Why the “cladding classes” pose an electoral threat to the Conservatives

Affluent professionals trapped in unsafe, unsellable homes could take revenge on the Tories at the ballot box.

At New Providence Wharf, a smart housing development that looms over the river Thames between the glassy glare of Canary Wharf and the Millennium Dome, SUVs with personalised number plates are among cars in the basement car-park.

These expensive flats – a three-bedroom apartment can set you back £1.6m – house professionals served by the proximity to the office high-rises in Canary Wharf and transport links to the City and central London.