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Grant Shapps becomes first Jewish defence secretary for nearly 30 years

The last Jew to hold the position was Malcolm Rifkind in 1995

August 31, 2023 08:48
GettyImages-1258912100
Britain's Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Grant Shapps speaks during "Power Of Transformation: Building Back Better In The Energy Sector" session on the first day of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London on June 21, 2023. Leaders and representatives from more than 60 countries are in London for a two-day conference to secure funding to help Ukraine recover from the ravages of war. (Photo by Stefan Rousseau / POOL / AFP) (Photo by STEFAN ROUSSEAU/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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Grant Shapps has been appointed defence secretary after Ben Wallace formally handed in his resignation.

Wallace announced last month that he would resign from the senior Cabinet role at the next reshuffle, bringing an end to his four years in the job.

In a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Wallace said: "The Ministry of Defence is back on the path to being once again world-class with world-class people.

"The United Kingdom is respected around the world for our armed forces and that respect has only grown more since the war in Ukraine.