Islington Council’s housing boss can stop being an online “troll” – for now.

For 61 days since October, Cllr Diarmaid Ward has “spammed” cabinet minister Sajid Javid’s Twitter account with demands for the government to stop the forced sale of Islington council homes.

Under the plans, the town hall will be made to sell about 300 “void” council homes – those which become empty – every year. The council said this would mean 1,000 fewer people would be re-housed every year.

But communities secretary Mr Javid wrote to Cllr Ward to say this policy will be delayed until 2019. Cllr Ward said the Twitter posts will stop for now. He added: “This is a big win for our campaign, but we need the government to drop this policy altogether. We will continue to campaign with local people against this unfair policy.

“Forcing councils to sell-off much needed council homes makes no sense. Islington would be the worst affected borough in the country by this plan.”