New housing minister named, construction minister stays in post

Christoper Pincher

Christopher Pincher has been appointed as the new housing minister, following the sacking yesterday of Esther McVey.

Pincher has served as MP for Tamworth since 2010 and has held the position as minister of state for Europe and the Americas since July 2019. He has opposed the construction of HS2, which is planned to run past the outskirts of Tamworth. 

• Esther McVey sacked as housing minister after six months

He becomes the tenth housing minister in 10 years. In a tweet late yesterday, he said he was “delighted” to be appointed to his new position, although sad to be leaving the Foreign Office.

“This government will deliver on our commitment to build the housing that people need. Looking forward to getting stuck in alongside [secretary of state] Robert Jenrick,” he said.

McVey was only in the role for just over six months, having been appointed in prime minister Boris Johnson’s last ministerial reshuffle when she replaced Kit Malthouse.

Commenting on Pincher’s appointment, CIOB chief executive, Caroline Gumble, said: "We look forward to working with the new housing minister to make progress on the big issues facing our industry. However, given that this is our tenth housing minister in ten years, I would like to see signals from MHCLG and from the minister that our sector, which is an important driver of the economy, is taken seriously and will be supported at government level. I have to confess to also being slightly disappointed that the calls we have made for months for a minister with a background in the sector or some previous insight into it haven’t been heard. I am confident, though, that the CIOB and our sister professional bodies, with which we work closely to develop consistent and robust positions to support the construction community, can work with the minister to deliver on the priorities for the construction industry.”

Nadhim Zahawi, parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy,  remains in post as construction minister.