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Jenrick exits as housing secretary in cabinet reshuffle
Robert Jenrick has lost his job as housing secretary in a major cabinet reshuffle today and been replaced by Michael Gove.
The former housing secretary announced his departure in a tweet which made no reference to a new ministerial post - suggesting he has been removed from the cabinet.
The reshuffle brings to a close a two-year run in the position for Mr Jenrick, who replaced James Brokenshire in 2019. It makes him the longest serving secretary of state in this role since Eric Pickles, who left office in 2015.
An hour after his replacement, former education and justice secretary Mr Gove was announced as his replacement, moving from his current role as chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster.
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In a tweet, Mr Jenrick said: "It’s been a huge privilege to serve as secretary of state at MHCLG. Thank you to everyone at the department for their hard work, dedication and friendship. I’m deeply proud of all we achieved. I will continue to support the prime minister and the government in every way I can."
Mr Jenrick’s tenure has been marked by the escalating building safety crisis. Following the election in December 2019, he oversaw the launch of the then-£1bn Building Safety Fund - the first time money had been made available for buildings with dangerous cladding materials other than the type used on Grenfell Tower.
But he also oversaw the publication of a ‘Consolidated Advice Note’, which had the effect of making lenders require ‘EWS1 forms’ confirming the status of the external wall on all blocks below 18m. This has been blamed for a major freeze in flat sales and millions of leaseholders becoming embroiled in the crisis.
Mr Jenrick made a desperate bid to reverse this process in July when he beseeched lenders to stop asking for the forms on these blocks and promised to withdraw the advice note.
It’s been a huge privilege to serve as Secretary of State @mhclg. Thank you to everyone at the department for their hard work, dedication and friendship. I’m deeply proud of all we achieved.
— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick)
I will continue to support the Prime Minister and the Government in every way I can.It’s been a huge privilege to serve as Secretary of State @mhclg. Thank you to everyone at the department for their hard work, dedication and friendship. I’m deeply proud of all we achieved.
— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) September 15, 2021
I will continue to support the Prime Minister and the Government in every way I can.
The MP for Newark has also struggled to receive acceptance for a proposed major overhaul of the planning system - which would have seen swathes of the country designated for new development.
The loss of the Chesham and Amersham seat to the Liberal Democrats in June has been widely seen as reaction against these plans from traditional Conservative voters.
Mr Jenrick also faced widespread condemnation in a scandal over his approval of a development in Tower Hamlets to be carried out by the company of wealthy Conservative donor Richard Desmond.
The approval saw the developer avoid affordable housing payments, with texts later emerging which showed Mr Desmond calling for a speedy to decision to avoid "giving the Marxists [Tower Hamlets Council] loads of doe [money, sic] for nothing,"
The housing secretary brief was the first cabinet position held by the then 37-year-old, seen as a rising star in the party when he was appointed.
