Former Tory minister could be made Labour planning tsar, reports say

The new Labour government has reportedly approached a former Conservative minister to help shape its proposals to change the UK’s planning system.

According to the Guardian, Nick Boles could be involved in Labour’s review of the National Planning Policy Framework as a “planning tsar”.

This morning, Rachel Reeves announced the government plans to reform the NPPF, with a consultation set to take place by the end of the month.

Boles, who was a planning minister in David Cameron’s coalition government and later minister for skills, switched his allegiance from the Conservative Party to Labour in late 2022, shortly after Liz Truss’ disastrous mini-Budget.

Rumours of his appointment to government come as Keir Starmer’s new cabinet begin to put together their departmental teams.

In the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Angela Rayner has already announced the appointment of Matthew Pennycook as housing minister.

Meanwhile, ex-home secretary Jacqui Smith has been picked as a minister of state in Bridget Phillipson’s Department for Education.

Smith, who is not a sitting MP, will be made a member of the House of Lords as part of her appointment.

>> Read more: Who’s who in Labour’s would-be cabinet

According to reports, she is set to take on the brief of post-18 education and skills, an area of major interest to the built environment.

Sarah Jones MP has been appointed as a minister of state in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and in the Department for Business and Trade.

She is widely expected to continue handling her shadow brief, which related to decarbonisation.