Here today. Gone tomorrow?

After the revenge sacking of Michael Gove, and the flurry of ministerial resignations this week, Boris Johnson has installed his new housing ministry appointments. But they must surely be temporary Ministers … here today – gone tomorrow … as a new Prime Minister will want his/her own appointees. Anyway …

Greg Clark has been appointed Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

He was elected Conservative MP for Royal Tunbridge Wells in 2005 and was Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from July 2016 to July 2019.

Before entering politics, Greg Clark worked for the Boston Consulting Group, one of the world’s top business strategy firms. He was posted to the USA, Mexico, South America and Iceland, as well as working for clients in the UK. He has also worked as Head of Commercial Policy at the BBC for a time.

Having been appointed, he said: “We have a duty to ensure that the country has a functioning government in the weeks ahead. Having been Secretary of State at the Communities department before, I will do my best to provide stability, good governance and accountability to Parliament at this important time.”

Marcus Jones has been appointed Minister of State for Housing at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

He was previously Vice Chamberlain of HM Household (Government Whip) from 13 February 2020, Assistant Government Whip from 29 July 2019 to 13 February 2020 and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Local Government) from May 2015 to January 2018.

Prior to his election to parliament, Marcus Jones was a councillor on Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, serving as leader of the Conservative Group from 2006 to 2009 and leader of the council. He stood down as council leader in 2009.

Marcus Jones said: “I am pleased to be appointed as a Minister of State (Minister for Housing) in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. This is an important and challenging brief and I look forward to giving all my energy and attention to this demanding role.”

As I said at the top of this piece, these must surely be temporary appointments … here today – gone tomorrow. My sweepstake entry is “100 days” … which takes us to mid-October. We shall see.

But no matter how long these appointments are, there’s all the more reason to be pushing to keep #ropa Regulation of Property Agents at the top of the government’s agenda. So please do click, sign … and then share this link widely > https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/617995