Housing Secretary Michael Gove has warned that Labour's housing policies pose a 'threat to our green spaces.'

He accused Sir Keir Starmer of not caring about 'concreting over the countryside and bulldozing through the concerns of local communities.'

Sir Keir has pledged to begin a housebuilding blitz in the first weeks of a Labour government and hopes to identify green-belt sites which could be used to ensure targets are met. However, senior Tories now claim that a vote for Labour on Thursday will put Britain's green spaces at risk.

Mr. Gove told the Daily Express: 'They don't want to give local people a say over housing and will go as far as ignoring local communities in development plans. Be in no doubt, Labour's flagship housing policies are a threat to our green spaces. They simply don't care about concreting over the countryside and bulldozing through the concerns of local communities.'

The Conservative Party has pledged to build 1.6 million homes compared to Labour's target of 1.5 million. While Rishi Sunak has maintained the party's 'cast iron' commitment to protecting the green belt, Labour wants to free up lower quality green-belt land, which it is terming 'grey belt,' to build on. Sir Keir has said he wants to 'hit the ground running' when it comes to housing, with three policy announcements expected in the first two weeks of a Labour government.

However, former cabinet secretary Dame Priti Patel said his attitude risked angering local communities. 'Sir Keir Starmer has been boasting that he'll ignore the views and concerns of local people,' she said.

The Tories have attempted to make housing and home ownership a dividing line in the election.