Sir James Cleverly has been appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in Kemi Badenoch’s Shadow Cabinet reshuffle.

Cleverly replaces Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk & Malton and the co-founder of Hunters Estate Agents, now owned by The Property Franchise Group. Hollinrake has been appointed Chairman of the Conservative Party in the reshuffle.

The former Foreign Secretary, who lost out in the race for the Tory leadership against Kemi Badenoch, returns to the Shadow Front Bench and will oppose the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, who is Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Bread and butter policies

It is understood he will focus on “bread and butter” Conservative causes such as raising house building targets and challenging council tax rises.

Undoubtedly Kevin Hollinrake was better qualified for the position of Shadow Housing Minister, with a hugely successful career in residential property to his credit.

But the political appointment brings back a Tory big beast to the forefront of politics, from the back benches.

Badenoch has kept much of her top team in place, including the Shadow Chancellor, Mel Stride, the Shadow Home Secretary, Robert Jenrick and the Shadow Foreign Secretary, Priti Patel, spurning cries to promote some of the younger Parliamentary cohort.

Ex-housing minister Lee Rowley, who helped Badenoch put the Shadow Cabinet together, will be stepping back from his position as Chief of Staff. Rowley lost his seat in the 2024 Election and it is reported he will be returning to the private sector.

Before joining politics he held positions at Barclays, KPMG, Santander UK, and Co-op Insurance, where he was Head of Change at the time of his election to Parliament at the General Election 2017.