Grant Shapps: The Rishi Sunak ally with a penchant for TikTok

Six years ago Grant Shapps was dismissed by a fellow Tory MP as a man you would not “buy a used car” from.

Today, however, he became the defence secretary, capping a remarkable turnaround for a politician said to have declared at the age of 13 that he wanted to become a cabinet minister.

In truth, the former energy secretary, one of Westminster’s most prolific TikTok users, who recently used the controversial app to document a trip to Ukraine, was a surprise contender for the job.

He is widely seen as one of the government’s most able media performers and a fairly safe pair of hands.

But he has no background in the military or the complex issues that surround defence, at a time when the UK faces a war on the edge of Europe.

He is, however, a key ally of Rishi Sunak and supported both of the prime minister’s attempts to become Tory leader. His knowledge of Ukraine has been boosted in recent years by hosting a Ukrainian family in his home.

And Conservative insiders believe being a strong communicator will be a huge asset in the build-up to next year’s general election.

Despite having held a number of senior roles in recent years, including five in cabinet in a year, he is perhaps still more famous with the public for his colourful past.

He hit the headlines in 2014 when it emerged he had used the pseudonym ‘‘Michael Green’’ in a previous job in marketing.

And in 2015 he was accused of anonymously editing his own Wikipedia entry – and those of other Conservative politicians – a claim he said was “bonkers”.

In an unlikely claim to fame, his cousin is Mick Jones of the Clash.

A former state school pupil, in his early 20s he set up his own business, in marketing and printing.

But his long-held ambition to become a politician remained.

He first tried to become an MP in 1997, and eventually succeeded in 2005, taking the seat of Welwyn Hatfield in Hertfordshire.

After the 2010 general election, he was made a housing and local government minister and just two years later was appointed co-chairman of the Conservative Party.

But after the 2015 election, David Cameron made him a minister at the Department for International Development, a move widely seen as a demotion.

He was forced to resign later that year amid claims he had been warned about bullying among young party activists almost a year before one, 21-year-old Elliott Johnson, killed himself.

In 2017, he was attacked by other Tory MPs when he suggested Theresa May should depart Downing Street. It was at that point that Tory MP Michael Fabricant suggested he “wouldn't buy a used car” from him.

In the end, Mr May stayed on as prime minister for two more years.

But Mr Shapps was promoted by her successor Boris Johnson, who made him transport secretary.

Mr Shapps, a keen pilot, was seen to have done a good job in a notoriously difficult department, especially during the pandemic, though he came under fire for failing to engage with unions over strikes.

Under Liz Truss, however, he was once again demoted to the backbenches.

But Rishi Sunak made him business secretary and then the head of the newly created Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in rapid succession, before today’s elevation.