One of the biggest privatisations in modern British history is relatively unknown: the mass sale of public land.

Since 1979, approximately one-tenth of Britain's entire territory has been sold off, from council assets to nationally-owned land.

By reducing public resources and concentrating ownership, this sell-off has worsened the housing crisis and helped build an economy where wealth is increasingly generated through the ownership of land and the capture of rent.

The scale of privatisation of public land has been matched by the sell-off of public housing. Since the introduction of the Right To Buy scheme in 1980, over two million social homes have been sold, and at a steep discount.

More than 40 per cent of homes sold under Right To Buy are now owned by private landlords, typically offering more expensive rent and less secure tenancies.

Who owns land and how they choose to use it fundamentally shapes how our economy operates and in whose benefit. To understand Rip-Off Britain we need to understand the scale and effect of privatisation — and begin to reclaim land for public benefit: affordable housing, thriving communities and healthy environments.