The Government must now rethink its ‘damaging' housing plans after 13 defeats in the House of Lords, the shadow minister has urged.

After the Housing and Planning Bill faced a turbulent journey through the House of Lords, a significantly changed piece of draft legislation will return to the House of Commons next week after peers backed an amendment yesterday that would ensure council homes sold are replaced on a ‘like-for-like' basis - rather than one-for-one.