31 August 2023 , 08:40
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Top Tory Grant Shapps has been named as the new Defence Secretary after the departure of Ben Wallace.
A grinning Mr Shapps was spotted going into Downing Street shortly after Mr Wallace formally quit this morning, weeks after confirming he planned to step down from his Cabinet role. Mr Wallace served as defence chief for four years but has decided to quit as an MP at the next election.
Downing Street confirmed his promotion to one of the Cabinet's top jobs, saying: "The King has been pleased to approve the appointment of the Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP as Secretary of State for Defence." Mr Shapps was then seen leaving No10 accompanied by the Chief of the Defence Staff Tony Radakin. He said he was "honoured" to be appointed to the role and paid tribute to his predecessor for his "enormous contribution" to UK defence and global security.
The Prime Minister is battling to reboot his flagging administration before Parliament returns next week and Westminster turns its attention to the upcoming general election, which is expected next year. But plans for a wider Cabinet reshuffle appear to have been postponed until later in the autumn.
Rishi Sunak and ex-Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who stepped down today (PA Wire)Mr Shapps's appointment to Defence Secretary is his fifth Cabinet job in a year after the unprecedented political turbulence of the past 12 months. He served as Transport Secretary during the pandemic but resigned when Liz Truss became PM last September. Mr Shapps was then brought in as Home Secretary for just six days as Ms Truss's administration collapsed, before being named Business Secretary by new PM Rishi Sunak. He then became the newly created Energy Security Secretary in February when Mr Sunak shook up his Whitehall departments.
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Sunak loyalist Claire Coutinho has been handed the energy job, making her the the first member of the 2019 intake of Tory MPs to join the Cabinet. Ms Coutinho, a former parliamentary aide and special adviser to Mr Sunak, will be replaced by David Johnson as a junior minister in the Department for Education.
Children's Minister Claire Coutinho arrives in Downing Street (PA)The shake-up comes after Mr Wallace said he would end his four-year stint as Defence Secretary and planned to step down as an MP at the next election. The ex-Army captain is popular among the Tory grassroots and had been tipped to become party leader but he ruled himself out of the race to succeed Boris Johnson last year.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Wallace said it had been a privilege to serve but his dedication to his military career and heading up the MOD "comes at a personal toll to me and my family". He delivered a parting shot over funding for the armed forces, saying: "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."
Mr Sunak said Mr Wallace leaves office with his "thanks and respect", praising his handling of the UK's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He said the top Tory had "more to offer to public life, both here and internationally".
Ex-PM Mr Johnson paid tribute to his long time ally, tweeting: "Sad to see departure of my friend Ben Wallace. A fine Defence Secretary who got so many calls right - especially on Ukraine. Grant Shapps is an excellent choice to succeed him."
Andrew Lewin, the Labour candidate who will stand against Mr Shapps in Welwyn Hatfield at the next election, said: "Having taken jobs under Cameron, Johnson, Truss and Sunak, nobody is more closely associated with the Conservative record in government over the last 13 years."
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