Housing Minister moves on after 104 days in the job

Housing Minister moves on after 104 days in the job

11:11 AM, 8th February 2023, About A year ago 6

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle this week has seen the housing minister Lucy Frazer being promoted to culture secretary after just 104 days in the role – but she still managed to rack up one of the longest stints in the job.

She has been replaced in the housing hot seat at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities by little-known Rachel Maclean.

The new minister tweeted: “Delighted to be appointed as Minister in @luhc. Looking forward to a new challenge, tackling one of the defining issues the government faces. I start now!”

14th housing minister in 10 years

Ms Maclean is the sixth housing minister in 12 months, and the 14th over the last 10 years in the post.

There have now been 17 housing ministers since the Conservative Party took power in 2010.

The promotion of Ms Frazer has been described by the British Property Federation as ‘hugely frustrating’.

And one comedian quipped that someone has more chance of becoming the government’s housing minister than they have of buying a home.

Replaced Lee Rowley last October

Ms Frazer replaced Lee Rowley last October and he’d only been in charge since 7 September – to notch up 48 days.

Before him, Marcus Jones lasted 63 days as the housing minister after taking on the job from Stuart Andrew who held a brief from February 2022.

Before Mr Andrew, Chris Pincher held the post for an incredible two-year stint.

Melanie Leech, the chief executive of the British Property Federation, said that the minister’s departure creates a barrier when it comes to progressing promised reforms, such as the Fairer Private Rented Sector which was first discussed in 2019.

Previously at the Ministry of Justice

The new housing minister was elected a Conservative MP for Redditch in 2017 and was previously Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice between 7 September and 28 October 2022.

Before that role, Ms Maclean was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office between 17 September 2021 and 6 July 2022, and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport between 14 February 2020 and 16 September 2021.


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Comments

TheMaluka

11:44 AM, 8th February 2023, About A year ago

Housing minister PROMOTED to Culture Secretary!

Do the government really rate 'Culture' higher than 'Housing'?

Blodwyn

11:53 AM, 8th February 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by TheMaluka at 08/02/2023 - 11:44
'Secretary' with presumably a Cabinet seat and salary is senior to a 'Minister'.

Richie

12:12 PM, 8th February 2023, About A year ago

Must be *friendly* with someone!
The only person that any idea in the job was Gove and not all of his ideas were great.
I think Sunak has little or no idea of what's needed and who should be there. The answer for me is for the government to put their hands in their pocket and BUILD MORE COUNCIL HOUSES. Take back the housing stock into public ownership and away from those moneymaking Trusts.
Goodness, I sound like a Labourite which I am not.

moneymanager

13:11 PM, 8th February 2023, About A year ago

Perhaps she was asking awkward questions about the Compass "housing" contracts that are spaffing millions of taxpayer funds on "temporay" asylum claimants/economic migrants/whatever and channeling obscene sums in to the hands of such edifices of probity as Clearsprings Ltd, if we really have to conduct this activity I can see nor reason for private sector engagement, and rofit.

Reluctant Landlord

16:35 PM, 8th February 2023, About A year ago

So an ineffective Housing Minister can be turfed out ('promoted') of the job in less time than it takes to get a ASBO/tenant with significant rent arrears out of a privately owned property?

And they wonder why LL feel pi$$ed off??

Reluctant Landlord

16:39 PM, 8th February 2023, About A year ago

...housing 'hot seat' hahahah
You mean the chair of nuclear fission?

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