Yet another housing minister has been appointed after Dominic Raab was made Brexit Secretary this morning following David Davis’s resignation. The new housing minister is Kit Malthouse, MP for north west Hampshire.
Malthouse has been in Parliament since 2015. His previous role as under-secretary at the Department of Work and Pensions involved the roll-out of Universal Credit. In that post – held since January this year – he was responsible for family support, housing, and child maintenance.
He has also served on the Treasury and Armed Forces committees, and was a Leave campaigner in the run-up to the referendum.
He takes over from Raab who had been in the post for what has become the customary few months. His tenure lasted seven months.
His departure from the role means that his successor will be the eighth housing minister in eight years.
Commenting, Emoov CEO Russell Quirk said: “Housing has become the poor relation in British politics, a ministerial post that should have a well oiled revolving door attached to the position.
“We are in the midst of a housing crisis – a deficit of 100,000 new homes each year and acute unaffordability whereby first-time buyers will soon celebrate their 40th birthday before being able to buy a home.
“We need consistency in government where the housing brief is concerned. And it must be a proper cabinet position, not a junior role relegated to the corridors of Whitehall.
“How are we as an industry or indeed the civil service to take the Government seriously when they say that housing is a priority when, in fact, they play ‘Fantasy Housing Minister League’ like this with scant regard for the consequences?”
The seven housing ministers – so far – since the Tories came to power ten years ago have been: Grant Shapps, Mark Prisk, Kris Hopkins, Brandon Lewis, Gavin Barwell, Alok Sharma, and Dominic Raab.
In reverse order, this was how long each one lasted:
Jan 2018 – July 2018 Dominic Raab
June 2017 – Jan 2018 Alok Sharma
July 2016 – June 2017 Gavin Barwell
July 2014 – July 2016 Brandon Lewis
Oct 2013 – July 2014 Kris Hopkins
Sept 2012 – Oct 2013 Mark Prisk
May 2010 – Sept 2012 Grant Shapps
Since 1997 – 21 years ago – there have been 17 housing ministers all told, a remarkable churn. This is now our 18th.
It’s about time that Housing stopped being a political football, and a cross party housing Tsar be appointed, so that some real long term thinking and strategies can be implemented, to stop future generations being left to pick up the pieces of ill-informed, half baked policies, of which ever Government wishes to win some votes that particular day!
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He has accepted a poisoned chalice. Brexit minister, when there is no Brexit.
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We’ll get someone appointed to hasnt got a clue, someone they need to keep happy or an MP “on the up”. The biggest issue IMO is the thicko MPs in parliament dont actually grasp the situation, they dont understand that the housing market is really important, the engine room of our economy.
Until they understand this, it wont change, and whatever matey they plonk in the role today, will be leaving in 6-12 months.
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It would be refreshing to have clear policies that respect and consult with industry professionals not just give lip service and carry on with no consideration for the implications of their decisions. Landlords are a major contributor and are a major solution to the housing issues the UK is facing. Respect the Lettings industry, respect landlords and accept a positive residential housing solution.
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Simon Whale for housing minister?
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Trump in the White House, me in the White Horse, a special relationship based on us both having tiny hands
truly the end of days
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The Foreign Secretary position is vacant as of this afternoon. Will Whaley go for it? Or is he biding his time for the Big One in No.10 – which is sure as heck going to come vacant at any moment.
Has Boris joined Reapit?
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Kit Malthouse new housing minister, at least he has a property based surname, shame has no experience, knowledge or credibility in the sector.
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Yet another here today, gone tomorrow politician.
Hopefully the whole bl**dy lot of them will soon be gone.
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Only problem is what will that leave us with? Personally I think that none of the current ‘parties’ have the country’s best interests at heart, it all seems to be backstabbing and muck-spreading. “Oh, you think the sky is blue?? ACTUALLY it is a precise shade of azure, with a hint of grey and various white patches! See, Joe Public? They want to run the country and they don’t even know what colour the sky is!”
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