The ex-head of the Ministry of Energy and Carbon Neutrality Grant Shapps will now take over the post of UK Defense Minister.
This is stated on the official account of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in X (Twitter).
Commenting on his appointment, Shapps said: “I look forward to working with the brave men and women of our [British] Armed Forces who keep our country safe. And the continuation of Great Britainʼs support for Ukraine in its struggle against Putinʼs barbaric invasion." He also thanked Ben Wallace for his "enormous contribution" to the countryʼs defense and global security.
Grant Shapps previously served as Transport Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Last week, while still in the position of Minister of Energy, he visited Ukraine. Then he announced that Britain would finance the increase of Ukraineʼs nuclear potential by $245 million.
Shapps also participated in a large conference on the restoration of Ukraine in London on June 21, 2023, and in the spring of 2022, he said that he hosted a family of Ukrainian refugees in his home.
- On August 31, Ben Wallace resigned as the Minister of Defense of Great Britain. In July, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed his intention to leave the post during the next government reshuffle, expected in the autumn, and that he would not stand as an MP in the next election. He explained his decision as fatigue from politics and public service. It was expected that the British Ministry of Defense could be headed by the current head of the Foreign Ministry James Cleverley.