Labour have accused Conservatives of “dog-whistle politics” after they said Birmingham council housing should only be offered to residents who have lived in the city for five years.

The housing promise has been highlighted in Tory leaflets distributed to Birmingham homes as part of the local election campaign currently underway.

It was described as “disgraceful” by Labour MP Jack Dromey (Lab Erdington).

Mr Dromey did not directly claim the policy was racist but he used the phrase “dog-whistle politics”, which is usually meant to suggest that a policy is designed to appeal to racial prejudice.

However, Robert Alden, leader of the Conservative group on Birmingham City Council, said the policy was designed to “prioritise those people of all races and religions” who had contributed to Birmingham.

Birmingham goes to the polls on May 3, when all 101 council seats are contested.

Conservative leaflet distributed in the run-up to May 2018 local elections
Conservative leaflet distributed in the run-up to May 2018 local elections

The Conservative leaflet asks: “How many years should a resident have to live in Birmingham before they qualify for council housing?”

On the back, it states that Labour’s policy is that people should need to be in the city for one year, but the Conservative policy is five years, with exemptions for armed forces veterans and survivors of domestic violence.

Conservative leaflet distributed in the run-up to May 2018 local elections
Conservative leaflet distributed in the run-up to May 2018 local elections

Mr Dromey said: “This is disgraceful dog-whistle politics.

“In the week of the Windrush scandal that has shocked Britain, do the Birmingham Tories not recognise that no self-respecting council candidate should fan prejudice and division to garner votes?

“They should junk this shoddy card forthwith.”

Coun Alden said: “We are clear that we have a plan to tackle the housing issue in Birmingham.

“Part of that is prioritising council housing for those people who have lived in Birmingham for at least five years.”

Jack Dromey
MP Jack Dromey

He said Sandwell, a Labour-led council in the Black Country, had already instituted the same policy “as well as many Labour councils across the country,”

Coun Alden said Birmingham’s Labour-run council “are not willing to prioritise those people of all races and religions already in Birmingham who have paid into the council getting first say on a council house.”

Housing is a major issue in the local elections.

Over the next four years Labour say they will deliver more than 2,000 new homes through InReach, a company owned by the council, and Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust (BHMT).

Tory leader Coun Robert Alden
Tory leader Coun Robert Alden

The Conservatives have promised a similar overall number but only through the BHMT, arguing InReach will provide inflated rent rates. The Tories also say they would demolish or dispose of every council tower block giving current tenants priority for new housing which is built.

The Liberal Democrats say out-of-date planning policies are restricting private housing development. But they would be looking at the firms to demonstrate how they would invest in communities such as providing shops and play facilities.