As the debate over how to build more new homes intensifies, a new report on the politics of housing commissioned by the National Housing Federation takes a long look back over nearly 100 years of housing policy. It seeks to answer the questions: which governments successfully addressed housing supply issues and what factors explain their relative success/lack of success in doing so?

Starting from the premise that recent governments, over the last 35 years, have been remarkable less successful at building new homes than previous ones, the analysis offers a variety of possible explanations.

The authors argue that political debate is driven by voter concerns, and the typical voter is now more likely to be well-housed and to own their own home, to have less interest in the supply of housing for others, and to be more interested in house price growth. They fear that new housing will reduce the value and amenity of…