Scottish Conservatives say new Housing Minister won’t fix SNP failures

The Scottish Conservatives accuse the SNP of making token changes instead of real solutions as they appoint Màiri McAllan as the new Scottish Housing Minister.

Her predecessor, Paul McLennan, who denied that rent controls fuelled Scotland’s housing crisis, has quit the government with immediate effect.

Ms McAllan, who previously served as Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform from 2021 to 2023 and Minister for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition until February 2024, went on maternity leave last July and has now returned to take on her new position.

Little chance that things will get better

First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, admitted Ms McAllan faces a tough challenge with the housing brief.

He said: “Màiri McAllan has been tasked with tackling the housing emergency, including ensuring we have energy-efficient homes to help bring down bills and tackle the climate emergency. These are two of the biggest challenges facing people across the country and I want them to know they have a government firmly on their side and focused on delivering real change.”

However, Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for housing, Meghan Gallacher, claims the SNP are failing to tackle the housing crisis, and simply changing the Housing Minister won’t fix it.

She tells Property118: “It will take more than belatedly creating a token cabinet post to tackle the housing emergency created on the SNP’s watch.

“The Nats’ decisions on everything from rent controls to failing to support rural housing, and punitive LBTT rates to short-term lets and other red tape, have made the housing shortage much worse.

“Unless Màiri McAllan plans to disown and reverse the SNP’s damaging policies, there’s little chance that things will get better.”

Reaction to Mairi McAllan as new Housing Minister

Timothy Douglas, head of Policy and campaigns at Propertymark, said: “We welcome Mairi McAllan MSP to the post of Housing Minister in the Scottish government and we thank Paul McLennan MSP for his engagement with the sector.

“Tackling the housing emergency and ensuring energy efficiency proposals for the property sector are fit for purpose must be top of Mairi McAllan’s to do list alongside a commitment to review and reduce all costs and taxes impacting private landlords and home buyers and sellers.

“This is key to ensuring the Scottish government is implementing pro-growth policies to reduce the cost of renting and make it easier for people to move up and down the housing ladder.”

The Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) say they will work with Ms McAllan to discuss how landlords can support solving the housing crisis.

SAL chief executive, John Blackwood, said: “SAL warmly welcomes Màiri McAllan to her new role as Scotland’s housing minister.

“We also wish Paul McLennan well as he leaves the position and thank him for his willingness to work with Scotland’s landlords on key issues.

“SAL looks forward to meeting with the new minister at the earliest possible opportunity to discuss how Scotland’s private rented sector can play a key role in solving the housing crisis.”

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