The Sun – Stalemate on Housing Eight Days before Budget

The Sun

 in heated discussions with No10, Mr Hammond has insisted a solution to the housing crisis must be multi-pronged and include boosting the construction labour force too.

He is also expected to slash stamp duty for first time buyers next Wednesday to help younger people get on the housing ladder and tackle anger over inter-generational unfairness.

But a row with Theresa May over two other major prongs to their plan will go to the wire.

It emerged that there is still no agreement between them over it with just eight days to go.

The government’s two most senior figures are locked in a row over how many billions to plough into a new bid by the Sajid Javid for the government to build its own houses.

The Communities Secretary has asked for £50bn and the PM has backed him, but Mr Hammond insists it will send the UK’s debt mountain spiralling.

And Mrs May is refusing Mr Hammond’s demand to rip up strict planning rules to allow councils to build on the green belt