Grant Shapps

Member of Parliament for Welwyn Hatfield

Shadow Housing Minister

Tel: 020 7219 8497 / Fax: 020 7219 0659 / House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.
Email: shappsg@parliament.uk / Web: www.shapps.com

View Grant's expense claims (opens in a new window)

Grant was born and educated in Hertfordshire, attending Watford Grammar School.

After studying Business in Manchester he returned home to found his own printing company, aged 21, and it is a business that thrives to this day.

Grant is well-known as a hard-working, campaigning, constituency MP who has often led the fight on behalf of his Welwyn Hatfield constituents. In particular Grant fought a long battle against the closure of major hospital services in his area creating HospitalSOS; a cross-party campaign to highlight the closure of A&E and Maternity services at the QE2 Hospital in Welwyn Garden City. Grant lives in his constituency and prides himself on being at the heart of the Welwyn Hatfield community.

Grant is a strong believer in social justice and this has been a driving factor is his work to uncover the true extent of homelessness in Britain. Having researched and written various reports on the subject, Grant went on to highlight his concerns by sleeping rough on Christmas Eve 2007. During 2008 he helped the modern day Conservative Party follow in the footsteps of Ian MacLeod - who founded homeless charity Crisis in 1967 - by joining David Cameron to launch the Conservative Homelessness Foundation at Crisis HQ in London. The new Foundation will work with the Conservative Party to develop policies aimed at eradicating rough sleeping and addressing the wider issue of homelessness.

With housing high on the national agenda, Grant believes that stability in family life and social structure begins at home and he has become a vocal critic of housing policy over the past ten years which has led to fewer homes of every type being built.

Grant has written a number of reports, some of which are available on the right-hand side of this page under 'Downloadable documents'. Other reports can be found on Grant's website.

POSITIONS HELD:

  • MP for Welwyn Hatfield, May 2005 –
  • Vice-Chairman of Conservative Party Campaigning, Dec 2005 -
  • Shadow Minister for Housing, June 2007 -

PROUDEST POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENT:

Founding the Conservative Homelessness Foundation

INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF POLITICS:

Aviation (holds a pilot's licence)

FAMILY LIFE:

  • Married to Belinda
  • Three children: Hadley and twins, Noa and Tabytha

Northern Rock refuses to support Labour's first-time buyer scheme

Friday, July 3 Grant Shapps brands the HomeBuy Direct scheme "an expensive flop" after Northern Rock refuses to take part.

Brown's "local homes for local people" promise unravels

Tuesday, June 30 New equality laws will block the Prime Minister's pledge to give local people priority on council housing.

Go to news

Grant Shapps: Labour has blocked the door to mobility

Monday, September 29 The Shadow Housing Minister addresses Conference in Birmingham.

Go to speeches
Articles

Is the internet the saviour or corruptor of democracy?

Grant Shapps MP, Thursday, July 2 

Grant Shapps reports from the recent Henry Jackson Society debate on the web's role in politics.

Using new media to build bridges and renew trust

Grant Shapps MP, Wednesday, June 10 

Grant Shapps looks at how Twitter can encourage dialogue and improve transparency.

Go to The Blue Blog

Shapps promotes radical new housing policies

Grant Shapps looks at how a local residents committee in his constituency inspired the new Conservative housing policy. The proposals will ensure that local homes are built for local people, with the community having the final say on the homes they want.

Photos