Housing figures have criticised the ‘paralysing’ political turmoil engulfing Westminster after the housing and levelling up department was cleaned out by a flurry of ministerial sackings and resignations
At the end of a dramatic day in Westminster, housing and levelling up secretary Michael Gove was sacked by Boris Johnson after he reportedly joined other ministers in urging the embattled Prime Minister to stand down.
Mr Johnson, who finally agreed to resign today in the face of mutiny from his own cabinet and over 50 resignations, has now picked Greg Clark to replace Gove to lead the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
Mr Gove’s departure followed the resignation of housing minister Stuart Andrew, who had only been in the role since Febuary, along with five other DLUHC ministers, levelling up communities and equalities minister Kemi Badenoch, levelling up minister Neil O’Brien, and three parliamentary private secretaries.
Mr Andrew’s’s departure means the department has lost its 20th housing minister since 1997.
What has Michael Gove done to change housing?
Despite being in the role for only ten months, Michael Gove has made his mark. Known as a reformer, he certainly took this approach in the housing sector. The area where he is said to have had most impact is in taking steps to fix the building safety crisis by getting tough on developers and cladding firms.
The MP for Surrey Heath also put his stamp on the Building Safety Bill, which came into force in April, and pushed for better regulation of the social housing sector inlcuding bringing in ‘Ofsted-style’ inspections for social housing providers.
One area where he has shown less zeal is in ramping up housing supply. In an interview in May he appeared reluctant to renew the government’s manifesto pledge to building 300,000 homes a year by the mid 2020s.
Philip Woolner, joint managing partner at property firm Cheffins said while Gove had implemented headline policies he had appeared “lukewarm” over the government housebuilding targets. “His successor, hopefully will take up this mantle, in order to deliver homes across all sectors of the market which are so desperately needed,” he added.
What has the reaction been to his sacking?
Gove’s sacking was met with frustration in many corners of the housing industry. Polly Neate, chief executive of charity Shelter said: “The housing emergency isn’t going anywhere. Even while there is chaos in government millions of voters don’t have a decent, secure place to live.
“With the recent introduction of a renter’s reform bill, better social housing regulation, and a push for more social housing under Michael Gove, government policy is finally going in the right direction.”
A spokesperson for the End our Cladding Scandal campaign said the group was “sorry to see Gove go”, adding: “While the solution proposed by Mr Gove is by no means ideal, with a number of gaps remaining and action on the ground still insufficient, we have moved significantly further forward towards ending this scandal than we have over the last five years.”
The campaigners called for the next Prime Minister to reappoint Gove, to ensure “stability and completion” of the tasks in hand.
However a spokesperson for the Home Builders Federation, which represents private sector housebuilders, said Gove’s departure will allow a “resetting” of the relationship between the development industry and the government.
The spokesperson added: “Greg Clark needs to refocus on policies to facilitate housing supply and avoid any delay in key policy decisions.”
Who is the new levelling up secretary?
The new housing secretary has been named as Greg Clark, former business minister and MP for Royal Tunbridge Wells.
It’s a second go at the job for Clark, who was secretary of state for communities and local government from May 2015 until July 2016. He was also formerly minister for cities.
With major housing policy reforms under way, from the Renters Reform Bill to building safety, Clark’s intray will be full.
But above all the industry is calling for a period of stability and an end to the ministry’s revolving door.
Simon Cox, managing director at land agency Walter Cooper, said: “The government desperately needs stability and leadership if it is to bring forward policies to support the UK’s housing market moving forward. Once again housing and development has become a victim of politics, when is the government and political parties going to realise that this instability is leading to long term paralysis of the industry?”
