London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Dec 26, 2024

Grant Shapps replaces Suella Braverman as home secretary

Grant Shapps replaces Suella Braverman as home secretary

Grant Shapps has replaced Suella Braverman as home secretary, six weeks after being fired as transport secretary by Liz Truss.

Ms Braverman quit over two data breaches but launched an attack on Ms Truss's premiership in her resignation letter.

She accused the government of breaking "key pledges" and of "pretending we haven't made mistakes".

Labour said the government was "falling apart at the seams".

Ms Braverman said she had made a "technical infringement" of the rules by sending an official document from a personal email and was now taking responsibility.

"I have made a mistake; I accept responsibility; I resign," she told the PM in her letter, in a thinly veiled dig at Ms Truss.

She added: "Pretending we haven't made mistakes, carrying on as if everyone can't see that we have made them, and hoping that things will magically come right is not serious politics.

"It is obvious to everyone that we are going through a tumultuous time.

"I have had serious concerns about this government's commitment to honouring manifesto commitments, such as reducing overall migration numbers and stopping illegal migration, particularly the dangerous small boats crossings."

In response, Ms Truss wrote she was "grateful" to Ms Braverman adding: "Your time in office has been marked by your steadfast commitment to keeping the British people safe."

Speaking as he arrived at the Home Office to start work, Mr Shapps said it was a "great honour" to be home secretary and praised the work of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt but didn't mention the prime minister.

He acknowledged it was a "turbulent time for the government" but added that he was "looking forward to getting stuck into the role… regardless of what is happening in Westminster".

Mr Shapps has previously said he was fired by Ms Truss when she became PM because although he was an "effective" minister he had not supported her in the Tory leadership contest.

A veteran of successive Tory cabinets, and a former Conservative Party chairman, Mr Shapps is seen as being on the centre right of the party and was a supporter of former Chancellor Rishi Sunak.

Ms Braverman is the second minister to leave government during Ms Truss's premiership, after Kwasi Kwarteng stepped down as chancellor last week.


Her departure adds further chaos to the week for the prime minister, at a time when Downing Street was desperate to show unity and stability in government.

Ms Braverman was firmly on the right of the party, and her resignation may well trigger further upset from some of her political allies, such as those MPs who backed her to be the Tory leader.

She becomes the shortest serving home secretary since World War Two, having been in the job for only 43 days.

Responding to her resignation, Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the government was "falling apart", adding: "To appoint and then sack both your home secretary and chancellor within six weeks is utter chaos."

The SNP leader Westminster Ian Blackford said the government had "no vision other than a desperate and undying desire to stay in office".

Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael said: "The only solution now is a general election so the public can get off this carousel of Conservative chaos."


WATCH: I'm only 10 minutes into the job - Grant Shapps

WATCH: 'This is utter chaos' - Labour's Yvette Cooper


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Pope Francis Urges Unprecedented Dialogue Amid Escalating Ukraine-Russia Tensions
Dozens Survive Kazakhstan Passenger Jet Crash Amid Tragedy
Kazakhstan Air Disaster: Dozens Survive as Authorities Probe Fatal Plane Crash
Postal Workers Demand Government Probe Into Royal Mail 'Fake Deliveries' Scandal
Explosion Sinks Russian Cargo Ship Ursa Major in Mediterranean
Mystery Shrouds U.S. Citizen Gene Spector's 15-Year Espionage Sentence in Moscow
Zelenskyy Alleges 3,000 North Korean Casualties in Russian Conflict
North Korea's Unseen Hand: Over 1,000 Troops Suffer Casualties in Ukraine
Discovery of 50,000-Year-Old Baby Mammoth in Siberia Fascinates Scientists
Magdeburg Attack Fuels AfD's Political Momentum Amid Rising Tensions
In Magdeburg, Germany, a man is arrested by the police for declaring, "I am a Christian."
UK News Roundup: London Shooting, Travel Disruptions, and Legal Battles
UK Economy Teeters on Recession's Edge Amid Revised Growth Figures
Australian Man Captured in Ukraine Conflict; Government Seeks Answers
Zelenskyy’s Push for NATO: A High-Stakes Gamble for Eastern European Stability
Slovak Pragmatism or EU Discord: Prime Minister Fico’s Polarizing Moscow Engagement
The Ripple Effects of a Russian Victory in Ukraine: A Global Tectonic Shift
U.S. Government Shutdown Averted by Last-Minute Agreement
Tragedy in Magdeburg: Saudi Doctor's Alleged Terror Attack at German Christmas Market Ignites Global Security Debate
Tragedy Strikes at Magdeburg Christmas Market: Terror Attack Leaves Five Dead
Texas Congresswoman Kay Granger Discovered in Nursing Home Following Six Months of Inaction
Prince William to End Feudal Land Restrictions in Duchy of Cornwall, but Controversies Remain
British police appear unprepared to deal with usual suspects
Russia's Ballistic Blitz on Kyiv Sends Shockwaves Through Global Stability
Multiple Tragedies and Tensions Mark Global Events: A Closer Look
Elon Musk's AfD Endorsement Ignites Controversy from neo-Nazis who accuse the AfD of being what they themselves are
Ukraine Claims Unprecedented Russian Losses: The Truth Behind Wartime Statistics
Federal Reserve Chair Powell: "We are prohibited from owning Bitcoin and are not seeking any changes to that law."
A Democratic congresswoman with blue and black hair is having a meltdown over "President Musk."
A sizable group of unauthorized migrants is traveling through Mexico with the aim of reaching the USA before Trump assumes office.
Beatles Reunion Electrifies London: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Ignite O2 Arena with Surprise Performance
Starmer's Envoy Engages Trump Team as UK Seeks Strategic U.S. Partnership
Britain's Retail Rebound Falters as Black Friday Splurge Dissipates
Bank of Japan's Bold Reckoning: A Decade of Unconventional Policy Under Scrutiny
Republican Discord Threatens Government Shutdown Amid Holiday Season
French Retiree Dominique Pellico Convicted for Recruiting 72 Men to Assault Wife Over a Decade
Putin Defends War Strategy as Global Tensions Rise
Putin Claims Progress as Tensions Rise: Conflict in Ukraine Intensifies
Putin's Paradox: Claiming Strength Amidst Sanctions and Isolation
Water as a Weapon: The Contentious Struggle for Survival in Gaza
Syria's Future: A Fight for Democracy or Another Cycle of Oppression?
UK Considers Sending Troops to Ukraine: A Strategic Move or Intensifying The Proxy War?
Renewed ISIS Threat Puts Syria’s Cultural Heritage in Peril
Escalation in Moscow: High-Profile Assassination and International Tensions Intensify
North Korean Troops in Ukraine: A New Cold War Frontier?
Ukraine's Bold Move: High-Stakes Assassination of Russian General in Moscow
Dubai's Technological Leap: Brain Chips and AI Board Members by 2025
Tragedy Strikes Wisconsin School as Shooting Claims Lives of Teacher and Student
UK's Calculated Gamble: Balancing Defense Aid to Ukraine and Domestic Demands
UK Intensifies Stranglehold on Russian Oil, but Does It Dampen Putin’s Resolve?
×