Labour Minister Faces Backlash Over U-Turn on Swift Brick Mandate
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A government reversal on requiring “swift bricks” in new homes has ignited controversy, with critics accusing Housing Secretary Steve Reed of abandoning a previously championed conservation effort.
The Labour government is now refusing to support a parliamentary amendment that would legally require developers to install the specialized bricks – designed to provide nesting spaces for swifts and other declining bird species – in all new construction. This marks a significant shift in position for Reed, who as environment secretary, publicly endorsed the proposal.
When speaking with campaigner Hannah Bourne-Taylor, Reed reportedly assured her she was “pushing at an open door,” expressing enthusiasm for including the £35 swift brick proposal in the Labour party’s manifesto. However, since assuming his current role – and becoming a visible figurehead for the government’s housing agenda, famously sporting a “build baby build” cap at the Labour party conference – Reed’s department has reversed course.
“He looked me in the eye and said yes to mandating swift bricks,” Bourne-Taylor stated. “Now is the perfect opportunity to preserve his own integrity as well as an iconic species for whom swift bricks are a lifeline. He would be preserving everyone’s most accessible touch-point to nature.”
Swift Population in Steep Decline
The reversal comes as swift populations face a dramatic decline. Numbers have plummeted by more than 66% since 1995, largely due to the loss of traditional nesting sites in urban roofs as a result of modern insulation practices. Cavity-nesting birds, including starlings, house sparrows, and house martins, are also impacted by the dwindling availability of suitable nesting locations.
A new amendment, spearheaded by Tory peer Zac Goldsmith, is set to be debated in the House of Lords on Monday as part of the planning and infrastructure bill. Goldsmith previously supported similar measures while Reed was a minister in the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra).
Government Claims Progress, Critics See Weakness
Responding to inquiries, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government asserted that it is “already increasing swift brick installation by setting out changes which would require them to be installed in all suitable new homes, and asking developers to begin including swift bricks in new-builds.” The government also announced plans to consult on changes to national planning policy guidance, mandating a swift brick in all new brick-built homes.
However, opponents argue that relying on planning policy guidance is insufficient. They point to a University of Sheffield study revealing that 75% of bird and bat boxes previously mandated as conditions of planning permission for new housing developments were never actually implemented.
“How can the government know that they are increasing swift brick installation? What’s their monitoring system?” Bourne-Taylor questioned. “Considering the tag-line is ‘build baby build’ why wouldn’t they embrace a bird brick? Given that every single relevant government minister has at one time strongly supported mandating swift bricks, collectively the government is sending a clear message that no voter should believe a word they say.”
Cross-Party Concerns
The amendment also enjoys support from former environment secretaries Michael Gove and Thérèse Coffey, both of whom have publicly criticized the Labour government’s shift in position.
Coffey stated, “In opposition, Labour were swift to criticise. Now, in government, they need to swallow their pride and vote with us to save our swifts.”
Lord Goldsmith echoed these sentiments, saying, “Labour strongly backed my amendment in opposition and Steve Reed supported it as Defra minister. It makes no sense at all for them to now oppose it. The only thing that’s changed is the number of swifts, sadly. What does it say for Labour’s interest in nature if it U-turns on even this simple, cheap and uncontentious measure?”
The debate over the swift brick mandate underscores a growing tension between the government’s ambitious housing targets and its commitment to environmental conservation, raising questions about the true cost of rapid development.
