Allowing council tenants to buy their homes was one of the ‘ greatest Conservative ideas of the last century ’ , David Cameron said last night . The Prime Minister pledged to ‘ keep backing ’ Margaret Thatcher ’ s flagship Right To Buy policy , and said its critics were hypocrites because they were usually homeowners themselves . His comments follow speculation that the Tories want to extend the policy , perhaps by including 2.5million housing association tenants . Harsh words : David Cameron has pledged to ‘ keep backing ’ the Right To Buy policy , and said its critics were hypocrites because they were usually homeowners themselves . Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith also wants to reward social housing tenants who hold down a job for a year or more with an automatic stake in their properties . In a pre-election rally in Essex , Mr Cameron said that only his party could be trusted to safeguard the green belt because he is a ‘ country man ’ . And he claimed that a Labour government would result in higher borrowing costs ; pushing up mortgage cost for families by an extra £1,000 a year . Last night a poll found that the Conservatives have taken the lead over Labour – and that voters believe Britain would be burdened with more debt if Ed Miliband wins office . Polling from Lord Ashcroft , a former Tory Party deputy chairman , found that the Conservatives had opened up a two-point lead over Labour . In a pre-election rally in Essex , Mr Cameron said that only his party could be trusted to safeguard the green belt because he is a ‘ country man ’ It also found three times as many people believe a Labour government will result in more borrowing and debt than if Mr Cameron remained in office . Speaking at a property firm in Colchester yesterday , the Prime Minister said : ‘ We will give more people the chance to own their home by backing the Right to Buy , and more security for those who rent . ‘ Right to Buy is one of the greatest Conservative ideas of the last century – because it ’ s about pure , undiluted aspiration . ‘ As Conservatives we don ’ t believe that people ’ s circumstances need to be stuck in one place forever . If you ’ re out of work – you don ’ t have to stay out of work . ‘ If you ’ re in poverty – you don ’ t have to stay in poverty . If you had a difficult start in life – you don ’ t have to repeat the same patterns you were born into . All these things can be overcome with the right opportunities . ‘ And that is what Right to Buy is about – people ’ s hard work taking them from being tenants in their home to owners of their home. ’ He added that critics of Right to Buy were invariably homeowners themselves . ‘ Whatever some social commentators say , people do have a deep desire to own a place of their own , ’ he said . ‘ And it ’ s interesting – often the people who criticise Right to Buy , who think it ’ s unnecessary , are speaking from the comfort and security of a home that they own . Rally : David Cameron applauds a speaker as he prepares to deliver a speech setting out the Conservative Party 's sixth manifesto theme at ThinkBDW in Colchester . ‘ As Conservatives we don ’ t think it ’ s one rule for us and one rule for them . We want to give everyone the chance of owning their own home . ‘ So we extended Right to Buy . Thirty-three thousand more people have become homeowners this way , and our Conservative commitment for the next Parliament is to keep on backing this scheme. ’ Mr Cameron also pledged to protect the green belt if the Conservatives win the next election – saying he wanted his children to walk on unspoilt countryside such as the North Downs . Building must take place on brownfield land as a priority , he said , but he acknowledged that building could not be restricted to such land . He said Britain is on target to build 200,000 homes a year by 2017 – bearing Labour ’ s target by three years . ‘ When it comes to our Green Belt , I have been clear , ’ he said . ‘ The line remains scored in the sand – that land is precious . I am a country man . I love our countryside . ‘ Put simply : the Green Belt is protected with us . And it is not just green belt that concerns people but green fields . I agree. ’ The Prime Minister also said that a future Conservative government will ‘ keep mortgage rates low ’ so that homeowners can ‘ go to bed with real peace of mind ’ . Pledging that maintaining low borrowing costs would be the first priority of the Tories ’ housing policy , he attributed the UK ’ s historically low interest rates of 0.5 per cent to his government ’ s deficit reduction programme . He said Labour ’ s plan to borrow for investment would result in higher borrowing costs for home owners . ‘ And do you know what that could cost people ? Just a one per cent rise in market rates would add £1,000 to the average mortgage bill . ‘ Britain ’ s home owners can not afford that . So in the next Parliament Conservatives would see through our long-term economic plan , clear the deficit , run a budget surplus by 2018 , and help keep mortgage rates low . ’
David Cameron pledged to ‘ keep backing ’ Right To Buy policy . Called critics hypocrites as they 're usually homeowners themselves . PM 's speech follow speculation that Tories want to extend the policy .