Grant Shapps becomes defence secretary and Claire Coutinho named energy secretary – cabinet reshuffle live | EUROtoday

A shadow minister has accused Rishi Sunak of “giving jobs to his friends” as she claimed the federal government was nonetheless a “sinking ship” regardless of the prime minister’s cabinet reshuffle.

“It really doesn’t matter how many new jobs Rishi Sunak gives to his friends,”

Emily Thornberry, Labour’s attorney general, told broadcasters in Westminster.

“It’s nonetheless simply shifting the deckchairs. They’re nonetheless a sinking ship.”

She also said Grant Shapps was a “proficient politician” and hopes he listens to the “consultants” within the Ministry of Defence.

“I think that Grant Shapps is a talented politician, I wish him well, and I hope he listens to the advice of the experts who will be in the MoD,” she advised broadcasters.

The international secretary has paid tribute to Ben Wallace, describing him as a “rock solid figure for our country”.

James Cleverly wrote on X, previously often known as Twitter: “Ben, you’ve been a rock solid figure for our country, our party and for the Ukrainian people.

“You’ve outlined what it means to serve your nation. Thank you.”

Tory MP David Johnston has been appointed parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department for Education, replacing a promoted Claire Coutinho.

Mr Johnston, who was first elected in December 2019 and represents Wantage, takes on the vacated role in Rishi Sunak’s mini-reshuffle.

Claire Countiho has been confirmed as the new energy secretary as Rishi Sunak carries out a mini-reshuffled.

Ms Coutinho, outgoing education minister, replaces Grant Shapps, who took over from Ben Wallace who resigned as defence secretary.

With no experience in the military or department, the appointment of Grant Shapps as defence secretary may have come as a surprise to many.

But it appears the former energy secretary may have already started building relationships in Ukraine, which will be at the top of his in-tray when he starts at his latest government department.

He visited Kyiv last week. “What I saw in Kyiv… was a people resolute in their defiance against Putin’s tyranny and Russia’s aggression,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“And a nation standing strong and powering ahead in spite of constant attacks.”

Mr Shapps’s visit was an official trip as the energy secretary and he met with “senior government ministers” and energy company leaders.

You can read his resignation in letter in full below:

Grant Shapps has said he’s “honoured” to become defence secretary after replacing Ben Wallace.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the enormous contribution Ben Wallace has made to UK defence & global security over the last 4 years,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Mr Shapps has never held a role in the Ministry of Defence before but is taking on his fifth role in the cabinet in the last year by becoming its secretary of state.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak will now need to find a new energy secretary, after replacing defence secretary Ben Wallace with Grant Shapps.

Claire Coutinho, the education minister, was seen entering No 10 this morning after Mr Shapps, the former energy secretary was confirmed in the defence brief.

Ms Coutinho is considered a rising star in the Conservative Party, having entered the ministerial ranks just a few years after getting elected to parliament in 2019.

Grant Shapps has been confirmed as the new defence secretary, replacing Ben Wallace.

Mr Shapps was seen entering No 10 Downing Street earlier this morning and was among those tipped overnight to replace the outgoing Mr Wallace.

Adam Forrest has more details below:

Ben Wallace has now left the stage – but he had a familiar parting message for Rishi Sunak on defence spending, Adam Forrest reports.

“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,” he said in his letter.

Warning the PM not to cut the budget, Mr Wallace added: “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.”