“London's population declined 1939-1990s. Now at 1961 level, still below 1939 peak" says Labour MP Karen Buck, referring us to the Census figures http://www.cch.kcl.ac.uk/legacy/teaching/av1000/numerical/problems/london/london-pop-table.html
That's alright then.
No need for Labour's much-vaunted build more homes policy - at least not in the London area.
Also Owen Jones (Independent) can stop whinging about rents being too high.
The population of London is at 1961 levels. According to the Census figures there has been a vast exodus of the population resulting (one supposes) in many properties lying vacant. The huge glut of empty properties can only result in falling rents as landlords struggle to entice tenants to take up their leases.
Except of course that this is not happening.
London is full to bursting, as Karen Buck could ascertain for herself just by taking a walk through the inner suburbs.
It is possible that many properties are indeed lying empty, but surely not to the scale suggested by the fall in population recorded by the Census figures.
It is possible that properties have been destroyed on a massive scale and not replaced, but this is not what empirical observation tells us.
It is possible that the Census figures are wrong, that the unrecorded population of London is vastly higher in numbers than any of us have hitherto suspected, and that we urgently need an enquiry into how many people are in the London area illegally.
Update: Ed Conway (Economics Editor of Sky News) says: "Between 2005 & 2013 the cost of renting in London rose 11%. Compared with 8.4% nationwide and 5.2% in the North East."
How is this possible if the population of London has fallen so dramatically? A falling population means less prospective tenants which must lead to landlords lowering rents to fill their properties. This is obviously not happening, so one must conclude that the population is not at 1961 levels.
Therefore Karen Buck is misleading us. The Census must (on this evidence) be wrong. Rents are driven up by demand, and strong demand must mean more people.
https://twitter.com/EdConwaySky
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/hpi/index-of-private-housing-rental-prices/historical-series/iphrp-article.html
That's alright then.
No need for Labour's much-vaunted build more homes policy - at least not in the London area.
Also Owen Jones (Independent) can stop whinging about rents being too high.
The population of London is at 1961 levels. According to the Census figures there has been a vast exodus of the population resulting (one supposes) in many properties lying vacant. The huge glut of empty properties can only result in falling rents as landlords struggle to entice tenants to take up their leases.
Except of course that this is not happening.
London is full to bursting, as Karen Buck could ascertain for herself just by taking a walk through the inner suburbs.
It is possible that many properties are indeed lying empty, but surely not to the scale suggested by the fall in population recorded by the Census figures.
It is possible that properties have been destroyed on a massive scale and not replaced, but this is not what empirical observation tells us.
It is possible that the Census figures are wrong, that the unrecorded population of London is vastly higher in numbers than any of us have hitherto suspected, and that we urgently need an enquiry into how many people are in the London area illegally.
Update: Ed Conway (Economics Editor of Sky News) says: "Between 2005 & 2013 the cost of renting in London rose 11%. Compared with 8.4% nationwide and 5.2% in the North East."
How is this possible if the population of London has fallen so dramatically? A falling population means less prospective tenants which must lead to landlords lowering rents to fill their properties. This is obviously not happening, so one must conclude that the population is not at 1961 levels.
Therefore Karen Buck is misleading us. The Census must (on this evidence) be wrong. Rents are driven up by demand, and strong demand must mean more people.
https://twitter.com/EdConwaySky
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/hpi/index-of-private-housing-rental-prices/historical-series/iphrp-article.html
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