Boris Johnson pondering right to buy for housing association tenants

Critics say Thatcher-style policy for England would only worsen current shortage of affordable housing

Boris Johnson is mulling a reinvention of Margaret Thatcher's right-to-buy scheme by giving people the chance to purchase the properties they rent from housing associations at a discounted price.

The idea, designed to help generation rent" and prove the government is still committed to its Conservative principles amid unrest from some backbenchers, is being worked up by officials in the No 10 policy unit, with reports that up to 2.5 million households could become eligible to buy their homes at a discount of up to 70%.