Shelter complains about Housing Minister revolving door

Shelter and other campaigning organisations have spoken out in dismay at the latest ‘housing minister revolving door’.

Yesterday Rachel Maclean was sacked from the housing post after just nine months in the job - she was the 15th housing minister since 2010 and the eighth since 2020. 

Shelter chief executive Polly Neate says: “Rents are rocketing, evictions are soaring and homelessness is at a record high, yet we haven’t had a minister stay in the job long enough to get to grips with the problem.

“The 16th housing minister since 2010 has to hit the ground running and the first thing on their to-do list must be to pass a watertight Renters Reform Bill and scrap no-fault evictions.

“Time is of the essence for this government to finally prioritise housing and push forward with the solutions that will end the housing emergency and improve people’s lives – including building decent social homes, fixing private renting and making it more affordable.”

Generation Rent, in a post on X - formerly Twitter - says: “Reshuffle confirms we’ll have a 16th housing minister in 13 years, a day before vital evidence sessions for the Renters Reform Bill start. Renters have been messed around with so much with delays to this law [sic] - will anyone stick around long enough to address the housing crisis?”

The Renters’ Reform Coalition says Maclean had attended its events and was "willing to engage with us – we wish her well for the future”.

The organisation’s campaign manager, Tom Darling, says: “It is frankly shambolic that we will now be on to our 16th housing minister since 2010, and incredibly nine just since the Government promised to end no-fault evictions.

“Now, just before the first day of the important committee stage [of the Renters Reform Bill] which involves poring over the detail of the Bill, she is sacked – it makes a mockery of Government and shows a shocking lack of respect for England’s 11m private renters."

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