Jeremy Corbyn has criticised local government secretary Angela Rayner for allowing councils to sell off allotments to fund day-to-day spending.
The Government has approved the sale of eight allotment sites since coming to power last year.
Writing for the Telegraph, the former Labour leader said the possible sale of allotments would fill many with ‘deep dismay’.
‘Allotments have always been under threat from developers. Now, that threat seems to have Government backing, which makes the future of these precious spaces even more perilous,’ he wrote.
‘Those advising government and local authorities should have some regard for the troubled history of land ownership, and the struggle over access by those who simply want to grow their own crops,’ Mr Corbyn added.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said: 'We know how important allotments are for communities, and that is why strict criteria is in place to protect them.
'The rules on the sale of assets have been in place since 2016 and have not changed. Ministerial approvals for the sale of allotments in 2024 were lower than the average for recent years.'
