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Michael Gove replaces Robert Jenrick as housing secretary
Michael Gove has been appointed housing secretary as a replacement for Robert Jenrick in today’s cabinet reshuffle.
Mr Gove, who has been cabinet office minister since February 2020, was confirmed in the top job at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) today, following the shake-up of roles across government.
He replaces Robert Jenrick who has left the cabinet.
He will also take on "cross-government responsibility for levelling up" and retains his ministerial responsibility for the Union and elections, according to a tweet from the official 10 Downing Street account.
Mr Gove has served in a variety of roles, including spells as education secretary, environment secretary and justice secretary.
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Mr Gove, a one-time journalist, has some experience of housing, having been shadow housing minister between 2005 and 2007.
He takes on a busy in-tray at MHCLG, including overseeing a new building safety regime and a shake-up of the planning system.
A prominent Brexit supporter, he has twice failed in leadership bids for the Conservative party.
Responding to the news, Cllr James Jamieson, chairman of the Local Government Association said: "We look forward to working with Michael Gove as our new secretary of state at MHCLG to build on this and ensure councils are backed with the resources and freedoms they need to build back local from the pandemic, level up communities and deliver more for our residents and communities.”
Earlier, Mr Jenrick announced his departure in a tweet which made no reference to a new ministerial post.
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.
