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Scruton replacement appointed following sacking
James Brokenshire has unveiled the replacement for Sir Roger Scruton as chair of the government’s Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission following the philosopher’s sacking.
Communities secretary Mr Brokenshire said yesterday that Nicholas Boys Smith has taken over as acting chair of the commission.
Mr Boys Smith was one of the body’s four existing commissioners and is the founding director of Create Streets, a campaign group that advocates “high density, beautiful, street-based” housing.
He is also a commissioner for Historic England, an academic at the Academy of Urbanism and a senior research fellow in urban design at the University of Buckingham.
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Sir Roger was dismissed from the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission earlier this month following comments he made about Chinese people, Jews and Muslims in an interview with the New Statesman.
At the time, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said that Sir Roger was being dismissed “with immediate effect, following his unacceptable comments”.
WATCH: James Brokenshire, Housing Secretary, tells me the situation around the sacking of Sir Roger Scruton "could have been handled differently"… He can say that again.... pic.twitter.com/dcY7ZT4LDr
— Iain Dale (@IainDale)WATCH: James Brokenshire, Housing Secretary, tells me the situation around the sacking of Sir Roger Scruton "could have been handled differently"… He can say that again.... pic.twitter.com/dcY7ZT4LDr
— Iain Dale (@IainDale) April 29, 2019
But Mr Brokenshire told radio broadcaster LBC yesterday: “I think in hindsight I look back on the handling of this and, yes, I think that we could have done things differently, and that’s something that I do acknowledge, and so it is difficult.
“I’m very saddened by the whole situation as to how this has occurred and I very firmly thank and recognise all of the work that Sir Roger has done on this and my acknowledgement for him.”
He added that he has “a huge amount of respect and acknowledgement for Sir Roger’s focus on aesthetics”.
The Spectator magazine ran a piece on Saturday arguing that the full transcript of Sir Roger’s interview with the New Statesman showed he had been the subject of a “hit job”.
The Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission was set up in November last year to “raise the level of debate regarding the importance of beauty” in new housing.
A senior civil servant has confirmed that Sir Roger’s sacking will have no impact on its timetable.
Mr Brokenshire told Inside Housing: “The commission has an integral role in ensuring the homes communities need are built, accepted and loved by those who live in and near them.
“I am delighted that Mr Boys Smith has agreed to step into the role as interim chair and continue to advance this important work.”
Mr Boys Smith said: “I look forward to leading the commission in the interim, using my and fellow commissioners’ experience and expertise to champion beauty in the built environment.”
Update: at 18.10pm, 30/04/19 additional comments from Mr Brokenshire and Mr Boys Smith were added to the story.
