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Greenhalgh resigns as building safety minister
Building safety and fire minister Lord Stephen Greenhalgh has resigned from his position now that the “die has been cast” on Boris Johnson’s premiership.
In a letter published on Twitter, Lord Greenhalgh said it was the right time for him to return to the backbenches after more than 50 MPs resigned from Mr Johnson’s government earlier this week.
This included the majority of ministers from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, while Michael Gove was sacked from his role as housing secretary.
Mr Johnson has since announced he will step down from his role as prime minister, however he will remain in place with a newly appointed cabinet until a new leader of the Conservative Party has been selected.
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In his resignation letter, Lord Greenhalgh said: “I am saddened at the turn of events that has resulted in your decision to stand down as prime minister. Now that the die has been cast, I have decided that now is the right time for me to resign. Of course I will continue to serve the government from the backbenches.”
Lord Greenhalgh, who previously served as leasehold minister, highlighted some of the things he had overseen in recent years, including the ban on ground rents, which came into force at the end of last month.
On his time as building safety minister, he said: “I have worked hard to ensure that a tragedy like Grenfell never happens again.”
He described the Building Safety Act, which recently received Royal Assent, as “landmark legislation that delivers on that mission”.
The act, which started its passage through parliament in July last year, is aimed at improving building standards, ensuring the safety of residents and protecting leaseholders from the costs of fixing their blocks.
Lord Greenhalgh’s resignation follows the announcement that Greg Clark, MP for Royal Tunbridge Wells, has been appointed to replace Mr Gove as housing secretary.
While Marcus Jones, MP for Nuneaton, Arley and Hartshill, has been appointed housing minister to replace Stuart Andrew, who resigned on Wednesday.
