Appointment of New Housing & Planning Minister

Gavin Barwell MP has been announced as the new Minister of State for Housing & Planning, replacing Brandon Lewis who moves to the Home Office. Interestingly, Mr Barwell has also been appointed as Minster for London, a role which was last occupied by Tessa Jowell who left office in 2010. David Cameron did not choose to appoint a replacement.

Mr Barwell was elected Conservative MP for Croydon Central in May 2010 and served as a House of Commons Whip until his promotion yesterday. In a statement issued following his appointment, Mr Barwell unsurprisingly highlights the need for more housing as a key priority. His new role will see him work closely with both the former Business Secretary Savid Javid who was made Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government last week, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.