Rightmove has attacked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for failing to talk about housing in the first TV election debate.

The portal says housing and property issues “barely got a look-in” during the head-to-head clash between the two leaders broadcast live on ITV.

Little or no mention

Headlines about the cost of pledges made by Labour dominated the media coverage immediately after the event, with little or no mention of the housing crisis.

It’s really disappointing to see that housing barely got a look-in.”

Rightmove’s property expert, Tim Bannister says: “‘At a time when house prices and rents are at record highs, it’s really disappointing to see that housing barely got a look in during last night’s debate.

“People need to hear much more about what long term solutions there could be to help more people to move, especially renters who weren’t mentioned at all,” he says.

Next face-off

He went on to say that Rightmove wants to see housing given much more attention over the remaining weeks of the campaign.

The two leaders are due to face-off again on the BBC on 26 June, in what is expected to be the final debate before the election itself on 4 July.

Underlined

Rightmove underlined the importance of housing issues by saying that under-supply has contributed to ever-increasing house prices and rents.

National average asking prices of homes are now 22% higher than five years ago, at £375,131, and national advertised rents up by 40%, at £1,479 per calendar month, it said.

And since April 2019, buyer demand has risen by 15%, while supply has decreased by 6%. In the rental market, demand has increased by 32%, with supply reducing by 38%.

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Main picture: ITV