Space to Create

Book excerpt: Part memoir, part in-depth report, Space to Create charts the hilarious and heartbreaking journey of one young writer trying to live – and make a living – in the midst of Britain’s housing crisis. Reflecting on his own chaotic course from one dodgy dwelling to another – including stressful shared houses, a bed in a shed, a barn in the middle of nowhere, and his childhood home – Ben Irvine examines the political ideologies and widespread social attitudes that have stripped millions of young people of the right to settle down in a place they can call their own. His conclusion – that socialist policies, peddled by Labour and Conservative governments alike, are responsible for the housing crisis – sheds new light on a dark time in Britain’s economic and social history, and offers a path forward for anyone liberal enough to want to take it. “This very funny and engaging personal account of our current housing crisis is also a perceptive commentary on government, immigration and many other issues. Perhaps most importantly it illustrates the extent to which debate in this country has become intolerant of various political views and of the people who support them. It is a refreshing and insightful mini-portrait of modern Britain.” – Dr Arif Ahmed, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Cambridge