Government figures published today reveal brick deliveries fell 18.3% in February compared with a year ago, with block deliveries dropping 17.4% and ready-mixed concrete sales falling by 16.4% in the final quarter of 2025. Private new housing output, the sector Starmer’s fanciful 1.5 million homes target depends on, fell 6.3% in the three months to January. Total construction output has now declined for four consecutive quarters…
The Bank of England’s own contacts report new-build housing activity has “stalled,” with commercial development “largely paused”. Domestic brick production has collapsed from nearly two billion in 2022 to 1.3 billion, with imports now plugging the gap. But ‘BUILD BABY BUILD!’ caps look great on Steve Reed’s head…
The figures released today don’t even measure the impact of the Iran war. So expect the next release to be even worse…
Starmer said to Robert Peston this afternoon:
“I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy businesses bills go up and down on energy because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world.”