New defence secretary Grant Shapps has pushed back against critics of his appointment citing his experience and highlighting his background as a descendant of Jewish refugees.
Writing for the Mail on Sunday, Shapps said it was a “huge honour” to be appointed to the role in the country that provided his family with safety after enduring anti-Jewish pogroms in Eastern Europe.
He said: “At the end of the 19th century, my family fleeing persecution and pogroms in Eastern Europe sought safe haven. They found it here, in the nation that gave them the gift of freedom. A gift I will do everything I can to preserve, to pass on to generations to come.”
Critics accused Shapps of lacking the necessary experience for the role and say he is unlikely to stand up for the Armed Forces in funding negotiations.
