Housing Secretary James Brokenshire steps down

James Brokenshire had been overseeing the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government since April 2018.

Housing Secretary James Brokenshire steps down

James Brokenshire, has stepped down from his role as Housing Secretary, and is heading to the backbenches as new Prime Minister Boris Johnson puts together his new cabinet.

Brokenshire took over at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in April 2018 and had been tipped as a possible Environment Secretary.

He took to Twitter to announce his decision and said he was proud of his time in office.

Brokenshire had recently been praised in most recent issue of Mortgage Introducer by Sam Howard, managing director of development finance lender Magnet Capital.

Terry Pritchard, chief executive officer of Charter HCP, also praised the outgoing Housing Secretary.

He said: "Mr Brokenshire has been working diligently to further housing policy in the UK during his time in post.

"The UK has struggled for the best part of two decades to secure a long serving Housing Minister. Unfortunately this looks to continue for sometime to come.

"The time could be right to make housing a cross part brief. Brexit is the immediate issue. Housing shortages have been plaguing the country for years.

"Mr Johnson needs to make sure that whilst he has his main focus on Brexit he keeps a view on the other issues affecting our fine country.The housing deficit is just one of those.

"He's said the 'buck stops with him' and so it does. Let's hope he doesn't regret letting a decent Housing Minister slip through his fingers."

However despite praise from the industry it looks like the UK is once again set for a new housing tsar.

Brokenshire said on Twitter:

Brokenshire, an MP since 2005 and the former minister for Northern Ireland, has said he will now return to the backbenches.

New PM Boris Johnson had already pledged to give ‘millions of young people the chance to own their own homes’.

More reshuffle news to follow...