Rayner announces radical housing reform with mandatory targets for councils to tackle Tory legacy - live

Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has declared the country is living the “most acute housing crisis in living history” as she announced a radical reform to the country’s housing planning system.

Addressed the Commons, the housing secretary has promised to fix the Tories’ legacy by bringing back mandatory housing targets of 370,000 a year on councils.

Under the plans, Ms Rayner announced a review of the green belt if councils do not meet the housebuilding targets.

It comes as Rachel Reeves warned “more difficult choices” are coming after axing winter fuel payments for many pensioners in a bid to help plug a £22 billion black hole in the public finances .

The chancellor unveiled plans to tackle the projected overspend, including cuts to infrastructure projects and an end of winter fuel payments for people not in receipt of means-tested benefits.

Following her speech, Ms Reeves doubled down on accusations that Jeremy Hunt “lied” to the public and to MPs during the election campaign about the state of public finances.