A radical extension of Margaret Thatcher ’ s flagship housing policy is set to be included in the Conservative manifesto as Tories bid to woo working-class voters . The Right to Buy would be extended to up to 2.5million housing-association tenants , transforming the lives of many . The reform , backed by senior Conservatives including Iain Duncan Smith , Boris Johnson and David Davis , is expected to be included in a ‘ big doorstep offer ’ on housing from the Tories . Scroll down for video . The Conservatives are set to include Margaret Thatcher 's flagship housing policy in the party manifesto in a bid to woo working-class voters . Pictured , Mrs Thatcher at the Conservative Party Conference in 1989 . The party is also considering plans to force councils to sell large , expensive council homes in order to fund higher numbers of cheaper properties . A Number Ten source said : ‘ The Prime Minister has been a big supporter of Right to Buy , so that more people can own a home of their own . But our manifesto will be announced nearer the election. ’ Enabling housing-association tenants to buy their homes would likely require major changes to the 1996 Housing Act , forcing associations to sell properties at discounts set by government . The Coalition has increased Right to Buy discounts , meaning more council homes are already moving to the private sector . Prime Minister David Cameron ( pictured left ) is a big supporter of Right to Buy , a Downing Street source said , and the reform is backed by senior Conservatives , including the Mayor of London Boris Johnson ( right ) But housing associations have gradually replaced councils as the main providers of social housing . They are autonomous , not-for-profit bodies that provide low-cost homes using public money and loans from the private sector . Right to Buy , introduced in 1980 , led to more than 1.5million council homes being sold at discounted rates . Senior Tories believe a ‘ right to own ’ would attract more ‘ C2 voters ’ – the skilled working classes that helped deliver Lady Thatcher ’ s election victories . It would promote home ownership as well as drastically reducing the housing benefit bill . At the moment , taxpayers subsidise the housing costs of many unemployed and lower paid workers who live in properties provided by housing associations . Current Right to Buy rules let most council tenants buy their homes at a discount . But housing-association tenants have limited discounts and can only buy a property acquired by an association since 1997 . Britain 's Secretary for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith set up a think-thank in opposition to rules limiting the discounts housing association tenants can receive under the Right to Buy scheme . The Centre for Social Justice , the think-tank set up by Mr Duncan Smith in opposition , has suggested housing-association tenants should be offered discounts of up to 30 per cent of a property ’ s value . Tory policymakers are said to be keen to ensure money raised from property sales is ploughed into more social housebuilding , which would be spread out rather than concentrated on estates . A criticism of the original scheme was that it undermined the number of social houses available .
The reform is expected to be included in a ‘ big doorstep offer ’ on housing . Backed by senior Tories including Iain Duncan Smith and Boris Johnson . Party is also considering plans to force councils to sell large , expensive council homes in order to fund higher numbers of cheaper properties . Introduced in 1980 , Right to Buy led to more than 1.5million council homes being sold at discounted rates .