NOW GIVE US BACK OUR £200M

NEW First Minister John Swinney must reverse a £200million cut to Scotland’s affordable housing budget as his first act. 

- PAUL HUTCHEON

That was the demand last night from a coalition of housing campaigners ast Swinney was voted in by MSPs as Scotland's new leader.

Swinney will be formally sworn in today as Humza Yousaf's successor but he is immediately facing calls to sort out the country's housing crisis.

Housing emergencies have been declared in councils across Scotland as homelessness soars and around 10,000 children are stuck in temporary accommodation.

Yousaf sparked fury by slashing £200million from affordable housing in his last budget as first minister.

Aditi Jehangir, chair of Living Rent, said: "The new First Minister needs to reverse the £200million in cuts to affordable housing and reaffirm his commitment to introducing the Housing Bill as soon as possible.

"One after another, councils have declared housing emergencies as they simply can't fulfil their statutory duties to house homeless people. Rents are at record level as the regulations are still too easy on landlords.

"The new government needs to be prioritising this at every stage, from providing funding to supporting the completion of homes to introducing rent controls through the Housing Bill"