What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The Tory minister in charge of fixing Britain’s housing crisis has been given a roasting for having FOUR ovens in his extravagant kitchen.

James Brokenshire’s department admitted in January that rough sleeping had increased by 165% since his Government came to power.

And new house building was down almost 20% last year on his watch, with half of councils expected to miss targets.

But the Housing Secretary’s expansive kitchen has more ovens in it than the Bake Off final.

He also has two dishwashers.

In 2017/18, the number of social and affordable houses built in Bexley, Mr Brokenshire's constituency council area, was zero.

This means there are four more ovens in Mr Brokenshire's kitchen than there were affordable rent homes built in his local area.

At the time, there were 7,760 people on the local housing register.

(Image: Francesco Guidicini - The Sunday Times)

Mr Brokenshire admitted he and his wife Cathy had the array of appliances installed because there was “not enough room” to cook for family occasions.

She told the Sunday Times: “I hate it when, come Christmas, there’s not enough room in the oven.”

Labour MP Stephen Pound said: “Unless he’s running a pizza business on the side, he must have some very hungry friends.”

A source close to Mr Brokenshire insisted he did not have four ovens, simply “two, normal double ovens.”

The oven units, made by Bosch, appear to be slightly different models.

Similar models are priced from £700-1,400 for a double-oven unit.

Shortly before the 2015 General Election, then-Labour Leader Ed Miliband faced an extraordinary level of scrutiny after it was revealed his London home had two kitchens, one main kitchen and a smaller kitchenette.

Images of Miliband and his wife, Justine, in their kitchenette prompted ridicule from Conservative opponents.

Tory MP Nigel Adams said: “Clearly there’s no cost of living crisis for ‘Two Kitchens’ Miliband. It’s a bit rich lecturing people about poverty from his £2 million mansion.”

He added: “Red Ed can try as much as he likes to portray himself as a man of the people but the only people he’s in touch with are the North London metropolitan elite.”

In 2014, former Labour deputy leader John "Two Jags" Prescott admitted he had cut down to one Jag, do "do my bit for the environment."