Renters Reform Bill put on ice

The government’s flagship Renters Reform Bill, which would end “no-fault” evictions in England, has again been put on ice. The move has sparked a furious blame game in government over why it keeps being delayed. Some supporters of the bill, which was submitted by levelling up secretary Michael Gove, claim that its crucial second reading in the House of Commons is being held up by vested interests in the government whips office, where five of 16 whips own rental property. But senior government insiders argued the delay was owing to Gove not doing enough to reassure Tory MPs over their concerns about the bill, leaving open the prospect of a significant rebellion. “Until Michael and his team engage backbenchers on what the proposals really mean, it won’t be on the order paper,” said one. The bill was first announced in the 2019 Conservative manifesto, and it was introduced to the House of Commons in May. One in five Conservative MPs are landlords, according to research conducted by campaign group 38 Degrees this year. The FT (£)