A former junior minister in the Foreign Office has been appointed as the new Housing Minister.

The Housing Minister does not have a seat in the cabinet under the Conservative Government.

Alok Sharma, MP for Reading West, will take on the ministerial role in the Department for Communities and Local Government, the government announced today.

Previous housing and planning minister, Mr Gavin Barwell, lost his seat in the election but has now been appointed Theresa May’s chief of staff.

He tows the government line – he voted in favour of the bedroom tax and has voted for a reduction in welfare spending.