Michael Gove has admitted the Government could still do better in its house-building programme.
Speaking to GB News, Gove told Camilla Tominey it was fair for people to question whether the 300,000-a-year target for new homes is ambitious enough.
But he insisted the Tories were the party to trust in this area and claimed Labour was blocking measures to ease the housing crisis.
He told GB News: "Well, there's a debate about whether or not 300,000 is enough. All I would say is two things.
Michael Gove admits ‘there is a need for greater ambition’ in Sunak’s house-building plan
GB News
“The first is that in the last three decades, the four years where we've delivered the most homes have been the period since 2019.
“So the longer the Conservatives have been in, the more homes that we've delivered. Is that good enough? No, it's not good enough yet. But I think any judgment has to be a judgment in the round.
“And I think the judgment I would make is that this is measured success so far, but there is a need for even greater ambition. And we have a plan.
“There's been a determined effort on our part, to look at every way in which we can increase new homes. Last year we introduced legislation to try to unlock housing work being blocked by environmental red tape. It would have unlocked new homes, but Labour voted against it.
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PA“I don't think there's anyone in the Conservative Party who has argued that that's wrong.
“There are always individual MPs with constituency interests that will want to make sure that new housing is delivered sensitively, whether they're Labour or Conservative.
“That is totally legitimate. But there's a difference between a party saying that its policy is pro-builder, and Labour which makes a big claim, and yet as we see time after time, turns turtle.”
Discussing the role immigration was having on Britain's housing crisis he said: “Obviously with new people arriving that puts pressure on housing stock so that's why it's so important that we get a handle on both legal and illegal migration as well.
Kwasi Kwarteng urges Sunak to ‘swallow his pride’ and beg Boris to returnGB News“The Prime Minister and the Home Secretary, have already made it clear that we want to reduce legal and illegal migration.”
Meanwhile, Gove has also added his voice to those urging Sunak to involve Boris Johnson in the General Election campaign.
Gove said: “I think every Conservative should be part of the big Conservative family doing all we can in order to make sure that Rishi is reelected as Prime Minister.
“I think Boris has got enormous gifts and I would hope that Boris would play a role along with every Conservative in the electoral fight ahead. But it is up to him. He's already done great service to this country. And, you know, that has to be respected as well.”