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Cabinet minister Michael Gove and junior minister Eddie Hughes - architects of the pro-renter White Paper issued last month - are staying loyal to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
After the spectacular resignations of former Chancellor Rishi Sunak and former Health Secretary Sajid Javid last evening, all eyes were on other senior politicians.
BBC political correspondents were informed that Gove - appointed as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities by Johnson just 10 months ago - was staying loyal to the man who gave him his job.
Hughes - officially the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Rough Sleeping - was appointed by the PM in January 2021 and has been a pro-Brexit pro-Johnson loyalist, saying he backed the Prime Minister in last month’s confidence vote.
Hughes in particular has been closely involved with the creation of the Fairer Rental Sector White Paper, released last month and widely regarded as signalling a fundamental shift of power from landlords to tenants.
Ironically he took over the leadership of the White Paper project from a former housing minister - the now-notorious Chris Pincher - who was moved by Johnson to become deputy chief whip.
It is Pincher’s reputation and alleged sexual assaults that have come under scrutiny and led to separate allegations of Number 10 misleading senior ministers who were sent to the media to defend Johnson. Pincher denies some of the allegations.
The fate of the White Paper and Renters Reform Bill depend, to some extent, on whether Hughes remains a housing minister. If he resigns, or is replaced in a reshuffle led by Johnson or another Prime Minister, the Bill may be at the very least delayed.
Both the campaigning charity Shelter and the activist group Generation Rent, have lavished praise on the Johnson government for their proposals for the private rental sector.
Shelter called the White Paper a “landmark” with “the power to level the playing field between tenants and landlords and make renting fairer for all.” It was, said chief executive Polly Neate, a “gamechanger”.
Baroness Alicia Kennedy, director of Generation Rent, was similarly enthusiastic about the Johnson government reform.
She said: “If the government can get the detail right and give tenants the confidence they need to request improvements and plan for the long term, this legislation has the potential to improve the lives of millions throughout England.”
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"If the govt can get the detail right..." - don't hold your breath! This legislation has the potential to destroy the PRS which will not improve the lives of millions but prevent tenants from finding homes & ruin the pension planning of thousands of LLs :(
Agree, all this White paper will do is ensure there are fewer properties to rent, and of course send prices only one way…. Misguided fools.
The White Paper is so worrying. I have a dreadful tenant at present. I can’t get rid of her. This will make it worse. I will have to sell to get out. I’m not living under all these new rules. It’s all far too complicated and expensive and not worthwhile.
And you can’t trust these treacherous people in power at the moment. We are going back to the 70s and 80s. I many never get my property back no matter what their proposals say.
The sooner Johnson and Gove go away, the better for the country. Sadly the Conservatives are no longer the party supporting hard working people and businesses.
Agreed, but who will they be replaced with ? that's the million pound question
Nick - Get her out asap, once the new world comes in it will only get harder. Good luck.
I will Simon. I am sorting out the Dereg (2015) paperwork now.
Supposedly a Tory , he’s about as much one as Jeremy Corbyn
Dimwit puppet carrying out a terrible agenda 2030 on behalf of his masters in Davos
They’re working towards legally taking your property from you via the green agenda
By 2030 we will have unattainable epc targets which means if you can’t reach them , and nobody can , your property will be un mortgageable , impossible to sell or rent too
You’ll own nothing and they’ll be happy -you won’t that’s for sure
Stuart Andrew, the housing minister, has resigned today.
The whole lot should resign
Guy Fawkes for Pm
The back stabbing Grove must go
Gove has just been sacked!
Andrew
Are you giving advice to Boris?
Is it all your fault but poor Boris getting the blame?
Thank God, hopefully followed by Eddie Hughes.
Who?
Premier Boris Johnston has now lost all credibility and everything he does is based on lies. Surely the main backers, Shelter, Generation Rent, Eddie Hughes and Michael Gove have been discredited as well, so their input to the Renters Reform Bill is called into question. They are the Architects of the WHITE PAPER based on a pack of lies so it unsafe and should be scrapped immediately.
Wishful thinking Michael
I've just pulled on a purchase. Can't do a business model on crap coming in ahead and unknown out to get us approach. One less sincere landlady
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