Grant Shapps, born on 14 September 1968, is a British Conservative politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Welwyn Hatfield from 2005 to 2024.[1][3] Before entering politics, he founded a successful printing business in 1990 and later operated a marketing company under the pseudonym Michael Green.[2][6] Shapps began his political career as Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party in 2005 and Shadow Housing Minister in 2007.[1][2] After the 2010 election, he became Minister of State for Housing and Local Government, launching the StreetLink app to assist rough sleepers and contributing to the National Planning Policy Framework.[2][4] He was appointed to the Privy Council in 2010, earning the title Right Honourable.[1][2] In 2012, Shapps co-chaired the Conservative Party while serving as Minister without Portfolio.[1] He held Minister of State roles in International Development (2015) and resigned amid a youth wing scandal, accepting responsibility for personnel decisions.[1][6] Following the 2019 election, he became Secretary of State for Transport until 2022, championing infrastructure like the Active Travel Fund.[1][2][4] Shapps served briefly as Home Secretary in October 2022, then Business Secretary, and Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero from 2023, where he designed energy bill relief amid Russia's Ukraine invasion and invested in nuclear power—the first such public funding in four decades.[1][4][5] From August 2023 to July 2024, he was Secretary of State for Defence, advocating NATO spending increases to 2.5% of GDP (a £75bn UK boost) and addressing threats from Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and the Middle East post-Hamas attack.[1][4][5] In 2022, he unsuccessfully ran for Conservative leadership.[3] Knighted in 2025 via Rishi Sunak's Resignation Honours, Shapps now works as a keynote speaker on security, energy, and housing.[2][4][5] (298 words)