The housing sector matters. It shapes the major outcomes of nations and regions and the wellbeing of citizens both rich and poor.
We believe that Holyrood-Westminster wrangling, whilst inevitable as independence and devo max are debated, is an unproductive distraction of attention from the making of progress in areas where devolved power already exists (and is likely to expand). Just when we need housing experts, bureaucrats and, above all, the Scottish polity to face up to an emerging real crisis in Scottish housing we are, instead, about to divert key attention and effort to constitutional posturing. We are drawn to the conclusion that though the tone of Scottish housing policy statements is somewhat cleverer and kinder than their English equivalents, there is remarkably little substantive difference in housing programmes between the two countries.