British Cypriot member of parliament Nesil Caliskan on Thursday confirmed that she has left her position as parliamentary undersecretary of state for devolution, local growth, and communities, three days after Andy Burnham became the United Kingdom’s prime minister.

“It’s been an honour to serve in a Labour government, especially at the [housing ministry]. As a former council leader, I know that positive difference that putting power and resources into local communities makes,” she said.

She added that during her two-month stint as parliamentary undersecretary, “I was proud to help drive our mission to deliver ‘pride in place’ improve high streets, devolve power, and work to address the challenges our country faces with community cohesion”.

“Pride in place” is a UK government scheme launched last year to allow local authorities, small businesses, and community groups to access funding to implement small infrastructural improvements to their local communities.

Caliskan also wished “every success” to the UK’s new Housing Secretary Angela Rayner and the other individuals who have been appointed to junior ministerial and undersecretary roles inside the ministry, adding that “they will be fantastic”.

“I look forward to supporting them and the new prime minister as they work to bring opportunity and hope to every postcode,” she said.

A spokesperson for the UK’s housing ministry told the Cyprus Mail that it has not yet been decided who will replace Caliskan, with it yet to be decided which briefs within the ministry will be allocated to the various individuals appointed to housing ministry roles by Burnham on Wednesday night.

Florence Eshalomi, Sir Stephen Timms, Jacqui Smith, Sally Jameson, Satvir Kaur, Ray Collins, Jim McMahon, Judith Blake, and Simon Lightwood were all appointed to housing ministry positions.

Previously, British Lord Privy Seal Angela Smith announced on Tuesday that the evolution, local growth, and communities brief would be moved to Burnham’s new “No 10 North” as part of his new initiatives to move government offices from London to Manchester.

“To ensure places are at the very heart of government strategy, the prime minister is establishing No 10 North as the engine room of devolution and good growth in every postcode, across government and the wider economy,” Smith said.

She added that the move will ensure “that local economic growth policy and regional empowerment are no longer isolated from one another”, thereby “establishing No 10 North as the dominant driver of the UK’s economy”.

The name “No 10 North” is a reference to the UK prime minister’s official residence, 10 Downing Street in London, with Burnham having said that the plan to relocate government offices and functions to Manchester will constitute “the biggest rebalancing of power our country has ever seen”.

Caliskan represents the London constituency of Barking, and was appointed to the undersecretary role by Burnham’s predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, in May. 

She will now return to the backbenches.