Sir Edward Lister departs Homes England for permanent job at Number 10

Sir Edward Lister has left Homes England to become part of joined Boris Johnson’s staff at Number 10 on a permanent basis.

Lister (pictured) had taken a temporary leave of absence from the government’s housing delivery agency in order to help Johnson win the race to become Conservative party leader and, consequently, prime minister.

He stayed on at Number 10 after Johnson saw off his rival and former ministerial colleague Jeremy Hunt for the top job, working as the prime minister’s chief strategic adviser on a temporary basis.

Lister had worked closely with Johnson during the prime minister’s two terms as mayor of London.

Homes England board member and senior independent director Simon Dudley will deputise in the chairman’s role as part of his non-executive duties while the agency recruits a new chairman.

Dudley said: “Sir Edward leaves a remarkable legacy, including making the case for a new Homes England that promises to disrupt the housing market to deliver the homes this country needs.

Lister had worked “tirelessly to ensure Homes England has the expertise it needs, helping to double the number of staff in just 18 months, and by strengthening its board to make it more resilient and diverse”, Dudley added.

A spokesperson for Homes England said the agency had yet to confirm when the recruitment process would take place.