THE leader of Hertsmere Borough Council has back housing minister Grant Shapps’ call to turf fat cats on �100,000 salaries out of council homes in Potters Bar and beyond.

Cllr Morris Bright told the Potters Bar Edition: “Social housing is meant for the less-well-off in our communities.

“We have to be a fair and equitable society in our communities and in Potters Bar we have to ensure that all residents with different levels of income are looked after, and I don’t think it is unreasonable that people earning over �100,000 should find a mortgage.”

He added: “We need to do all we can to reduce the housing list.”

Mr Shapps had earlier said the policy idea was to help the needy into housing, but he also admitted it was aimed at cases such as left-wing RMT firebrand Bob Crow.

Commenting on the council-house dwelling union boss’s domestic circumstances, Mr Shapps told the Potters Bar Edition: “He can stay if he wants, but I think in a case like that where the gap between the actual rent is so large – I mean he earns 145-grand, and I would have thought he can pay his own rent and we can use the money to build more homes.”

The housing minister said the plan would “need legislation”, and was at present “just me saying I think this would be a smart thing to do”.

He added: “I should stress that it is absolutely nothing to do with your average council tenant – unless you earn �100,000.

“I think people are fed up with people abusing the system, many people in Welwyn Hatfield will probably know someone who is on the waiting list.

“You’d like to think the housing was going to people who actually need it.”

Although Mr Shapps conceded he didn’t know how many people the brainwave would apply to, he listed Labour Party figures, on more than �100,000, who he said had used council housing.

The list included Lee Jasper, a former aide of ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone, who he said lived in state-subsidised social housing in a �750,000 home, despite trousering a �117,000 salary.