Katie Lam has been appointed Shadow Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary, replacing Sir James Cleverly following his decision to pursue a bid to become Mayor of London.
Cleverly, the Conservative MP for Braintree, had held the shadow housing brief since July 2025 but announced over the weekend that he plans to seek his party’s nomination for the 2028 London mayoral election.
It is not yet clear whether Cleverly intends to stand down as an MP, while the Conservatives have yet to select their candidate for the mayoral contest.
Lam will now take responsibility for scrutinising government housing policy, including its approach to housebuilding, planning and the wider property market.
Her brief will also cover local government and communities.
Announcing the appointment, the Conservatives said Lam would lead the party’s work to “get Britain building” while “standing up for local communities” and ensuring local government works effectively.
The appointment puts Lam in a key housing role at a time when planning reform, housing supply and affordability remain major issues for the property industry.
