Sir Keir Starmer says Labour would reinstate housebuilding targets – despite a number of developments in Kent provoking huge opposition.

Speaking to KentOnline ahead of an expected visit to the county today, he said a lack of new-builds would mean “the dream of home ownership is going to be shattered for many people”.

With voters set to go to the polls in council elections tomorrow, he also discussed his party’s approach to the small boats crisis, saying they would be “much harder on cross-border policing”.

He also offered support to Kent’s only Labour MP, Rosie Duffield – despite her criticisms of his stance on some issues.

Sir Keir says his party would bring back housebuilding targets – recently scrapped by the Conservative government – to help improve the prospects of younger people owning their own home.

Many councils have welcomed the removal of targets – but there remains concern that without them, many risk being exploited by developers building where they want and what they want.

Housebuilding is one of issues dominating council election campaigns in parts of the county ahead of Thursday’s vote.

In Folkestone and Hythe, for example, the Green Party and others have been vocal in their opposition to developments at Princes Parade and Otterpool.

But Sir Keir told KentOnline: “Because the government took down the targets for housebuilding, the dream of home ownership is going to be shattered for many people in Kent.

“We would put those targets back up…but what we would also do is give local councils more power to choose where the housing is, so you don’t always have this clash with ‘is it houses’ or ‘is it the countryside’ and we can actually make some progress.”

He said Labour would act over ensuring that the necessary infrastructure was in place when developers were building.

On the solution to the continuing numbers of people crossing the Channel from France in small boats, he said: “We would be much harder on cross-border policing and law enforcement against the gangs that are running these crossings.”

He also pledged that asylum claims would be processed much more quickly.

“I find it staggering that people who have arrived on small boats in the last year or so, only 1% have had their claims processed,” he said.

In a sign the party is hoping for a decisive victory in Thursday’s poll, Sir Keir is understood to be making a return visit to Medway today to ramp up support ahead of polling day.

There was controversy following his last trip to the county, in Gillingham in April, when Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield accused the Labour leader of snubbing her.

She tweeted: “What a shame he didn't see fit to tell his only Kent MP about his first visit to our county.”

Despite clashing over some key policies, including on transgender rights, Sir Keir told KentOnline he has full confidence in Ms Duffield.

He said he respected her and hoped she would be re-adopted as Canterbury’s prospective parliamentary candidate.

“I treat her with respect in the same way as I would with any Labour MP,” he said.

“She is an important voice within the parliamentary party and I hope that come the next election, she will have other Labour MPs alongside her.”

Labour is hoping it will be in pole position after this week’s vote, ahead of a possible general election next year.