Rising Conservative star Katie Lam has been appointed as the party’s new Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary.

She replaces James Cleverly who stood down from the party’s frontbench in order to launch his campaign to stand as mayor of London.

The party announced that the 35-year-old will, “lead our work to get Britain building while standing up for local communities, and ensuring local government works effectively for people across the country”.

Lam, who previously worked in finance, the technology industry and government where she served as deputy chief of staff and head of the Prime Minister’s business team, is MP for Weald of Kent.

Housing

She says: “Under Labour, rent is up. Council tax is up. People who work hard and do the right thing are finding it harder than ever to get on the housing ladder. Meanwhile, those who break the rules are getting away with it. People are fed up, and they're right to be. I cannot wait to take the fight to this Government.”

She has consistently voted against regulation on landlords, particularly the Renters’ Rights Bill, backing arguments that it could reduce the supply of rental homes and push up rents. Her wider housing interventions have focused on increasing housing supply and challenging policies she believes constrain housebuilding.

Talents

Conservative commentator Matthew Jefferey says Lam is not just one of the Conservative Party’s rising stars, but one of its most exciting political talents, “seriously bright, intellectually formidable, politically sharp, sound on the big issues and an absolutely brilliant communicator”.

Jefferey posts on his social media feed that Lam has the rare ability to make the Conservative case with clarity, conviction and confidence, while sounding completely natural rather than scripted. “She thinks on her feet, understands how to win an argument and has the political instincts to cut through beyond Westminster. Those qualities are going to make her a formidable opponent. She’ll be superb taking the fight to Angela Rayner, and I suspect their encounters across the Despatch Box will rapidly become must-watch politics.”

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