Labour MP Florence Eshalomi has been appointed as the government's new faith minister as part of a wider brief covering homelessness, communities and democracy.
The MP for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green is a practising Catholic and a member of Christians in Parliament. She also chairs Friends of CAFOD, which supports the work of the Catholic aid agency in Parliament.
Eshalomi was appointed as a minister at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government last month. Her brief has now been confirmed as covering faith communities, social cohesion, homelessness and rough sleeping, supported housing, resettlement, democracy and elections.
Eshalomi brings personal experience to the homelessness brief, having spent part of her childhood in temporary accommodation with her mother and two younger sisters before the family was able to secure a council home in Brixton.
Writing recently about her experience for The Big Issue, she said having a safe home had given her family "something solid to build on", and spoke of the importance of ensuring that people feel valued and part of their communities.
Before entering Parliament in 2019, Eshalomi served as a Lambeth councillor and later represented Lambeth and Southwark on the London Assembly. She has also chaired the House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee.
