Prescott rules out extending right to buy

John Prescott today made clear he opposed plans to give thousands more people the right to buy their homes.

Supporters of Alan Milburn claimed he had won a Cabinet battle to extend the right-to-buy scheme to 750,000 housing association tenants. But the Deputy Prime Minister denied he would endorse the policy when he unveils his department's fiveyear plan next week.

Mr Prescott's office issued a statement saying: "We're keen to extend home ownership but extending right-to-buy isn't the best way of doing that ... It could cost hundreds of millions a year, offers large windfalls to a few rather than putting help where it is really needed and means losing further housing stock."