"We have a new defence secretary who knows very little about defence"
The main headline of Rishi Sunak’s mini reshuffle today came in the form of Grant Shapps replacing Ben Wallace as defence secretary. Shapps has held a range of government positions, including as transport secretary and most recently as energy secretary, but he has never held a position in the Ministry of Defence.
Following his appointment, political commentators and defence sector experts have been giving their verdict on Shapps in his new role.
One particularly damning verdict came from a former army chief. Lord Dannatt – who served as chief of the general staff of the British Army from 2006-9 wasn’t complimentary about Shapps’ suitability for the role.
Speaking to Sky News, Dannatt said: “We have a new defence secretary who knows very little about defence,” adding “It will take him quite some time to get up to speed.”
He went on to imply that Shapps has been appointed to help Tory prospects in the next election. He said: “although he may well have been appointed as someone who is going to support the prime minister and help the Conservative party in its general election campaign, they will be hoping that he will really understand defence and push the case for defence, not just for the Ministry of Defence’s own benefit, but for the benefit of the whole country.”
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
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