How the UK Housing Ministers Fared Over the Past Few Years Promise versus Performance

The transience of UK housing ministers continues with the resignation of Mr. Stuart Andrew just 148 days after taking office. Let us look at the country’s housing ministers for the past ten years and how they have performed.

Mr. Stuart Andrew (148 days)

ACHIEVED - Zilch

The Pudsey MP was caught in the scandal involving Chris Pincher, his predecessor. He is now the housing minister with the shortest term in the country since the role was created in 1997. A week before he resigned, he addressed the Housing 2022 conference in Manchester. He promised reforms that would help council buildings. He also reiterated the government’s commitment to achieving the 300,000 homes target.

Chris Pincher: February 2020 to February 2022 (2 years)

ACHIEVED - covid protections for tenants & money for cladding

Mr. Pincher assumed the role just before the COVID-19 lockdown was announced. The Tamworth MP was under the scanner for inappropriate behavior while serving at the Foreign Office earlier. His two-year stint saw a two-month moving and estate agency activities freeze being imposed on the housing market activities, and a ban on evictions,

In July 2020, he warned of a delay to the much-awaited private rented sector reforms. He also failed to fulfill the promise of introducing the Social Housing Regulation Bill. The same was the status of the building safety crisis. His department did manage to get the Treasury to commit 3.5bn towards remediation of dangerous cladding.

Esther McVey: July 2019 to February 2020 (8 months)

ACHIEVED - Zilch

Ester McVey was a TV host. She entered parliament for the first time in 2010. She held the office for eight months and was very verbal about homeownership. Ms. McVey reportedly had run-ins with housing secretary Robert Jenrick over whether the government should prioritize investing in building more council housing or help first-time buyers. She was reportedly gunning for council housing.

She also floated the idea of modular housing and talked about protecting the green belt. The MP from Tatton also supported the governments position on the cladding crisis.

Kit Malthouse: July 2018 to July 2019 (12 months)

ACHIEVED - Zilch

Mr. Malthouse is best remembered for the slogan More, Better, Faster. The Conservative MP for North West Hampshire formulated this approach when his party promised to build 300,000 homes a year. He also took a keen interest in the social housing sector and promised to reform the Right to Buy. He suggested strengthening planning guidance to prevent segregation of social housing residents.

Dominic Raab: January 2018 to July 2018 (7 months)

ACHIEVED - Zilch

With his consistent opposition to green belt development, Mr. Dominic Raab was seen as a misfit in the Housing Ministry. His appointment was more about attaining a balance of the number of Leave MPs in the ministry and less about having any expertise in the housing department. His stint did nothing to improve the housing problems of the country.

Alok Sharma: June 2017 to January 2018 (8 months)

ACHIEVED - Social Housing Green Paper

Mr. Alok Sharmas short tenure as housing minister is best remembered for the numerous roadshows held with tenants to gather evidence for the Social Housing Green Paper. He was a good listener and took criticisms on the affordable rent regime positively.

Gavin Barwell: July 2016 to June 2017 (11 months)

ACHIEVED - Housing White Paper & removed Starter Homes Targets

Mr. Barwell was among the most popular housing ministers of this period. He led a change in housing policy away from the era of homeownership. He advised a multi-tenured approach. Mr. Barwells efforts resulted in the Housing White Paper. He also played a role in the removal of the Starter Homes targets. However, like all other housing ministers before him, Mr. Barwell failed to review building regulations before the Grenfell incident.

Brandon Lewis: July 2014 to July 2016 (2 years)

ACHIEVED - withdrawal of low cost rent & extended Right to Buy to Housing Associations

Mr. Lewis helmed the housing ministry when there was a transition in the UK housing policy. In 2015, the Conservatives introduced some major changes. These included withdrawing low-cost rent and offering to extend the Right to Buy scheme to housing associations. Mr. Lewis was a passionate supporter of these changes.

Kris Hopkins: October 2013 to July 2014 (10 months)

ACHIEVED - Zilch

Mr. Hopkins, an ex-soldier, was in the ministry for a short time. He didn't bring in any significant policy changes. In a controversial statement, he said there was no issue with private landlords not renting to tenants with housing benefits. His logic was that re-letting properties would not be tough because of welfare reforms.

Conclusion

The conservatives have been in power since 2010 and there has been a lot of talk and more promises than action from the UK housing ministry for nearly a decade. That perhaps explains why the housing sector is not in great shape in the UK today.