Katie Lam named new Shadow Housing Secretary

Conservative MP Katie Lam MP has been named the new Shadow Housing Secretary, following a reshuffle of the shadow cabinet.

Leader of the opposition, Kemi Badenoch, appointed her to replace James Cleverly, who resigned from the role in order to run for Mayor of London.  Lam became the Conservative MP for Weald of Kent at the last General Election in July 2024.

Before entering Parliament she was a special adviser to Boris Johnson. After leaving the Johnson administration she worked on Rishi Sunak’s leadership campaign and was a special adviser at the Home Office, and in November 2024 was appointed to the Opposition Whips' office and later as Shadow Home Office minister.

She is a landlord herself, and has registered a flat which she co-owns with a family member and which generates a rental income in the Register of Members’ Interests.

So far, she has not spoken in Parliament about the private rented sector and has asked only a handful of questions relating to wider housing policy. When she has spoken about housing it has been through the prism of the impact of immigration on housing demand.

We hve written to Ms Lam to congratulate her on her appointment, sending her a copy of our new report, 'Next Steps for the Private Rented Sector,' and inviting her to meet with us to discuss the future of Conservative housing policy.

Photo credit: Katie Lam ©House of Commons