New blow for Boris Johnson as home ownership plans dismissed as unworkable and a ‘gimmick’

Beleaguered prime minister promises ‘revolution’ – but cabinet minister admits impact will be ‘modest’

Experts have dismissed Boris Johnson’s plans to boost home ownership as doomed to fail and likely to fuel the housing crisis, in a blow to his hopes of rescuing his troubled premiership.

The beleaguered prime minister promised a “revolution” to complete Margaret Thatcher’s Right to Buy shake-up and get low earners on the property ladder through a “benefits for bricks” scheme.

But he was hit by a wall of criticism that the ideas betrayed a lack of understanding of how the mortgage market works, as well as being hugely expensive – threatening promised tax cuts.