Boris Johnson: Firing Gove 'a kick in the teeth' for housing campaigners

The firing of Michael Gove "is a kick in the teeth" for tenants' rights, according to a housing activist.

Social housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa said Mr Gove was the first communities secretary to seek out his opinions on new housing laws.

He was sacked by Boris Johnson amid a landslide of ministerial resignations on Wednesday.

Mr Johnson, who has resigned as leader of the Conservative Party, has given Mr Gove's ministerial job to Greg Clark.

The new secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities is part of a caretaker leadership team in place until the party chooses Mr Johnson's replacement as prime minister.

Mr Tweneboa, who campaigns for better housing for Londoners, said he felt "just pure anger and disappointment" that Mr Gove had been dismissed by the prime minister.

He tweeted his frustration at a decision he said "sets us back massively" on the progress that had been achieved, including on new legislation.

He said: "For [Boris Johnson] to go ahead and fire Michael Gove - especially with the state of housing in the biggest crisis I've seen in my lifetime and that many have seen in their lifetimes too - it's an absolute kick in the teeth, an absolute disgrace from someone that was supposed to lead the country and put its needs ahead of their own."

The housing campaigner said Mr Johnson had "put his own selfish needs in front of the needs of social housing tenants" by ditching Mr Gove, who he said was the first housing minister to approach him and take his ideas on board.

"It just doesn't happen," he said. "I'll be very, very blunt, previous housing ministers haven't taken it seriously and were completely useless but I think [Mr Gove approaching me] was a good sign."

Several meetings were arranged to discuss legislation, Mr Tweneboa said, where he and other housing campaigners were asked to help shape what MPs were being asked to do, "whether I thought it was good enough, whether or not I thought it was going to be beneficial enough".

Now he fears that unique access to create the right legislation to protect tenants could be lost as a new minister takes up the reins.

He said: "It sets us back massively and we should be alarmed at this because it's halted any progress that was or could have been made in regards to housing."

He listed infestations of cockroaches, mice, and poisonous spiders, as well as asbestos, mould, burning and flooding as issues tenants had been left trying to live with by dodgy landlords and housing associations.

The new secretary of state, Greg Clark, needs to "make sure tenants are given the power which they deserve and haven't had for so long", according to Mr Tweneboa, through strengthened legislation and sanctions on housing providers that neglect and abuse tenants.

Sanctions could include fines for housing associations, Mr Tweneboa said, as well as a professional register the worst offenders could be struck off from.

"It needs to be that serious," he said, adding that he did not think tenants living in properties in states of disrepair should be forced to pay rent.

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokeswoman said the new secretary of state was "committed to the clear vision and direction that has been set for the department".

"This includes reforming the private rented sector, improving social housing conditions, protecting leaseholders from unfair building safety bills and levelling up communities across the United Kingdom," she said.

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