Image source, UK GOV

And that brings and end to our coverage today after Grant Shapps and Claire Coutinho were appointed to the roles of defence secretary and energy secretary.

• To read about Grant Shapps' new defence job, click here
• To find out more about Shapps' background in government, look here
• You can read our profile on the new energy secretary Claire Coutinho here
• And our political editor Chris Mason gives his thoughts on today's reshuffle here

Emily McGarvey and Nathan Williams edited today's coverage, which has been written by Thomas Mackintosh, Victoria Lindrea, Chas Geiger and Jamie Whitehead.

We're closing our live page shortly. Here is a round-up of the key points in today's mini cabinet reshuffle.

• Grant Shapps has replaced the outgoing defence secretary Ben Wallace
• Shapps, previously the energy minister, said he was "very pleased" and was looking forward to working with "the brave men and women of our Armed Forces"
• Many colleagues have paid tribute to former soldier Wallace and the work he achieved over four years as defence secretary
• Shapps - who visited Kyiv last week - has vowed to continue Wallace's strident support for Ukraine, but concerns have been raised over his perceived lack of knowledge of defence

• Labour congratulated Shapps on his new role, but warned of 13 years of "Tory defence failures"
• Tory colleagues insist Shapps is an experienced politician who "understands the Whitehall machine" and a great communicator

• Claire Coutinho takes up Shapps's former post of energy secretary. A Sunak protege, the promotion marks a huge career leap for the former parliamentary under-secretary of state

The news of yet another change in personal at the Education Department has sparked some angry reactions in the Special Education Need (Send) sector.

David Johnston - who replaces Claire Coutinho after her promotion - is the fifth person to be Children's Minister in just under two years.

Simon Knight, joint headteacher at Frank Wise School, a special education school in Oxfordshire, said the latest ministerial change shows “an enactment of utter ambivalence towards children with Send.

“How are things supposed to improve if we continue to have short term leadership. So utterly frustrating.”

While Tom Richmond, director of the EDSK think tank, said “I think the reforms are ‘important’, but I’m starting to think that the government disagrees", according to specialist publication Schools Week.

More praise for the outgoing defence secretary, Ben Wallace, from his French counterpart.

Sébastien Lecornu serves as French minister for armed forces and he has posted on social media, external: "For our excellent work together, in support of Ukraine and for a stronger common security.

"A reflection of the historic friendship between our two countries.

"I look forward to working with your successor to strengthen the relationship."

Larisa Brown, defence editor for the Times and the Sunday Times, told BBC Radio 5 Live that Shapps "has big shoes to fill" as he takes over from the "well-respected" Ben Wallace as defence secretary.

She told Nicky Campbell that Shapps “doesn't seem to have any relevant defence experience” - but added: “He's had many cabinet positions before, and I think it will be interesting to see what he does with defence”.

She suggested Shapps might be “quieter" in the role "and focus on the domestic side of things rather than the global side that Ben Wallace was so good at".

Climate campaigners Friends of the Earth have said "good riddance to Grant Shapps", and say they hope his replacement Claire Coutinho will oversee a change in the department.

Dave Timms, head of political affairs at Friends of the Earth, says: "He seemed to be more concerned with playing childish politics on social media than the serious policies needed to address the greatest challenge of our time."

He says the UK needs an energy secretary that will "step up to give the certainty and support that businesses, and people, need to invest in the changes that will cut both emissions and the cost of living".

Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

Grant Shapps previously served in the government as the energy secretary - before that he held the role of business secretary when Rishi Sunak took office in November 2022.

Not so long before that, Shapps replaced Suella Braverman as home secretary in the closing days of Liz Truss’s government having been initially overlooked for a cabinet role when she won the summer edition of the Tory party leadership race.

Under Boris Johnson, Shapps served as transport secretary and perhaps his key battle was at the time an ongoing one with rail unions.

Further back, Shapps was a party co-chairman until 2015, when he resigned following allegations he ignored warnings about bullying.

Shapps, who founded a printing company at the age of 21, holds a pilot’s licence and lists aviation as a pastime.

The father-of-three was elected MP for Welwyn Hatfield in Hertfordshire in 2005.

Image source, Getty Images

Former chief of the general staff, Lord Dannatt, has also been on Radio 4's The World At One and asks: "Will Shapps be a politician, or will he be looking after the defence needs of the country?"

"If Rishi Sunak has appointed Shapps to be a supporter in the cabinet, to go quietly on defence and be a smooth voice on Radio 4 in the run-up to the election, that's one thing", Dannett continues.

"But if he is going to properly understand the needs of defence, we do need to spend more money... Is Shapps going to fight that corner in the cabinet, or is he going to play the political game? That is what we will need to watch very carefully."

Up until Grant Shapp's appointment this morning, Armed Forces Minister James Heappey was among those touted to take over the role of defence secretary from Ben Wallace.

