Chronic housing shortage in Britain ‘evident everywhere but the data’

Britain’s weekend media was packed with stories reporting how a housing shortage is fuelling surging property prices.

Most newspapers cited the IMF’s warning that house prices pose a risk to the economy. The Mail on Sunday said Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne will hit a “home run” by outlining plans this week to ease red tape for construction.

The Sunday Times declared May’s 3.9% jump in prices a “humdinger”.