Alison Seabeck 'sorry' to be leaving housing brief

Published by Ross Macmillan for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Communities, Local Government

Labour MP Alison Seabeck has been moved from her housing brief to be appointed shadow defence minister.

Speaking to 24dash this morning, Ms Seabeck - MP for Plymouth Moor View - said the housing review she has been working on, in partnership with Caroline Flint, has already been submitted to Party leader Ed Miliband.

In her new role, Ms Seabeck will have responsibility for holding the Coalition to account in ensuring the armed forces get the best possible equipment they need, when they need it.

She told 24dash: "I'm sorry to be leaving housing. I have thoroughly enjoyed the role.

"I am delighted to have been appointed shadow defence minister. It is one of my specialist areas both as the MP for Plymouth and as a member of the Defence Select Committee. It has to be said my constituency people are very pleased."

On Labour's housing review, she said: "I'm glad to say there is some direction to it and we have put one or two ideas forward both at conference speeches and in the Purple Book.

"The party will now start to put some bones on the work we've done. To date there have been a number of individual reviews across a number of policy areas and we now need to start cross connecting them. For instance how the housing policy review impacts on work and pensions, health etc."

It was confirmed last week Leeds MP Hilary Benn has been appointed shadow communities secretary, with Caroline Flint moving to the energy and climate change brief to shadow Chris Huhne.

Former trade union leader Jack Dromey has been appointed the new shadow housing minister.