The appointment comes after Angela Rayner resigned from the roles of deputy Prime Minister, deputy leader of the Labour Party and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government earlier today.
Reports emerged earlier this week that Rayner had underpaid stamp duty on an £80,000 Hove flat she bought this year.
She then reported herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards, which in its report concluded that she had breached the ministerial code.
Reed is the MP for Streatham and Croydon North, has been an MP continuously since 2012, and was most recently the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Prior to that, he was the Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as well as Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
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Following Rayner’s resignation, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has undertaken a major reshuffle of his cabinet, with David Lammy taking on the role of deputy Prime Minister.
Housing is considered a key aspect of the Labour government manifesto, covering rental and planning reform along with the implementation of ambitious housing targets.
With a new Housing Secretary, this raises questions about the progress of certain housing policies, some industry executives have warned.
Maria Harris, chair of the Open Property Data Association (OPDA), said: “On 9 February, Angela Rayner set out a clear commitment to digitising home buying, recognising the urgent need to modernise the process and improve outcomes for consumers. Losing that advocacy at such a pivotal moment is disappointing for everyone working to deliver much-needed change in the housing market.
“We are on the cusp of the biggest digital transformation the home buying process has ever seen, with open data standards set to speed up transactions, reduce fall-throughs and deliver better outcomes for consumers. To make that happen, it is vital that the next Housing Secretary steps up to provide the leadership and stability required to carry this work forward and ensure the momentum behind digitisation is not lost.”
