Former housing minister sacked over Tweet

Former housing minister sacked over Tweet

0:04 AM, 20th November 2023, About 6 months ago

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Rachel Maclean, the former housing minister, was sacked over a Tweet that laid bare groundbreaking leasehold reforms set to be unveiled in the King’s Speech.

According to Robert Peston, ITV’s political editor, Ms Maclean was axed over leaking the government’s plans for leasehold reforms on X (formerly Twitter) before the King’s Speech on the 7th of November.

Ms Maclean tweeted the government’s plans on the 29th October almost a week before the first Kings Speech in more than 70 years.

Sealed Ms Maclean’s fate

In a Tweet, Ms Maclean posted: “Plans to phase out leasehold and restore true home ownership confirmed today as part of the King’s Speech.

“We will restore true home ownership to millions of people and end the reign of rip off freeholders and incompetent profiteering management companies.”

However, Mr Peston revealed it was this very tweet, that sealed Ms Maclean’s fate, marking a “breach of protocol”, and leading to her sudden sacking.

Housing minister for only nine months

Mr Peston told his followers on X: “Rachel Maclean was sacked as housing minister for the tweet that she put out. Or at least that is what Downing Street told her. She was of course celebrating her own government’s plan.

“But she did so before King Charles spoke and that it seems was a sackable breach of protocol ­– though not presumably when Downing Street does it!”k

Ms Maclean was only housing minister for nine months and was replaced by Lee Rowley who became the 7th housing minister since 2020 and the 16th over the last 13 years.pr

Mr Rowley said on X, formerly Twitter he’s delighted to be appointed.

He said: “Home ownership is the cornerstone of Conservatism – and for building the property-owning democracy that we all want to see.

“Delighted to be supporting Michael Gove on our ambitious long-term plan for housing – and to build more homes in the right places for everyone.”


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