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Another mini-resuffle looms? Grant Shapps and his double life.

(9 Posts)
JessM Sun 23-Sep-12 07:14:05

The new Chairman of the Conservative party (previously housing minister) obviously has a colourful business life. His business sounds decidedly iffy and it seems he goes by a different name in the business world! Extraordinary! shock
Will Dave have to do a swift mini, mini reshuffle again? Employing Coulson showed questionable judgement - but Shapps should perhaps be added to the list?

www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/21/grant-shapps-posed-web-guru?newsfeed=true

Mamie Sun 23-Sep-12 07:27:34

Grant Shapps and Andrew Mitchell, I would have thought, but Cameron doesn't seem to like getting rid of people.
I love the pictures of Grant Shapps wearing his alter ego name badge!

JessM Sun 23-Sep-12 07:56:56

V embarrassing to have to get rid of Mitchell but even more embarrassing to keep him on surely. Interesting, but predictable, that he has not resigned.

Greatnan Sun 23-Sep-12 08:59:01

Not only greedy and dishonest, but stupid! He is obviously relying on his cronies in the cabinet to protect him. (Before anyone starts criticising Blair, his legal cronies were just as bad.) Never say I am biased - I hate the lot of them equally.

Oldgreymare Sun 23-Sep-12 09:40:04

... and arrogant! Our M.P. is coming to the end of his political career in the 'Commons' but is almost certainly guaranteed 'promotion' to the Lords. The party office in town has disappeared does that mean he is no longer concerned with local issues? hmm Of course, he lost my vote when he became part of the coalition ( it was an interference vote anyway!).
Jess the same paper had an interesting article on the resignation of Salma Yaquob (sp?) who led the Respect Party.

Mamie Sun 23-Sep-12 10:34:59

I would never accuse you of not criticising, Blair, Greatnan....

JessM Sun 23-Sep-12 11:08:33

Oh a crony of dear George G. Hmm.

JessM Sun 23-Sep-12 13:26:54

Hopefully Yaquob will learn a lesson from this and be a bit less trusting of male politicians in future! I shall watch her progress with interest.

JessM Mon 01-Oct-12 12:53:10

I see this story got onto BBC over the weekend - it was swamped out by the Mitchell thing the week the Guardian published it. Shapp's business just sounds so dodgy - not perhaps outright illegal, but certainly unethical I am amazed Cameron has given him this high profile role. Except that Shapps obviously talks a good talk!
Shapps was trying to say it was all a long time ago. I don't think 3 years is a long time really. ALso he was saying that nom de plume are normal for writers if business books. i don't think so. And there is a photo of him with a name badge at a conference - which is rather different to using a nom de plume.