Grant Shapps: Who is the new home secretary, how old is he and previous government positions

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Grant Shapps has taken up his first government role since leaving the Department for Transport earlier this year

In what seems like a near weekly event at the moment, a senior cabinet position has changed hands. Less than a week on from the departure of Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor, Suella Braverman’s short time as home secretary has drawn to a close.

Her replacement, Grant Shapps, is a man not unfamiliar to a position in the government- although it is likely the most turbulent time he has ever been asked to take up a role. This will be his first government role since departing as transport minister earlier this year.

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Mr Shapps takes up his sixth position within government since 2010. He was first elected as Member of Parliament for Welwyn Hatfield in 2005 and it is a position he has held since.

In 2005, the same year he was voted in to his constituency seat, he was appointed vice chairman of the Conservative Party. In June 2007, he was made shadow housing minister.

Mr Shapps is 54 and he studied at Cassio College, Watford before graduating from Manchester Polytechnic with a business and finance diploma. He is married and has three children.

What Grant Shapps will be doing as home secretary

According to the UK government website, The secretary of state has overall responsibility for all Home Office business, including the following:

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  • overarching responsibility for the departmental portfolio and oversight of the ministerial team
  • Cabinet
  • National Security Council (NSC)
  • Public appointments
  • Oversight of the Security Service
  • Overall responsibility for the Home Office response to COVID-19 including health measures at the border and police powers to enforce lockdown

Grant Shapps’ previous government positions

Mr Shapps has held a position in government for the majority of the last 12 years. His most recent position was as transport minister, a role he held from 2019 through to earlier this year. Listed below are all the government positions he has held since 2010.

  • Minister of state for housing: 2010-2012
  • Minister without portfolio: 2012-2015
  • Parliamentary under-secretary of state: 2015
  • Parliamentary under-secretary of state (minister for asia and the pacific): 2015
  • Secretary of state for transport: 2019-2022

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