Rishi Sunak’s ‘BBYO’ mini-reshuffle
Two former members of the Jewish youth movement BBYO - Lucy Frazer and Grant Shapps - handed new roles as prime minister overhauls Whitehall
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Two former members of the Jewish youth movement BBYO members have been given new jobs in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s mini-reshuffle.
Grant Shapps, a former business secretary, has been moved to become the PM’s new energy and net zero secretary.
Shapps new role came after Sunak broke up the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) into separate ministries – creating a new energy department and merging trade into business.
Meanwhile, successful Jewish female politician Lucy Frazer has been handed the culture media and sport role.
The new science, innovation and technology department will be run by Michelle Donelan, after Sunak split up the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) department.
Shapps has spoken previously of his proud memories as president of BBYO during the 1980s.
Growing up amongst the community in Leeds, Frazer has admitted she was also once a member of the youth movement.
KC Frazer was first elected to Parliament in 2015 as the MP for South East Cambridgeshire.
She had become the only Jewish woman in the government after being appointed to a position at the Ministry of Justice by then PM Theresa May.
Tuesday’s reshuffle saw Sunak’s loyal ally Greg Hands named as the successor to sacked Nadhim Zahawi as Tory party chair.
Kemi Badenoch was promoted to business and trade secretary as part of the Whitehall shake up.
Dominic Raab, who has previously spoken of his Czech-born Jewish refugee father’s arrival in the UK in 1938, survived the mini-reshuffle, despite growing pressure for him to stand down as the investigation into bullying allegations takes place.
There were no sackings, with existing ministers moved to lead the new departments.
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