British Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Grant Shapps walks on Downing Street on the day of the last cabinet meeting before the summer recess, in London, Britain, July 18, 2023.
REUTERS/Anna Gordon/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - The British government named ex-energy secretary Grant Shapps as the country's new defence minister on Thursday, replacing Ben Wallace who said he wanted to step down after four years in the role and would quit as a lawmaker at the next national election.
Wallace, who had been touted as a potential successor to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, had taken a leading role in shaping Britain's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year.
The defence role will be Shapps' fifth government job over the last year, after serving in four different ministries - transport, interior affairs, business and then at energy and net zero.
($1 = 0.7872 pounds)Reporting by Muvija M, Editing by Kylie MacLellanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons:
Grant Shapps, Anna Gordon, Ben Wallace, Wallace, Jens Stoltenberg, Britain, Muvija, Kylie MacLellan
Organizations:
State for Energy Security, REUTERS, NATO, Ukraine, Russia, Thomson
Locations:
London, Britain, British, Ukraine