Politics as it happened: Grant Shapps replaces Wallace as Defence Secretary in Rishi Sunak's mini reshuffle

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Follow the latest news and analysis on our live blog as Rishi Sunak carries out a mini Cabinet reshuffle.

Grant Shapps has replaced Ben Wallace as Defence Secretary, who formally handed in his resignation after four years in the role.

As Shapps is the current Energy Secretary, this will require a mini reshuffle as he already sits in Cabinet. Education minister and Sunak loyalist Claire Coutinho has replaced him. It is Shapps' fifth Cabinet role in a year, after previously serving as Transport, Home (for six days), Business and Energy Secretary.

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In a letter to the Prime Minister, Wallace said: “The Ministry of Defence is back on the path to being once again world class with world class people. The United Kingdom is respected around the world for our armed forces and that respect has only grown more since the war in Ukraine."

Follow the latest news and analysis with NationalWorld's politics live blog below. To get in touch email [email protected].

Cabinet reshuffle live

Good morning and welcome to NationalWorld's politics live blog. With recess nearing an end, it feels like Westminster and the political world is awakening from a slumber. Rishi Sunak will have to choose a new Defence Secretary today after Ben Wallace's formal resignation, and may end making other Cabinet changes.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace during a visit to a British Army military base in the South West, to view Ukrainian soldiers training on Challenger II tanks. PIC: Ben Birchall/PA WireDefence Secretary Ben Wallace during a visit to a British Army military base in the South West, to view Ukrainian soldiers training on Challenger II tanks. PIC: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace during a visit to a British Army military base in the South West, to view Ukrainian soldiers training on Challenger II tanks. PIC: Ben Birchall/PA Wire

It's still "crime week", the latest in a string of themed weeks from the government, which doesn't sound particularly appealing. After announcing yesterday proposals to try and enforce offenders to attend their sentencing hearings, today the Home Office has handed powers to Chief Constables to fire police officers found guilty of misconduct.

We'll keep you up to date with all the twists and turns. If you want to get in touch/have your say/send a meme email [email protected].

Ben Wallace resignation letter - in full

Here is Ben Wallace's letter resigning in full:

Dear Prime Minister,

Last month marked my fourth year as Secretary of State for Defence. It also marks the ninth year as a minister. I have had the privilege of serving you and your predecessors in the task of protecting this great country and keeping its citizens safe. As you know that responsibility carries with it a 24/7 duty to be available at almost no notice. In my time as both security minister and at Defence, I have been able to contribute to the Government’s response to a range of threats and incidents.

From Wannacry, the 2017 terrorist attacks, the Salisbury Poisonings, Afghanistan, Sudan and Ukraine, it has been an honour to serve alongside the men and women of our armed forces and intelligence services who sacrifice so much for our security.

The last four years has seen our armed forces and their leadership shine through. Whether it was the evacuation of Kabul, our Covid response, Ukraine or Sudan, the professionalism of our people has been first class.

The investment you made in Defence as Chancellor and the continued support you have shown as Prime Minister has been key to enabling the Ministry of Defence to deliver for Britain. I am personally very grateful for your leadership.

As I finish my tenure, I can reflect that the Ministry of Defence that I leave is now more modern, better funded and more confident than the organisation I took over in 2019. As well as being active around the world we have also invested in prosperity at home. I am proud that I have secured GCAP, AUKUS, NCF, national shipbuilding and the Defence and Security industrial strategies that will secure thousands of British jobs for our young people many years into the future.

The Ministry of Defence is back on the path to being once again world class with world class people. The United Kingdom is respected around the world for our armed forces and that respect has only grown more since the war in Ukraine. I know you agree with me that we must not return to the days where Defence was viewed as a discretionary spend by Government and savings were achieved by hollowing out.

I genuinely believe that over the next decade the world will get more insecure and more unstable. We both share the belief that now is the time to invest. Ever since I joined the Army I have dedicated myself to serving my country. That dedication however comes at a personal toll to me and my family.

After much reflection, I have taken the decision to ask that I be allowed to step down. I won my seat in 2005 and after so many years it is time for me to invest in the parts of life that I have neglected, and to explore new opportunities.

Thank you for the support and your friendship. You and the Government will have my continued support.

Yours sincerely,

The Right Honourable Ben Wallace MP

Defence Secretary runners and riders

Armed forces minister James Heappey and Chief Secretary to the Treasury John Glen have both been suggested as possible replacements.

