Controversial ex-Housing Secretary to run for Conserv...

Robert Jenrick, who was appointed Housing Secretary by Robert Jenrick in 2019, is to run for Tory party leader.

During his time as Housing Secretary he was no stranger to controversy.

In 2020 The Sunday Times reported Jenrick had claimed expenses of over £100,000 for "a third home" in his constituency of Newark; in the same year the Public Accounts Committee claimed that Jenrick's constituency had been awarded funding by his department as part of a process that was opaque and not impartial.

Also in 2020, during the early stages of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Daily Mail claimed Jenrick had flouted government restrictions by travelling 150 miles from London to a second home in Herefordshire where he was staying with his family, and then by travelling 40 miles to see his parents.

During his tenure at Housing there were also various sleaze allegations against Jenrick, with the biggest controversy concerning a planning decision made, against the advice of planning officers, for a £2 billion, 500-apartment London housing scheme led by media tycoon Richard Desmond. The move was subsequently ruled as unlawful.

In September 2021 Jenrick was sacked by Boris Johnson.

The following year he became the first MP to take in Ukrainian refugees under the government’s settlement scheme. The government launched the Homes For Ukraine scheme for British homeowners to apply to host Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion.

Jenrick's campaign manager for the upcoming Tory leadership election - MP Danny Kruger - says: "To have any path back to government we must win back those voters we have lost - across the board but particularly to Reform. At the same time, we have to bring our party together, united behind one set of coherent Conservative principles.

"The British people need to be convinced that we are the most responsible and competent party of government for us to have any chance of winning in 2029, especially when we know Labour are set to fail on so many important issues for our country.

"Rob Jenrick will do that. He has the energy, temperament and policy agenda to take on our rivals and lead us back to power in five years."