Stuart Andrew appointed housing minister

Former whip Stuart Andrew has replaced Christopher Pincher as housing minister. Pincher held the role for two years, including working with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and its previous iteration as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Andrew will be the fifth housing minister in as many years. He takes the post as the government sets about implementing its levelling up agenda. This year the department will push out reform of planning, renting and leasehold, as it also battles with the industry over cladding remediation costs. Andrew previously voted against an amendment to the Housing and Planning Bill in 2016 that would require landlords to keep homes for human habitation. He has also consistently voted in favour of charging a market rent to high earners renting council homes and supported phasing out secure tenancies for life. He has been deputy chief whip for the past two years, after holding the government whip role for six months and was parliamentary under secretary of state (minister for defence procurement) between 2018 and 2019. Andrew became MP for Pudsley, Horsforth and Aireborough in 2010 and was re-elected in 2015 and made parliamentary private secretary to Patrick McLoughlin. He grew up on a council estate and spent the first years of his life living in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales. Andrew entered politics as a Conservative councillor for Wrexham Country Borough Council in 1995. After a spell as a Labour councillor he joined the party and was elected to Leeds City Council, taking the seat for Aireborough in 2003. He was a member of the planning panel and campaigned against excessive development in his ward. He was also the lead member for the development department and helped to draw up the local transport plan for West Yorkshire. To send feedback, e-mail emma.rosser@eg.co.uk or tweet @EmmaARosser or @EGPropertyNews Photo: UK Parliament