A LACK of affordable homes in the district is a “very real” problem that must be tackled by MP and housing minister Sajid Javid, according to Bromsgrove Labour party.

But the group have raised questions over Mr Javid’s recent appointment to housing minister, which was handed to him by Prime Minister Theresa May earlier in January.

Mr Javid’s brother is the owner of buy-to-let property company SA Capital Ltd, which the MP was a director of up until 2005 – and Labour feel this presents a conflict of interests.

James Morris-Knight, of Bromsgrove Labour party, said: “Unfortunately it is far too common a thing to see a Tory MP, and especially a Bromsgrove one, embroiled in a scandal.

“It begs the question, are these really the type of people that we want representing us in Parliament? The short answer is no.

“In Bromsgrove we face a very real housing problem, a lack of affordable homes and really poor planning and infrastructure.

“Our party have been fighting tooth and nail for 40 per cent of all new homes built locally to be affordable and have the proper planning and infrastructure.”

Mr Javid did not offer any comment on claims his housing title is a conflict of interest, but insisted issues of affordable housing are being tackled at district and national level.

He said: "This government’s priorities are to boost housing supply and to build more affordable homes so that different needs of a wide range of people are supported.

“That’s why the Prime Minister recently announced an additional £2billion funding for affordable housing, increasing the Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21 budget to over £9 billion to deliver a wide range of affordable housing, including social rent homes, by March 2021.

“The new funding will support councils and housing associations to build more genuinely affordable homes, in areas of acute affordability pressure, where families are struggling with the costs of rent, and some are at risk of homelessness.

“Since 2010, we have delivered over 357,000 new affordable homes, including over 257,000 affordable homes for rent. We have delivered more affordable homes in the last seven years than in the last seven years of previous government."