Grant Shapps facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable Sir Grant Shapps
Official portrait, 2022
Secretary of State for Defence
In office 31 August 2023 – 5 July 2024
Prime Minister	Rishi Sunak
Preceded by	Ben Wallace
Succeeded by	John Healey
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
In office 7 February 2023 – 31 August 2023
Prime Minister	Rishi Sunak
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Claire Coutinho
Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
In office 25 October 2022 – 7 February 2023
Prime Minister	Rishi Sunak
Preceded by	Jacob Rees-Mogg
Succeeded by	Kemi Badenoch
Home Secretary
In office 19 October 2022 – 25 October 2022
Prime Minister	Liz Truss
Preceded by	Suella Braverman
Succeeded by	Suella Braverman
Secretary of State for Transport
In office 24 July 2019 – 6 September 2022
Prime Minister	Boris Johnson
Preceded by	Chris Grayling
Succeeded by	Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Minister of State for International Development
In office 11 May 2015 – 28 November 2015
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	Desmond Swayne
Succeeded by	Nick Hurd
Chairman of the Conservative Party
In office 4 September 2012 – 11 May 2015 Serving with The Lord Feldman of Elstree
Leader	David Cameron
Preceded by	The Baroness Warsi
Succeeded by	The Lord Feldman of Elstree
Minister without portfolio
In office 4 September 2012 – 11 May 2015
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	The Baroness Warsi
Succeeded by	Robert Halfon
Minister of State for Housing and Local Government
In office 13 May 2010 – 4 September 2012
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	John Healey Rosie Winterton
Succeeded by	Mark Prisk
Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning
In office 20 December 2007 – 6 May 2010
Leader	David Cameron
Preceded by	Michael Gove
Succeeded by	John Healey
Member of Parliament for Welwyn Hatfield
In office 5 May 2005 – 30 May 2024
Preceded by	Melanie Johnson
Succeeded by	Andrew Lewin
Personal details
Born	(1968-09-14) 14 September 1968 (age 56) Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Belinda Goldstone ​ (m. 1997)​
Children	3
Alma mater	Manchester Polytechnic (HND)
Signature

Sir Grant Shapps (born 14 September 1968) is a British politician. He held many important jobs in the UK government, including Secretary of State for Defence from August 2023 to July 2024. He also served as Transport Secretary, Home Secretary, and Energy Secretary under different Prime Ministers.

Shapps was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Welwyn Hatfield from 2005 to 2024. He was part of the Conservative Party. In the 2024 general election, he lost his seat in Parliament.

He first became a "Shadow Minister" in 2007, which means he was part of the opposition party's team. When David Cameron became Prime Minister in 2010, Shapps was given a government job as Minister of State for Housing and Local Government. Later, he became the Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party.

In 2015, he became Minister of State for International Development. He stepped down from this role in November 2015 due to concerns about how some issues within the Conservative Party were handled.

In 2019, Boris Johnson became Prime Minister and appointed Shapps as Transport Secretary. In this role, Shapps worked on big changes for railways and transport in the UK.

After Liz Truss became Prime Minister in September 2022, she removed Shapps from his transport role. However, in October 2022, during a time of change in the government, Truss appointed Shapps as Home Secretary. This job lasted only six days, making him the shortest-serving Home Secretary in British history.

When Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister, Shapps was appointed Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. He then became Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero in February 2023. In August 2023, he became Secretary of State for Defence, a position he held until the 2024 General Election.

Early Life and Education

Grant Shapps was born on 14 September 1968 in Croxley Green, England. His father, Tony Shapps, ran a business that sold film and camera equipment. Grant's family is Jewish. His brother, André Shapps, is a musician who played keyboards in the band Big Audio Dynamite. Their cousin, Mick Jones, was a famous musician in the punk rock band the Clash.

Grant Shapps went to Yorke Mead Primary School and Watford Grammar School for Boys. He studied business and finance at West Herts College and Manchester Polytechnic, where he earned a Higher National Diploma.

When he was 21, in 1989, he was in a car crash in the United States that put him in a coma for a week.

Business Ventures

Shapps started his career selling photocopiers. In 1990, when he was 22, he started his own business called PrintHouse Corporation. This company focused on design, printing, and creating websites. He stopped being a director of the company in 2009 but still owned most of it.

He also started a web publishing business with his wife called How To Corp Limited. This company sold business guides and software.

Political Journey

Grant Shapps decided to get into politics and first ran as a Conservative candidate in a local election in Manchester in 1990. He also ran in London in 1994 but did not win.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Shapps first ran for Parliament in 1997 and then again in 2001, but he was not elected.

