May's cabinet reshuffle and the role of the new Housing Minister

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May's cabinetreshuffle and the role of the new Housing Minister

The recent cabinet reshuffle has given Sajid Javid the role of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government. This change reflects the serious commitment the UK government is making towards solving the housing crisis.

The newly appointed Secretary discussed the renewed focus of the government on delivering more housing supply.‘Building the homes our country needs is an absolute priority for this Government and so I’m delighted the Prime Minister has asked me to serve in this role. The name change for the department reflects this government’s renewed focus to deliver more homes and build strong communities across England,’ he said.

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Prime Minister Theresa May also renamed the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to reinforce the importance of housing.

According to Richard Lambert, chief executive officer of the National Landlords Association (NLA),‘Housing strategy should be at the forefront of the Government’s thinking. However, we hope that this works out to be more than just rebranding exercise and that Mr Javid and his department will look to address the housing crisis by genuinely working across all tenures, not by fixating on building more homes.’

Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) also commented on May’s cabinet reshuffle. ‘The inclusion of the word housing sends a clear signal as to the importance the Government places on housing policy by the renaming of the department and the Secretary of State’s title,’ he said.

“However, actions always speak louder than words which is why it is vital that we also see continuity, application, and a continued willingness to be bold where necessary in housing policy,” he underlined.

The FMB primarily is asking for good policies, continuity of plans in the legislature, and bold government intervention when it’s needed. The news has been welcomed by the industry, and our team here at Copperstones feels highly optimistic about the future of real estate in the UK and especially in London. The British government seems really eager to solve the crisis and provide affordable options.

If you are not sure when and where to invest in the UK, our London-based team provides free private consultations at your own convenience. Call us today at 08 445 555 555 arrange your first meeting and stay ahead of the property game in 2018.