Peter Thornton’s comments (Podium, August 13, ‘It’s time that we stood up for our public housing’) highlights the crisis for affordable housing across the UK, as well as in South Lakeland.

The right to buy scheme has helped many people into home ownership. The problem arises, as Peter Thornton stated, when the rental housing stock is not replaced.

Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government introduced the right to buy scheme for council tenants yet failed to reinvest in replacement housing. It now appears that David Cameron is about repeat the same mistake, making the housing crisis even worse.

Many people either cannot afford or do not wish to own their own property and therefore there will always be a need for social housing, plus affordable housing.

This present government needs to understand these facts and make money available immediately for both social and affordable housing, while withdrawing any further right to buy schemes until such times as the present crisis is solved.

Peter Gaukroger

Kendal