The shadow secretary of state for housing, communities and local government is a position with the UK Opposition's Shadow Cabinet; if the opposition party forms a new government, the designated person is a likely choice to become the new secretary of state for housing, communities and local government.
The position has existed in many iterations, first as Environment, Transport and the Regions in 1997 after the Government's reorganisation. The portfolio shifted among government departments for many years; under Conservative leader Michael Howard, the arrangement differed slightly, with a shadow secretary of state for local and devolved government affairs in the Howard Shadow Cabinet, supervising a shadow local government secretary and a shadow regions secretary outside of it.Full list: the shadow cabinet
In 2006, the portfolio was renamed Communities and Local Government, until 2021 when it got its current name with the added portfolio of housing; until 2021, the shadow communities secretary did not hold responsibility for housing as the Labour Party created a separate position, shadow secretary of state for housing in 2016. In 2024, the Labour Party retired the "Levelling up" title from the official cabinet position, with the Conservative Party following suit in their Shadow Cabinet.
This position is currently held by Katie Lam.
List of shadow secretaries Shadow Minister of Housing and Local GovernmentName Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Dick Mitchison 15 July 1955 November 1959 Labour Attlee GaitskellMichael StewartNovember 195916 October 1964Labour Brown Wilson Keith Joseph 16 October 1964 29 October 1964 Conservative Douglas-Home John Boyd-Carpenter 29 October 1964 19 April 1966 Conservative Heath Geoffrey Rippon 19 April 1966 14 November 1968Conservative Peter Walker 14 November 1968 19 June 1970 Conservative Anthony Crosland 19 June 1970 15 October 1970 Labour Wilson IIShadow Minister for Local Government and HousingName Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Jack Straw 25 July 1992 20 October 1994 Labour Smith Beckett BlairShadow Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the RegionsName Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Norman Fowler 11 June 1997 1 June 1998 Conservative Hague Gillian Shephard 1 June 1998 14 June 1999 Conservative John Redwood 14 June 1999 2 February 2000 Conservative Archie Norman 2 February 2000 18 September 2001 ConservativeShadow Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the RegionsName Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Theresa May 18 September 2001 6 June 2002 Conservative Duncan SmithShadow Secretary of State for Local Government and the RegionsName Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Eric Pickles 6 June 2002 23 July 2002 Conservative Duncan SmithShadow Secretary of State for the Office of the Deputy Prime MinisterName Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet David Davis 23 July 2002 11 November 2003 Conservative Duncan SmithShadow Secretary of State for Local and Devolved Government AffairsName Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet David Curry 11 November 2003 15 March 2004 Conservative Howard Caroline Spelman 15 March 2004 6 May 2005 ConservativeShadow Secretary of State for Local Government Affairs and CommunitiesName Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Caroline SpelmanHer Majesty's Official Opposition as at 21 May 2005 6 May 2005 5 December 2005 Conservative HowardShadow Secretary of State for the Office of the Deputy Prime MinisterName Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Caroline SpelmanAt-a-glance: New shadow cabinet 5 December 2005 6 May 2006 Conservative CameronShadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local GovernmentName Took office Left office Political party Shadow Cabinet Caroline Spelman 6 May 2006 2 July 2007 Conservative Cameron Eric Pickles 2 July 2007 19 January 2009 Conservative Caroline Spelman 19 January 2009 11 May 2010 Conservative John Denham 12 May 2010 8 October 2010 Labour Harman Caroline Flint 8 October 2010 7 October 2011 Labour Miliband Hilary Benn 7 October 2011 8 May 2015 Labour Emma Reynolds 8 May 2015 14 September 2015 Labour Harman II Jon Trickett 14 September 2015 28 June 2016 Labour Corbyn Grahame Morris 28 June 2016 7 October 2016 Labour Teresa Pearce 7 October 2016 2 April 2017 Labour Roberta Blackman-Woods 2 April 2017 14 June 2017 Labour Andrew Gwynne 14 June 2017 6 April 2020 LabourSteve Reed6 April 202029 November 2021 Labour StarmerShadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and CommunitiesName Took office Left office Political party Shadow CabinetLisa Nandy29 November 2021 4 September 2023 Labour StarmerAngela Rayner4 September 20235 July 2024 LabourShadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentName Took office Left office Political party Shadow CabinetKemi Badenoch8 July 20242 November 2024 Conservative SunakKevin Hollinrake5 November 202422 July 2025 Conservative BadenochJames Cleverly22 July 202531 August 2026 ConservativeKatie Lam31 August 2026Incumbent Conservative
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