British politics has long grappled with issues of class and privilege, but the latest controversy surrounding Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson's family wealth has reignited these debates. The Labour minister is facing intense scrutiny over her family's substantial profit from a council property acquired through the Right to Buy scheme – a policy that her party is reportedly considering amending.
According to reports, Ms Phillipson's mother bought the two-bedroom council house in Washington, Tyne and Wear, where the minister grew up, in 1990. The property was purchased for £9,600, benefiting from a 38% discount on its market value of £15,490 at the time. After nearly three decades within the family's ownership, the house was sold for £99,950 in May 2023 – representing an astonishing 900% increase on the original purchase price.
This development has parallels with the controversy surrounding former Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, who also reportedly profited from the Right to Buy scheme. Conservative Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake has lambasted Labour's handling of the policy, arguing that ministers are "pulling up the drawbridge" on a scheme from which they themselves benefited while planning to restrict it for others.
The government has outlined plans to reform the Right to Buy scheme, including increasing the minimum eligibility period for tenants and adjusting discount rules. The proposed changes aim to ensure that those who benefit most from the policy are those in genuine need of affordable housing, rather than simply profiteering from its provisions.
A spokesperson for Bridget Phillipson dismissed the claims as a "vile smear campaign" by the Conservatives, asserting that the attacks demonstrate disdain for successful working-class individuals. They added that Ms Phillipson remains committed to improving life chances for working-class families who have been denied opportunities due to "14 years of Tory austerity."