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Seven housing ministers in eight years: a timeline

Dominic Raab has departed the housing ministerial role. His successor will become the eighth housing minister in just over eight years since the Conservatives regained power in 2010. Here Peter Apps looks back on what the previous seven achieved

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Dominic Raab is the new Brexit Secretary
Dominic Raab is the new Brexit Secretary
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Seven housing ministers in eight years: a timeline #ukhousing

Dominic Raab: January 2018 to July 2018

The former Vote Leave campaigner was always going to be a slightly odd fit for the housing minister role, with his long-standing and vocal opposition to green belt development.

In six months, he never quite escaped the impression that his appointment had as much to do with balancing the amount of Leave MPs in ministerial roles as it did about any interest in housing.

His move to take the role as secretary of state for leaving the European Union will only add to this impression.

His comments about housing and immigration – for better or worse – will be what his tenure is best remembered for.


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Alok Sharma was praised for listening to tenants
Alok Sharma was praised for listening to tenants

Alok Sharma: June 2017 to January 2018

Mr Sharma’s short tenure as housing minister was mostly taken up carrying out roadshows with tenants to gather evidence for the forthcoming Social Housing Green Paper.

Mr Sharma got good reviews for his willingness to listen in these meetings, and a leaked letter reveals he took on board criticism over issues such as the affordable rent regime.

However, he was moved on to a role in the Department for Work and Pensions without being given time to implement any of his findings.

Gavin Barwell: July 2016 to June 2017

Mr Barwell was arguably the most popular housing minister of this period with the sector, having led a change in housing policy away from the homeownership-focused era of David Cameron’s government to a more multi-tenured approach.

He worked on the Housing White Paper and oversaw the dropping of unpopular Starter Homes targets and the effective kicking into the long grass of the high-value asset levy.

He lost his seat at the 2017 general election, but was appointed Theresa May’s chief of staff. His position will, however, be forever tainted by a failure to review building regulations ahead of Grenfell – a failing which could equally be ascribed to all of his predecessors.

Brandon Lewis: July 2014 to July 2016

The only minister to have matched Mr Shapps’ two-year tenure, Mr Lewis role came during a time of transition in housing policy.

When the Conservatives won a majority in 2015 and embarked on a new style of housing policy, including removing all grant for low-cost rent and extending the Right to Buy to housing associations, Mr Lewis was an enthusiastic champion.

He led a bad-tempered battle with the House of Lords over the Housing and Planning Act and claimed households on housing waiting lists would be able to get mortgages to buy Starter Homes.

An ally of Theresa May, he took roles in the Home Office and later became party chair following her appointment as prime minister.

Former soldier Kris Hopkins had a short stint in the role
Former soldier Kris Hopkins had a short stint in the role

Kris Hopkins: October 2013 to July 2014

This is when the merry-go-round really got spinning. Mr Hopkins, a former soldier, had a short stint in the role, not widely remembered for any major policy changes.

He caused some controversy by suggesting it was OK for private landlords not to rent to tenants on housing benefit and suggesting that it wouldn’t be difficult to re-let properties due to welfare reform.

He moved from the housing brief to take up a role with responsibility for several areas, including community pubs, and lost his seat as an MP in the 2017 election.

Mark Prisk: September 2012 to October 2013

Mr Prisk’s year in the job was spent mostly behind the scenes, prompting an Inside Housing profile which branded him The Invisible Mr Prisk. Nonetheless, he was well thought of by sector figures and spoken of with more fondness than the more exuberant Mr Shapps.

Mr Prisk was at the helm when Help to Buy was introduced, but the policy is seen as one developed by the Treasury. A chartered surveyor by trade, he is a rare housing minister to have had a background in housing.

Grant Shapps was the longest-serving housing minister in the period since 2010
Grant Shapps was the longest-serving housing minister in the period since 2010

Grant Shapps: May 2010 to September 2012

The longest-serving housing minister in the modern Conservative era, Mr Shapps passed the two-year mark in his role.

Remembered particularly for his abolition of the Tenant Services Authority (“the TSA is toast”), Mr Shapps also oversaw a giant reduction in grant for affordable housing and the introduction of the ‘affordable rent’ regime to replace socially rented housing.

He left when appointed chair of the Conservative Party.

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