The Daily Telegraph also suggested former defence secretary Liam Fox is a possibility.

Dr Fox, who served in the role under then prime minister David Cameron between 2010 and 2011, was forced to resign after allowing his friend and best man Adam Werritty to take on an unofficial and undeclared role as his adviser.

The senior Tory MP backed Sunak in last summer’s Conservative leadership race.

Politico and the BBC have heard Energy Secretary Grant Shapps is a dark horse, which would require a wider reshuffle.

Grant Shapps seen entering Number 10

Well that happened quickly, Grant Shapps has been seen entering Number 10 Downing Street - so seems likely to become the next Defence Secretary.

Grant Shapps looks set to become the new Defence Secretary. Credit: GettyGrant Shapps looks set to become the new Defence Secretary. Credit: Getty
Grant Shapps looks set to become the new Defence Secretary. Credit: Getty | Getty

He hadn't been considered a possible Wallace replacement until today, which either shows Downing Street has got a good grip on leaks or Sunak has only considered him late in the day.

Memorable Shapps moment

Most people may remember Grant Shapps as the minister the government wheeled out to defend Dominic Cummings, on his infamous trip to Durham and then Barnard Castle while suffering from coronavirus symptoms.

Shapps was Transport Secretary at the time, and desperately told reporters that he'd rather talk about the "dualling of the A66" than the Prime Minister's main advisor appearing to break Covid rules.

Breaking: Grant Shapps announced as new Defence Secretary

Grant Shapps has formally been announced by Downing Street as the new Defence Secretary. He replaces Ben Wallace who resigned after four years in the job.

Claire Coutinho enters Downing Street

Current Education minister Claire Coutinho has also just entered Downing Street. Could she be about to replace Shapps as Energy Security Secretary? That would be a big promotion for an MP who was only voted in in 2019. She was however Sunak's PPS and special advisor before that.

Claire Coutinho arrives at Downing Street. Credit: PAClaire Coutinho arrives at Downing Street. Credit: PA
Claire Coutinho arrives at Downing Street. Credit: PA | PA

Shapps will 'continue UK's support for Ukraine'

Grant Shapps has already updated his Twitter to confirm he is the new Defence Secretary. He said he is “honoured” to get the role as he praised Ben Wallace.

Shapps tweeted: “I’m honoured to be appointed as Defence Secretary by @RishiSunak.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the enormous contribution Ben Wallace has made to UK defence & global security over the last 4 years.

“As I get to work at @DefenceHQ I am looking forward to working with the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who defend our nation’s security.

“And continuing the UK’s support for Ukraine in their fight against Putin’s barbaric invasion.”

Mixed reaction about Shapps

Let's look at some of the political commentators reaction to Shapps' appointment. The FT's Jim Pickard points out that in the last year, Shapps has been Home Secretary (for just six days), Transport Secretary, Business Secretary, Energy Secretary and now Defence Secretary.

Adam Bienkov, Byline Times' political commentator, points out that Shapps ran a get-rich-quick scheme while an MP.

The Times' Red Box Editor Lara Spirit flags that Shapps was chair of APPG on Ukraine for half a day in October, some experience for this job perhaps ...

Newsnight's Sima Kotecha says critics will says PM has gone for "safety over military experience".

Five Cabinet jobs in a year

As many people have pointed out this is Grant Shapps' fifth senior Cabinet role in a year - which could be some kind of record.

Shapps spent around two-and-half years as Transport Secretary, and took a fairly bullish approach to the rail strikes - which obviously still haven't been resolved.

On 19 October 2022, he was appointed Home Secretary after Suella Braverman resigned over leaking classified documents. This was just one day before Liz Truss resigned as Prime Minister, and he only had six days in the role until Rishi Sunak replaced Truss and ... brought back Suella Braverman.

Suella Braverman, who Grant Shapps replaced as Home Secretary for six days, before being replaced by .. Suella Braverman. Credit: GettySuella Braverman, who Grant Shapps replaced as Home Secretary for six days, before being replaced by .. Suella Braverman. Credit: Getty
Suella Braverman, who Grant Shapps replaced as Home Secretary for six days, before being replaced by .. Suella Braverman. Credit: Getty | Getty

On 25 October 2022, Sunak appointed Shapps as Business Secretary and then on 7 February 2023 he was appointed into the new role of Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero.

