A series of Labour MPs have lined up to criticise the government's plans on council housing.

In a series of heated Commons exchanges, housing minister Keith Hill was accused of implementing "spiteful" policies that were not backed by Labour's supporters.

Hill said the government was committed to a range of schemes to improve housing standards, such as PFIs, stock transfers or the use of arms length management organisations.

But Labour MP David Taylor slammed the plans, claiming ministers had "torn up" a commitment to allow investment from local authorities when tenants voted against stock transfers.

"Many of us on these benches benefited from an affordable well-maintained home from an accountable local authority," the backbencher reminded the minister.

"Doesn't the modernisers' mantra of a right to choose apply to our core supporters?"

Hill replied that government policies were "precisely designed to deliver to our core supporters".

And he pointed out that housing associations were not-for-profit bodies that were delivering higher standards.

But that defence cut no ice with Labour's Ken Purchase who launched another attack on the government's policies.

"The solutions he proposes are seen as department proposals that are mean, spiteful, bad tempered and indeed a betrayal almost of the wishes of many tenants who want to stay as tenants of their local council," Purchase told the minister.

"That is what they want. For a Labour minister - a Labour minister - to be denying that right seems to me perverse."

Hill insisted that the policy was proving popular, with over 80 per cent of the 130 tenant ballots supporting changes in ownership.

"They have actually gone for what my honourable friend seems to regard as a spiteful option," he said.

A third wave of criticism came from veteran Labour left winger Dennis Skinner, who said that councils should be free to own and build their own houses.

"What is the philosophical objection to that, even in New Labour?" he asked.

Reiterating his defence of the policy, Hill said that he was not generally viewed as New Labour but still backed the department's plans.