The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has unanimously supported a motion moved by construction union UCATT, demanding urgent action to resolve the housing crisis.

The motion focuses on both the need for a huge increase in council housing, as well as regulation to tackle exploitation in the private rented sector.

In particular, the motion mandated the TUC General Council to campaign for:

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• A huge expansion in the building of council and social housing

• An immediate end to the Right to Buy

• The establishment of a comprehensive system of local authority-led regulation for the private rented sector

• The introduction of workable rent control measures and reformed tenancy arrangements.

Moving the motion, Steve Murphy, General Secretary of UCATT, said: "We are facing a massive crisis through the lack of council and social housing. A crisis with its roots in the 1980s obsession with the Right to Buy. Today that obsession means that there are 5 million people on housing waiting lists."

(CD/JP)