Yesterday afternoon, new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn elevated the shadow housing and planning minister brief to full cabinet status and appointed seasoned politician Healey to the role.
After his appointment, John Healey, MP for Wentworth and Dearne, who previously served as housing minister from 2009–10 under Gordon Brown, tweeted: “Housing is now a national crisis, so delighted housing now has full status in shadow cabinet and to take on the job.”
Lewis (pictured), hit back on the new shadow minister’s previous house building record suggesting he left office in 2010 with the lowest levels of house building since the 1920s, which Healey then dismissed as “hot air”.
Meanwhile, Corbyn reportedly told his first meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party since becoming leader that he has three priorities – the first is to address the housing shortage, with the second and third being to win local and general elections in the future.
Healey is one of the more experienced members of the newly-appointed shadow cabinet having served as parliamentary private secretary to Gordon Brown, then in Treasury roles until he became minister for local government in 2007.
From June 2009 until May 2010 he was minister of state for housing, which he then shadowed for six months after Labour lost that year’s general election.
Follow both ministers here @BrandonLewis and @JohnHealey_MP
A list of the full shadow cabinet
Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party
Jeremy Corbyn MP
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Party Chair and Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office
Tom Watson MP
Shadow First Secretary of State, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
Angela Eagle MP
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer
John McDonnell MP
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Seema Malhotra MP
Shadow Home Secretary
Andy Burnham MP
Shadow Foreign Secretary
Hilary Benn MP
Opposition Chief Whip
Rosie Winterton MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Health
Heidi Alexander MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Lucy Powell MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Owen Smith MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
Maria Eagle MP
Shadow Lord Chancellor, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice
Lord Falconer of Thoroton
Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Shadow Minister for the Constitutional Convention
Jon Trickett MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
Lisa Nandy MP
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Chris Bryant MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
Lilian Greenwood MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Vernon Coaker MP
Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
Diane Abbott MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland
Ian Murray MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
Nia Griffith MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Kerry McCarthy MP
Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
Kate Green MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Michael Dugher MP
Shadow Minister for Young People and Voter Registration
Gloria De Piero MP
Shadow Minister for Mental Health
Luciana Berger MP
Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
Baroness Smith of Basildon
Lords Chief Whip
Lord Bassam of Brighton
Shadow Attorney General
Catherine McKinnell MP
Shadow Minister without Portfolio
Jonathan Ashworth MP
Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning
John Healey MP
