Only slim chance target of 1.5m new homes in England will be met, Angela Rayner says

Angela Rayner: ‘The headwinds that are coming our way internationally and through those construction costs are having a negative effect on that target.’ Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

The government is unlikely to meet its target of building 1.5m homes in England, Angela Rayner has acknowledged, saying there was only a “slim chance” enough houses would be built before the next election.

The manifesto pledge to build 1.5m houses by the next election was a “stretch target”, the communities secretary added, but said it was not being ditched and she was “definitely not giving up”.