Labour peer accuses Reform of ‘building next road to Auschwitz’ by pledging to put British workers at front of social housing queue

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Lee Anderson has called for the Lords' Chief Whip to 'take swift and decisive action' over the matter

A Labour peer has accused Reform of "building the next road to Auschwitz" with the party's proposals to fix social housing shortages.

An account associated with Lord Prem Sikka published a post on X, describing how Reform's new housing proposal was the "next road to Auscwitz".

The social housing policy, which was announced yesterday, outlined how Reform wants to build 50,000 extra "affordable social homes" a year.

Those eligible for social housing would change - those who are not a British or Irish citizen will no longer be eligible, with current tenants being evicted "after a short grace period".

UK citizens who were not born in Britain will be deprioritised under the proposals, with British-born people being top of the list for housing, specifically veterans, married couples, care leavers and domestic violence victims.

Lord Sikka pointed out on his now-deleted post that "foreign-born UK citizens" would be put "lower on social housing list".

He wrote: "Reform says it would put foreign-born UK citizens lower on social housing list.

"Couples with foreign-born partner will face discrimination.

"Children of UK citizens will be denied social housing because one parent was born abroad.

"They don't hide racism. Reform building the next road to Auschwitz."

In response to Lord Sikka's comments, Reform's Lee Anderson has written a letter to Lord Roy Kennedy, who is Chief Whip of the House of Lords.

In his letter, he described how he has "grave concern" over the words used by the Labour peer yesterday.

Mr Anderson wrote: "Lord Sikka described Reform UK's social housing policy of prioritising British families for allocation as, 'building the next road to Auschwitz'.

"Since then, Lord Sikka has removed the post, re-worded it, turned the comments off and has not apologised for his grossly offensive and inflammatory words.

"Members of the House of Lords are very much held in high regard and they should absolutely be held accountable for their words and actions.

"Given the recent rise in political attacks, in particular on Reform UK figures, including the recent murder of Ann Widdecombe, I hope you will take swift and decisive action in relation to the matter I raise with you."

Mr Anderson continued to outline how Labour has condemned antisemitism in recent years after the party received significant criticism over it.

Reform's proposed policy received backlash from both Labour and the Conservatives.

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner warned the evictions could include "NHS workers", while the Tories accused Nigel Farage's party of "trying to catch up" as they had already said it would bar foreign nationals from accessing social housing.

The Ashfield MP told GB News that Lord Sikka's "comparing other parties to the Nazis is the height of hypocrisy and utterly despicable".

He said: "For a Labour peer who sat silently through the anti-Semitic poison that dripped out of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership to go around comparing other parties to the Nazis is the height of hypocrisy and utterly despicable.

"He seems to have forgotten the only two parties in this country the EHRC ever sanctioned for anti-Semitism were the BNP and Labour.

"If anyone’s closer to the fascists round here, it’s Lord Sikka and his Labour lot."

Lord Sikka became a peer in 2020 as part of the Political Honours and is the co-founder of the Tax Justice Network.

He was involved in policy development for Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell while they were Labour leader and Shadown Chancellor respectively.