The position has existed in many iterations, first as Environment, Transport and the Regions in 1997 after the Government's reorganisation. The portfolio shifted among government departments for many years until resting on Communities and Local Government in 2006, until 2021 when it got its current name with the added portfolio of housing; until 2021, the shadow communities secretary did not hold responsibility for housing as the Labour Party created a separate position, shadow secretary of state for housing, in 2016.
In 2024, the Labour party retired the "Levelling up" title from the official cabinet position, whilst the Conversation Party maintained it's usage in their Shadow Cabinet.
Under Michael Howard, the arrangement was slightly different. There was a shadow secretary of state for local and devolved government affairs in the Shadow Cabinet who supervised a shadow local government secretary and a shadow regions secretary outside of it.[1]
The current shadow communities secretary is Kemi Badenoch. The main role is to scrutinise the housing policy of the British government.[2]