Angela Rayner has been appointed Levelling Up Secretary with responsibility for housing – a role she has in addition to being Deputy Prime Minister.

There is no news yet on who the housing minister will be – a key role for implementing policy, in particular rental reform.

Rayner was promoted to the shadow Housing Secretary role last autumn, replacing Lisa Nandy and shadowing Michael Gove.

In response to the appointment Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark comments: “Propertymark welcomes wide ranging engagement with the newly formed government regarding housing, over the coming months there are many challenges to address across the housing sector and we look forward to hearing more comprehensive detail on how manifesto promises will be delivered.

“Propertymark have already established a strong working relationship with Labour and across the coming months there will be an intensified focus on further building on this by working closely with the newly announced Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner. 

“As Ms Rayner takes on responsibility for housing, our key aim is to help ensure members are robustly represented and any new legislation is dynamic and practical, in addition new policies must be delivered with integrity, precision and pace.

“It is essential housing plays a key priority moving forward, as we have witnessed many decades of housing demand drastically outstrip supply. Currently we have a situation that feels like it’s on a knifes edge, especially with a population that is predicted to grow to around 70m within the next ten years. There must be critical cross-party conversation that sets a clear strategy moving forwards, and for this to happen, we need broad stakeholder involvement, wide ranging infrastructure development and all involved must look to the better use of technology for both insight and ongoing delivery.”

The top jobs so far:

Angela Rayner – deputy prime minister and secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities

Rachel Reeves – chancellor

David Lammy – foreign secretary 

Yvette Cooper – home secretary 

John Healey – defence secretary 

Pat McFadden- Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster