Matthew Pennycook MP

Labour MP for Greenwich and Woolwich | Minister of State for Housing and Planning | Email: [email protected]

[Sadiq Khan @SadiqKhan]

We’re starting to turn the tide on homebuilding, despite the toughest conditions for decades.

🏠 New-build starts rose 298% to 16,290 from April to June 2026

🏠 Completions increased 9% to 18,050 homes

Still a long way to go, but we’re making progress.

[Angela Eagle DBE @angelaeagle]

I’m proud to be putting climate action front and centre. Protecting people and protecting nature.

[UK at the UN 🇬🇧🇺🇳 @UKUN_NewYork]

“Russian agencies have used every means at their disposal to spread lies and disinformation and prey on people’s fears.”

Prime Minister @andyburnham announces a new National Centre for Information Defence to detect, attribute and disrupt information attacks from hostile states.

[Matthew Pennycook MP @mtpennycook]

Charlton House looking stunning this evening.

[Ed Miliband @Ed_Miliband]

A year on from recognising the State of Palestine, we will continue to stand up for what is right.

[Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan @MayorofLondon]

We’re starting to turn the tide on homebuilding, despite the toughest conditions since 2008.

🏠 New-build starts rose 298% to 16,290 from April to June 2026
🏠 Completions increased 9% to 18,050 homes

Still a long way to go, but we’re making progress.

[Matthew Pennycook MP @mtpennycook]

As you're hopefully aware, we recently carried out a review of the Right to Manage, exploring how resident control might be strenghtened with robust safeguards and oversight.

We are minded to bring forward new powers and I hope to be in a position to say more in the near future.

Worth you knowing that your MP, @helenhayes_, has been a vocifiorus advocate for action in respect of this matter in light of the experiences of residents on the estate.

[Matthew Pennycook MP @mtpennycook]

These are tough times for housebuilding in England, but new housing statistics released this morning show welcome signs of progress:

✅Housing starts in Q2 of this year were up 6% on the previous quarter (a 20% increase on the same quarter last year).

✅London saw the biggest increase with starts up a phenomenal 298% on last year.

✅Units within outline residential applications are up 41% from a year earlier.

✅Permission in principle decisions on brownfield register sites more than doubled (a 79% increase on the same quarter last year).

Over the past 26 months, we’ve undertaken the most rapid, holistic and radical overhaul of the housing and planning system in decades.

Despite the strong headwinds, we are going to stay the course and ensure the country enjoys high and sustainable rates of housebuilding in the years ahead.

[Ed Miliband @Ed_Miliband]

Today at the UN Security Council I had a simple message for the Russian representative:

It's time to tell Putin the truth. The world knows that Russia is failing in this war. The Russian people can feel it and ministers know it too.

The UK will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

[Friends of Woolwich Common @WoolwichFriends]

A reminder that this coming Sunday 27th, from 11am, we have our monthly litter pick on #woolwichcommon. Do come join us!
Meet on the cycle path, equipment provided.

[Andy Burnham @andyburnham]

This is why I'm in New York.

[Andy Burnham @andyburnham]

Women and girls should be able to live their lives free from violence and abuse.

But when these crimes happen, we need a justice system that properly supports victims.

So we’re making changes.

[Bridget Phillipson @bphillipsonMP]

We should be proud that being British is something that unites people regardless of their skin colour.

If today’s parties of the right want a backward-facing, exclusionary patriotism – Labour will fight against them, and we’ll win.

[Cllr Anthony Okereke @MrOkereke]

I did say big news. This is our second intervention in Charlton Riverside.

We’re bringing land owned by the council & Hyde together to create a shared masterplan and planning strategy. Together, we aim to deliver more than 3,000 homes, with a strong focus on affordable housing.

[Sarah Jones MP @LabourSJ]

Knife crime is down 11% since the General Election.

But we won't stop there.

This Government is investing in policing and tackling the causes of crime as we work to halve knife crime in a decade.

[Matthew Pennycook MP @mtpennycook]

A pleasure to visit the @RGTrustSchool this morning to speak with pupils and teachers.

The school has improved markedly over recent years and I look forward to continuing to support it.

[The Labour Party @UKLabour]

Labour delivering good growth in every postcode.

[Matthew Pennycook MP @mtpennycook]

The Nature Restoration Fund established by our landmark Planning and Infrastructure Act was designed to unlock a win-win for development and nature.

Today’s publication of the first draft Environmental Delivery Plan demonstrates in practice how the Fund will help build the homes we need while going beyond neutrality to drive nature recovery.
https://t.co/6MYCm42dYC

[Alex King @alexdpking]

Matthew Pennycook, the planning minister, has told a Reform UK-led council that just yesterday had voted to scrap its £1 million draft local plan that it must consult on and submit the plan to him before the end of the year, in his tenth such intervention
https://t.co/aeh2C7hZHT

[Labour Press @labourpress]

Who’s going to tell her about all the Tory Chancellors who appointed trade unionists to exactly the same role?