
Londoner’s Diary
Was poor Michael Gove made homeless for nothing? Until the general election, the Tory secretary of state for levelling up and housing had been living for free in one of the Government's grandest properties, 1 Carlton Gardens, a Grade II listed mansion by Buckingham Palace worth £25 million. The grace-and-favour home is usually reserved for the Foreign Secretary but Liz Truss didn't want it when she held that job and David Cameron was happy to let Gove carry on living there too. It was a stopover pad for him following his divorce from wife Sarah Vine in 2021. Gove enjoyed his near three-year stint at the residence, which comprises three bedrooms, two dining rooms and a ballroom. He was once ticked off after bringing party guests onto the roof.