And now on 31 August 2023, he was been made Defence Secretary.

Ministerial churn has been something critics have highlighted as having a significant impact on effective government. Earlier this year, Alex Chisholm, Cabinet Office permanent secretary, said that the “sheer rate of change and the pressure of going through the gears” had a significant impact on staff morale.

He explained: “It had felt quite relentless, the pace of change, and obviously, we have had the the changes in political leadership as well, as part of that.”

Labour: 13 years of Tory defence failures

Shadow defence secretary John Healey has congratulated Grant Shapps on his new role but said he was taking charge after more than a decade of Conservative failure.

The Labour frontbencher said: “I congratulate Grant Shapps today.

“The first duty of any government is to keep our country safe and I will always work with the new Defence Secretary on this basis, especially on Ukraine

“But after 13 years of Tory defence failures, a change at the top will not change this record.”

Claire Coutinho becomes Energy Secretary

Claire Coutinho, the current children's minister, has replaced Shapps as Energy Secretary, the first of the 2019 intake to get a senior Cabinet role.

She became the MP for East Surrey four years ago, after a career working for investment bank Merrill Lynch and accounting firm KPMG. She also worked as a special adviser in the Treasury while Rishi Sunak was the Chief Secretary.

The Oxford graduate said she left KPMG to join government to help deliver "Brexit for the inside". After becoming an MP she was criticised for supporting Dominic Cummings' Covid road trip to the North East. She said what Cummings had done was in the rules, and he deserved "our compassion".

Coutinho became a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Sunak, when he was Chancellor, and also supported his leadership bid.

Claire Coutinho. Credit: GettyClaire Coutinho. Credit: Getty
Claire Coutinho. Credit: Getty | Getty

Grant Shapps’ biggest gaffes

My colleague Henry Sandercock has put together a piece on Grant Shapps' biggest gaffes - which tend to stack up when you've been in government for a while. Even so, the new Defence Secretary's are quite bizarre, from poor photoshop skills to using pseudonyms.

1. The Boris Johnson photo edit

In the run up to the Virgin Orbit launch, Grant Shapps tweeted excitedly about how “delighted” the government was to be backing the “FIRST [sic] ever satellite launch from European soil”.

Grant Shapps posted a tweet that included an image that Boris Johnson had been edited out of (image: Grant Shapps/Twitter)Grant Shapps posted a tweet that included an image that Boris Johnson had been edited out of (image: Grant Shapps/Twitter)
Grant Shapps posted a tweet that included an image that Boris Johnson had been edited out of (image: Grant Shapps/Twitter) | Grant Shapps/Twitter

Shapps used an image of himself meeting Virgin Orbit’s CEO Dan Hart at Newquay Spaceport. The photograph dated from 9 June 2021 ahead of the G7 summit that took place a few days later in Cornwall.

The original image of a government visit to Newquay Spaceport to meet Virgin Orbit (image: Virgin Orbit)The original image of a government visit to Newquay Spaceport to meet Virgin Orbit (image: Virgin Orbit)
The original image of a government visit to Newquay Spaceport to meet Virgin Orbit (image: Virgin Orbit) | Virgin Orbit

But the photo Shapps posted was missing someone - Boris Johnson. The then-Prime Minister had been at the centre of the original picture wearing Virgin Orbit overalls but had been edited out.

‘Mysterious’ Wikipedia edits

Grant Shapps’s photo mishap was not the first time the Cabinet minister has been ridiculed for a gaffe. In 2012, while he was the Conservative Party chair, Shapps admitted to editing his own Wikipedia entry using anonymous accounts.

The Observer reported that these accounts had removed references to previous embarrassing political gaffes, his business career and his net worth using computers in his constituency office. In 2015, The Guardian also reported that either Shapps himself or someone close to him had also used an anonymous Wikipedia account to edit the entries of his political opponents. Shapps denied the allegations.

The use of pseudonyms

In a separate 2015 incident, Shapps was forced to admit he had held a second job under the pseudonym Michael Green. There had been questions about the identity of Michael Green several years earlier, which led to a surreal doorstepping of Shapps by Channel 4’s political reporter Michael Crick.

His other pseudonyms have included: Corinne Stockheath, Dr JLM Richards and Richard Warton - although Shapps insists they are all real people. All were used to provide testimonials for his business venture HowToCorp.