Earlier, Heappey paid tribute to his erstwhile colleague, saying Wallace would "go down in history as one of the great defence secretaries".

"It has been an absolute privilege to serve under Ben at the MoD (Ministry of Defence) over the last four years," he wrote on X, external.

Labour's shadow defence secretary John Healey has told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme that Shapps is taking on a "serious job at a serious time".

The threats that the UK is facing are increasing and diversifying, yet it is the only major country not to upgrade its armed forces in response to Russian aggression, he adds.

Healey says it's a government's first duty to defend the country and Labour will do whatever is required to keep the British people safe.

He accuses the Conservatives of squeezing defence spending ever since Labour left office in 2010, but says the party will not be able to decide how much extra spending is required until it has access to classified information in government.

Former Labour leader Ed Miliband has congratulated Claire Coutinho on being appointed energy secretary.

But in his tweet,, external Miliband says that Coutinho is the sixth secretary of state since 2019 and that "reshuffling of the deckchairs will not deliver the proper energy policy Britain needs".

He goes on to call Grant Shapps' approach to energy "a disaster, external".

Image source, PA Media

Tory chairman of the Commons defence committee Tobias Ellwood tells BBC Radio 4's World At One programme he has no doubts about Shapps's ability to do his new job, describing him as a "very competent and capable minister" who "understands the Whitehall machine".

Shapps, he says, is one of the cabinet's best communicators, has sat on the National Security Council and is a trained pilot.

He also visited Ukraine last week and will be surrounded by very capable officials, Ellwood adds.

Ellwood says a key priority for the new defence secretary will be securing more funding for defence, because the budget is still - despite Wallace's efforts - too small in an "increasingly dangerous" world.

Image source, Reuters

Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov has posted his tribute to Ben Wallace on X, external, formerly Twitter.

He says he wants to thank his "friend and colleague" for "everything he has done for Ukraine while in his position".

"His energy and dedication have allowed the boldest plans to be realized and have enabled critically-needed resources to be mobilized at the right moments.

Image source, Reuters

The new defence secretary has a busy portfolio - not least the continuing war in Ukraine and the UK's ongoing support for Kyiv.

His predecessor in the role, Ben Wallace, became an ardent supporter of Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, cajoling other nations to respond to President Zelensky's call for weapons to repel the Russian threat.

However last month, the defence secretary caused controversy when he said Ukraine needed to show more gratitude and not treat allies like "Amazon".

PM Rishi Sunak disowned Wallace's comments - with Wallace himself later stating, on social media, that his comments were "somewhat misrepresented".

The UK spending on defence, and its role in countering Chinese military power, will also consume much of the new defence secretary's time.

Wallace recently told the Sunday Times he had spent "well over seven years with three phones by my bed" - implying it is not a role for the work-shy.

Image source, PA

Here's more reaction from Labour now.

Shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry says the mini-reshuffle is just "moving the deckchairs" and the government is still a "sinking ship".

Speaking in Westminster, she says Shapps is a "talented politician", but "they don't have any new ideas".

"There are so many challenges for our country and we need to have a big change in this country. What we need is a Labour government," she adds.

Image source, House of Commons

After her promotion to energy secretary, Claire Coutinho's position as junior education minister is set to be filled by David Johnston, the MP for Wantage in Oxfordshire.

It marks the 41-year-old’s first job in government since he was elected to the safe Tory seat at the general election in December 2019.

Previously a ministerial aide at the education department, he quit the role in July last year as part of the wave of resignations that triggered Boris Johnson’s downfall as prime minister.

Born in east London, he attended a comprehensive school before studying history and politics at Oxford. According to his website, this made him the first member of his family to go to university.

Prior to entering Parliament, he was chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation charity, a role for which he received an OBE in 2018 for services to social mobility and education.

Image source, PA Media

Claire Coutinho has posted on X,, external formerly known as Twitter, that she is delighted to have been appointed energy secretary.

She says she'll be working with Rishi Sunak to safeguard energy security and bring bills down for families.

In a series of posts, external, she thanks the team she worked with as children's minister, and sends well wishes to her successor David Johnston.

Former Financial Times political journalist Sebastian Payne is the director of centre-right think tank Onward, external.

Coutinho was previously on Onward's board.

On X, formerly Twitter, Payne has welcomed her appointment, external to a "critical government position" as "fantastic".

"Claire has one of the best policy minds in Westminster and is well positioned to ensure net zero is delivered in a sensible, pragmatic way," he says.

Earlier, BBC camera journalist Jack Garland caught Grant Shapps and asked him how he felt about his new role, and what his first priority would be.

Downing Street has posted official pictures of Grant Shapps and Claire Coutinho alongside Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, taken after they were appointed to their new roles.

They were posted on No 10's Flickr account, external.

Image source, Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street

Image source, Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street

Image source, Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street