KIELY CALLS FOR MORTGAGE SUPPORT

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 20th Jul 2008

Former Chair of the West of England Housing partnership John Kiely has written to the Prime Minister to ask for mortgage support for hard pressed homeowners facing mortgage default. John says that whilst he welcomes calls led by the Lib Dems to buy up some of the surplus new houses being built, he also wants to see some of the £50 billion 'earmarked' for the banks to be used to support homeowners in danger of losing their homes. John adds "Its far better for those facing the prospect of defaulting on their mortgages to get some financial help to save them from eviction. I am sure that it will be cheaper in the long run and keep families and communities together. With 1.7m families already waiting for social housing, Labour have failed to make available significant numbers of public rented houses for those in need. I hope that the Government will act on my suggestion to save a lot of mortgage misery."