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Former housing association chair to replace rough sleeping minister

Eddie Hughes has been appointed to the role of parliamentary under secretary of state for rough sleeping and housing, following Kelly Tolhurst’s decision to step down due to family reasons. 

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Eddie Hughes is the new rough sleeping and housing minister (picture: David Woolfall)
Eddie Hughes is the new rough sleeping and housing minister (picture: David Woolfall)
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Eddie Hughes is set to replace Kelly Tolhurst as the minister for rough sleeping and housing #UKhousing

Ms Tolhurst announced her departure from the role of housing and rough sleeping minister over the weekend, citing “devastating” family news as the reason for her stepping down.

Following the announcement, housing secretary Robert Jenrick tweeted that Eddie Hughes, MP for Walsall North, had been promoted to the role of parliamentary under secretary of state at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

Mr Hughes was formerly chair of housing association WHG, a role he stepped down from in 2018 after joining MHCLG as a parliamentary private secretary.

Inside Housing has asked the department to confirm that Mr Hughes’ responsibilities will remain the same as those held by Ms Tolhurst, which included homelessness and rough sleeping, supported housing and the Social Housing White Paper.


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Ms Tolhurst took up the role as parliamentary under secretary of state in September last year and has been overseeing the continued effort to protect rough sleepers during the COVID-19 crisis.

She previously held the role of parliamentary under secretary of state in both the Department for Transport and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

In her resignation letter to the prime minister, she said: “As Rough Sleeping & Housing Minister, I have been proud to work on delivering our Conservative Manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping by the conclusion of this Parliament – a commitment that I know you are passionate about.”

She added: “We are on track to meet our commitment to make sure that all those who are sleeping rough get the help and support they need to move forward with their lives.”

Mr Hughes was first elected to parliament at the 2017 general election when he unseated Labour MP David Winnick. Inside Housing ran a profile interview with him a year after he entered parliament.

After his stint as parliamentary private secretary at MHCLG, Mr Hughes moved with former housing secretary Dominic Raab to the Department for Exiting the European Union.

He resigned from the department in January 2019 in order to vote against the Withdrawal Agreement.

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