Lee Rowley appointed housing minister

Lee Rowley has been appointed the government’s new housing minister in a cabinet reshuffle, following the sacking of Suella Braverman as home secretary.

Rowley replaces Rachel Maclean who was sacked from the housing post earlier today (November 13) after being in the position for nine months.

North East Derbyshire MP Rowley, previously DLUHC’s net zero minister, becomes the 16th housing minister since the Conservative party came to power in 2010.

Before becoming net zero minister under Rishi Sunak’s government, he was briefly housing minister in Liz Truss’ short premiership.

From September 2021 to July 2022, Rowley was government whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury. Alongside this (and during the same time period), he was parliamentary undersecretary for the then-titled Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Rowley has been a Conservative MP for North East Derbyshire since June 2017.

Stewart Baseley, HBF's executive chairman, said it was "disappointing" that with all indicators pointing to a drop in housing supply "and some clear policy direction needed, the revolving door of housing ministers spins yet again".

But he noted that Rowley's housing sector experience "should better allow him to quickly get up to speed on the key …