Reshuffle Prompts Fear Homelessness Will Be Sidelined In Election

The removal of homelessness from the housing minister’s portfolio has prompted concerns that the government is intending to ‘sideline’ the issue in the run-up to next year’s general election.  Last week, the government announced that new housing minister Brandon Lewis will not be responsible for tackling homelessness. The brief instead remains with former housing minister - and now more junior local government minister - Kris Hopkins, as a reflection of the ‘importance of the issue’, the CLG said. However, Howard Sinclair, chief executive of St Mungo’s Broadway, said: ‘The risk is that [homelessness] is sidelined at a time when housing is just beginning to get some influence and notice nationally, and that housing issues are sidelined.’ Read more on Inside Housing.