Liberal Democrat by-election comments

One of Shapps’ earliest blunders came when he was a vice-chairperson of the Conservative Party in 2007. After the death of Labour Party MP Piara Khabra, who represented Ealing Southall, West London, a by-election took place in the constituency.

Shapps was involved in the Tory candidate’s campaign. In a bid to destabilise the Liberal Democrats’ election bid, he commented on a YouTube post by the party while pretending to be a Lib Dem supporter, writing: “Okay, realistically we’re not going to win though. Especially since the Tories have just received 5 defecting Councillors from Labour. Don’t quite know how they’ve done it, but the Tories have stolen a march on us this time.”

The only flaw in the plan was that he had forgotten he was logged in under his own name. In the end, the ruse didn’t work. The Lib Dems beat the Conservatives to second-place in the constituency.

Shapps knows 'very little about defence'

Perhaps not the ideal first comments Grant Shapps was after. A former chief of the general staff of the British Army has said he knows “very little about defence” and it will take him “quite some time to get up to speed”,

Lord Dannatt told Sky News Ben Wallace “did a good job, but he leaves with work in progress”, adding: “And now we have a new Defence Secretary who knows very little about defence, and it’s a complex portfolio. It will take him quite some time to get up to speed.

Lord Dannatt, former chief of the general staff of the Army, has said Grant Shapps knows "very little about defence". Credit: GettyLord Dannatt, former chief of the general staff of the Army, has said Grant Shapps knows "very little about defence". Credit: Getty
Lord Dannatt, former chief of the general staff of the Army, has said Grant Shapps knows "very little about defence". Credit: Getty | Getty

“I think there is a risk that certainly the debate on resources for defence stagnates, at least until Grant Shapps can get his head around his portfolio.”

He went on: “I think what the chief of defence staff and the single service chiefs will be hoping from the new Secretary of State for Defence is that he will listen to the concerns that they have within the wider context of the insecurity of the world.

“And although he may well have been appointed as someone who is going to support the Prime Minister and help the Conservative Party in its general election campaign, they will be hoping that he will really understand defence and push the case for defence, not just for the Ministry of Defence’s own benefit, but for the benefit of the whole country.

“Because there is a very strong case that we should be investing more in defence than we currently are. Ben Wallace knew that. Ben Wallace was arguing for it. Is that discussion going to continue? Or will Grant Shapps choose to go quietly?”

Miliband: six energy secretaries in four years shows Tory failures

The Shadow Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has highlighted the fact that Claire Coutinho has become the sixth Energy Secretary in less than four years.

He said: “I congratulate Claire Coutinho on her appointment as Energy Secretary. But it speaks volumes about the failures of Conservative energy policy that we are now onto the 6th energy secretary in less than four years. The truth is that the reshuffling of the Tory deckchairs will not get Britain a proper energy policy that delivers lower bills, energy security, good jobs and climate leadership. 

Ed Miliband, Labour's Shadow Climate and Net Zero Secretary. Credit: Getty/Adobe/Mark HallEd Miliband, Labour's Shadow Climate and Net Zero Secretary. Credit: Getty/Adobe/Mark Hall
Ed Miliband, Labour's Shadow Climate and Net Zero Secretary. Credit: Getty/Adobe/Mark Hall | Getty/Adobe/Mark Hall

 “The new Energy Secretary needs to recognise that Grant Shapps’ approach has been a disaster and distance herself from it. His opposition to clean, homegrown power has damaged Britain's energy security, alarmed business and driven away investors.

 "The truth is that only a Labour government can deliver for Britain with our plan to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030 through a zero carbon power system, and GB Energy, our publicly-owned energy company to invest in homegrown power by Britain, for Britain." 

Coutinho has 'generally voted against measures to prevent climate change'

The Labour Party has sent out a briefing on new Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho. It states that she has "generally voted against measures to prevent climate change", according to TheyWorkForYou - which analyses MPs' voting records.

Labour says Coutinho voted against measures to tackle climate change 10 times between 2020 and 2022, including voting against a ban on fracking in October 2022. 

Claire Coutinho arrives at Downing Street. Credit: PAClaire Coutinho arrives at Downing Street. Credit: PA
Claire Coutinho arrives at Downing Street. Credit: PA | PA

She also voted against a Labour amendment to the Queen’s Speech in May 2022 that would have imposed an additional windfall tax on oil and gas firms.

Coutinho also called for fewer people to receive energy support in September 2022, when she said she would have preferred the government to have used “a targeted support programme”.

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