future treatment of vulnerable single mothers among others,' Obese-Jecty also said. In his own social media post, Ed Davey, MP for Kingston and Surbiton, called Reform UK a 'vindictive and dangerous party' for trying to deny single parents access to social housing.
Eye-opening to see how Reform plan to allocate social housing by prioritising heterosexual married couples over unmarried parents, single parents or same-sex married couples.Serious questions here about their potential future treatment of vulnerable single mothers among others. https://t.co/VvRuC4e4KN
Today Reform UK has announced they will deny social housing to single mothers and their children simply because they aren’t married. They are a vindictive and dangerous party who only care about themselves. https://t.co/j3UMVqd2kS
During the radio interview, Tice was focused on explaining that the government has a 'broken' affordable housing system. He noted that around 500,000 houses are allocated to non-British people, arguing that this should not be the case.
'Families are a good thing. Having British-born children is a good thing. We need to encourage that. It's a very natural, normal thing and has been for over centuries to get married, have children, and contribute to their communities,' Tice said.
He acknowledged that not all marriages succeed. 'But as an objective, that is surely preferable,' said Tice. When asked about married same-sex couples, Tice said there will be an 'allocation list,' where 'young, British workers first and same-sex couples, British couples working—they will have priority over those coming from overseas.'
Josh Reynolds, MP for Maidenhead and a member of the LGBT+ community, quipped on social media: 'Asked where a same-sex couple would sit on his housing list, Richard Tice couldn't give an answer. The silence tells you everything. What's the guess it's not the same as a straight couple?
Asked where a same-sex couple would sit on his housing list, Richard Tice couldn’t give an answer. The silence tells you everything.What’s the guess it’s not the same as a straight couple? https://t.co/RjgUK8RwW2