Shapps talking to primary school pupils about their visions of the future of housing in their area (July 2010)

In the 2005 general election, Shapps was elected as the MP for Welwyn Hatfield. He won with a majority of 5,946 votes.

After David Cameron became the leader of the Conservative Party, Shapps was made vice chairman of the party, in charge of campaigns.

He was re-elected as MP for Welwyn Hatfield in the 2010, 2015, 2017, and 2019 general elections.

Before the 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union, Shapps wanted the UK to stay. However, after the public voted to leave, he said he would support the decision.

In October 2017, Shapps suggested that Theresa May, who was Prime Minister at the time, should resign.

Shadow Housing Minister

In June 2007, Shapps became the Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning. This meant he was the main spokesperson for the Conservative Party on housing issues while they were not in power. He believed in local communities having more say in housing decisions.

Minister of State for Housing and Local Government

In May 2010, when the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties formed a government, Shapps became Minister of State for Housing and Local Government. One of his first actions was to remove some housing laws. He also worked on plans to help people who were homeless.

As Housing Minister, Shapps supported ideas like flexible rent and changes to social housing rules. He also introduced the New Homes Bonus, which gave money to local councils that built more homes.

In 2012, Shapps launched StreetLink, a website and phone app that helps the public connect rough sleepers with support services.

Conservative Party Co-Chairman

Shapps speaking at Conservative Party conference in Central Manchester during 2011

In September 2012, Shapps was appointed Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party. His job was to help lead the party and prepare for elections.

In March 2013, Shapps defended changes to welfare benefits, including a cap on how much money out-of-work households could claim.

In October 2013, Shapps spoke about the BBC, suggesting it needed to be more careful with its money and fair in its reporting.

Minister of State for International Development

On 11 May 2015, Shapps was given a new role as Minister of State at the Department for International Development. This department helps other countries around the world.

On 28 November 2015, Shapps stepped down from this role. This happened after concerns were raised about how some issues within the Conservative Party were handled.

Secretary of State for Transport

Grant Shapps in front of A4 Mallard in National Railway Museum, announcing the formation of Great British Railways

When Boris Johnson became Prime Minister, he appointed Shapps as Secretary of State for Transport. Shapps kept this job after a government reshuffle in February 2020. He was also given responsibility for the Northern Powerhouse, a plan to improve the economy in northern England.

In May 2020, Shapps announced funding for new cycle lanes and trials for e-scooters on British roads.

When the travel company Thomas Cook went out of business in September 2019, Shapps explained that the government decided not to give the company money because it would only have helped for a short time.

Shapps is a pilot and encouraged the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to make flying easier for private pilots. He also set up a program to help pilots buy devices that prevent mid-air collisions.

July 2022 Leadership Bid

Shapps announced he would run to become the leader of the Conservative Party in July 2022, after Boris Johnson resigned. However, he withdrew from the race a few days later and supported Rishi Sunak.

Home Secretary

Shapps meeting with Prime Minister Liz Truss following his appointment as Home Secretary, October 2022

On 19 October 2022, Shapps was appointed Home Secretary after Suella Braverman resigned. This happened just one day before Prime Minister Liz Truss announced her own resignation.

Business Secretary

On 25 October 2022, Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister and appointed Shapps as Business Secretary. He took over from Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Energy Secretary

Shapps at the Miraikan Science Museum in Tokyo as Energy Secretary, 2023

In February 2023, Shapps was moved to a new role as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. This new department was created to focus on energy and climate change. He was the first person to hold this specific job since 2016.

Defence Secretary

Shapps with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, January 2024

On 31 August 2023, Shapps became Secretary of State for Defence, replacing Ben Wallace. In this role, he was responsible for the UK's armed forces and national security.

In December 2023, he spoke about the importance of European countries looking after their own security. He also announced a new plan with Norway to help Ukraine with its naval forces.

In July 2025, Shapps defended a legal order that kept secret details about a data breach. This breach led to the UK government moving 15,000 Afghans to new locations. He said it was important to keep the order in place while he was Defence Secretary.

Personal Life

Grant Shapps married Belinda Goldstone in 1997, and they have three children. In 1999, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer. He had treatment and recovered by the following year. After his recovery, his children were conceived using IVF.

Shapps enjoys flying and has special qualifications for flying in different weather conditions.

He is Jewish and follows Jewish traditions, but he has said he personally considers himself to be an agnostic, meaning he is not sure if God exists.

On 11 April 2025, Shapps was given the title of Knight by Rishi Sunak for his public service.

Honours

Shapps became a member of the Privy Council on 21 July 2010. This gave him the special title "The Right Honourable" for life. In April 2025, he was knighted by Rishi Sunak for his work in politics and public service.

See also

In Spanish: Grant Shapps para niños