A housing minister has told of her disappointment at being sacked as she makes way for the 16th person to hold the role since 2010.
Conservative MP Rachel Maclean, ousted on Monday in the latest reshuffle, said she had been looking forward to introducing the Renters Reform Bill to the committee stage in Parliament on Tuesday.
Among her predecessors in the past 13 years were Grant Shapps (2010-12), Alok Sharma (2017-18) and Dominic Raab (2018).
Homeless charity Shelter said the “revolving door of housing ministers” indicates the Government’s “failure to grasp the scale and urgency of the housing emergency”.
I’ve been asked to step down from my role as housing minister. Disappointed and was looking forward to introducing the Renters Reform Bill to committee tomorrow— Rachel Maclean, former housing minister
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Ms Maclean said: “I’ve been asked to step down from my role as housing minister.
“Disappointed and was looking forward to introducing the Renters Reform Bill to committee tomorrow and later the Leasehold and Freehold Bill.
“It has been a privilege to hold the position and I wish my successor well.”
Her party colleague, Kemi Badenoch, described her as an “excellent minister” who had been “always attentive to MPs and their constituents and got some very tricky legislation over the line”.
The Renters Reform Bill has been a long time coming for housing and homelessness charities who have called for it to be proceeded with urgently as renters face a challenging time amid high prices and a shortage of housing.
They said fulfilment of the pledge to ban section 21 no-fault evictions is key and must happen soon to protect renters, but the Government has said the abolition will not come in until reforms in the court system to ensure it is a fair process also for landlords.
Shelter chief executive Polly Neate said: “Rents are rocketing, evictions are soaring and homelessness is at a record high, yet we haven’t had a minister stay in the job long enough to get to grips with the problem.
“The 16th housing minister since 2010 has to hit the ground running and the first thing on their to-do list must be to pass a watertight Renters Reform Bill and scrap no-fault evictions.
“Time is of the essence for this Government to finally prioritise housing and push forward with the solutions that will end the housing emergency and improve people’s lives – including building decent social homes, fixing private renting and making it more affordable.”
