Beckett named housing minister

Beckett takes over from Caroline Flint who will move to the foreign office. The position could prove to be critical as the housing market suffers its worst slump on record, with prices down more than 12% over the past year and developers suspending projects across the UK. The sector’s fortunes are likely to remain critical to the Government due to the links between mortgage debts and the current financial crisis. Beckett is also likely to oversee the Government’s proposal to buy up unsold housing stock to replenish the supply of social housing, which has been eroded over the past 25 year...