Former Conservative Defence Secretary Sir Grant Shapps has resigned from his position at a leading aerospace company due to concerns of breaching regulations regarding employment for former ministers. The 57-year-old, who served in various roles in past cabinets, including those of Cameron, Johnson, Truss, and Sunak, stepped down as the chair of Cambridge Aerospace on April 30. This decision came after the firm secured a substantial government contract for missile systems.
Mr. Shapps, who previously asserted his involvement was solely in civilian aerospace, found himself in a dilemma as the company shifted its focus towards defence activities. Recently released correspondence revealed that Sir Laurie Magnus, Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, had cautioned Shapps to rectify public representations that identified him as the head of a defence-oriented organization, which he failed to do.
Under the rules governing post-ministerial employment, former officials are prohibited from lobbying the government for a period of two years after leaving office and are required to seek advice from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) before accepting any external job offers. Despite initial instructions to confine his work to civilian aerospace, Shapps’ company later clinched a substantial Ministry of Defence contract.
In a letter dated May 12, Shapps acknowledged the evolving global circumstances and apologized for not seeking updated guidance as the company’s activities transitioned. He clarified that he had no part in the Ministry of Defence contract processes and insisted that he did not exploit his past role for personal gain or to influence governmental decisions.
Sir Laurie Magnus criticized Shapps on May 19 for allowing a perception of misconduct to arise, failing to seek counsel on his changing responsibilities, and neglecting to correct public portrayals of his role within Cambridge Aerospace. Shapps, who previously represented Welwyn Hatfield as a Conservative MP, lost his seat to Labour’s Andrew Lewin in the recent General Election.