Grant Shapps may stand for PM and the jokes wrote themselves as top contender emerges

Both transport secretary Grant Shapps and former health secretary Sajid Javid are seriously considering running for Tory leader, according to reports. Deputy PM Dominic Raab is understood not to be planning to stand.

Attorney General Suella Braverman has been mocked in the House of Commons after she declared her leadership ambitions on live television.

Emily Thornberry to Suella Braverman just now. Straight-up camp. 10/10, no notes pic.twitter.com/YLgclhiiqC

— Rhys (@rhysrmann) July 7, 2022

Early Tory leadership frontrunner Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson’s ‘frenemy’ Michael Gove have already ruled out running as Liz Truss rushed back early from a summit in Bali.

However,a snap YouGov poll has revealed that Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is the clear favourite among Conservative Party members to replace Johnson.

Shapps

Grant Shapps (or is he?) has quite the back story.

His use of the names Michael Green, Corinne Stockheath and Sebastian Fox attracted controversy in 2012. He denied having used a pseudonym after entering parliamen.

Then in February 2015, he said: “Let me get this absolutely clear… I don’t have a second job and have never had a second job while being an MP. End of story.”

However, in March 2015, Shapps admitted to having had a second job while being an MP, and practising business under a pseudonym, Michael Green.

He was selling a get-rich-quick scheme, which obviously didn’t work.

Here he is being confronted about his Michael Green identity.

Watch

In September 2012 the Observer reported that he had deleted information from his Wikipedia page, including the names of donors to his private office.

Even off the map Michael Fabricant, said he would not “buy a used car” from Grant Shapps.

He was also accused of patronising working-class people after the 2014 budget, when he tweeted in support of the bingo tax cut, saying: “Bingo. Cutting the Bingo tax and beer duty: To help hardworking people do more of the things they enjoy.”

More recently he has been slammed for refusing to meet Union bosses to try and stop industrial action from the rail industry.

Reactions

Shapps for PM? AS IF!

1.

“Grant Shapps is putting himself forward to be the next Prime Minister”. The U.K. completes its transition from country to sitcom. 👏

— Shaun Keaveny 💙 (@shaunwkeaveny) July 7, 2022

2.

I wonder which Grant Shapps will be standing? Michael, Corinne or Sebastian.
Surely being four of him will split his votes. pic.twitter.com/MGc7ZI2E9i

— Tony Farmer (@TonyFarmer13) July 7, 2022

3.

https://twitter.com/bob_weedon/status/1545065304866242560

4.

Grant Shapps seriously considering Tory leadership bid. How many names is he going to submit?

— Matthew Payne (@Matthew82069336) July 7, 2022

5.

Is he running as Grant Shapps?

— Joseph Cosgrove (@JosephCosgrove7) July 7, 2022

6.

Grant Shapps considering standing for the Tory leadership, as are Michael Green, Sebastian Fox and Corrine Stockheath.

— Quizzical Dan (@prodigalbum) July 7, 2022

7.

https://twitter.com/JonathanSCraig/status/1545061019042467840

8.

Which name will he be using? pic.twitter.com/ZbcWZ0tl7R

— MacAndra Caomhan (@CaomhanMacandra) July 7, 2022

9.

Grant Shapps want to be PM, REALLY!!! pic.twitter.com/qzuWp4EgOo

— Mark J Bunting LFC member👍 (@Poorboy55) July 7, 2022

10.

Under which of his four aliases would *Grant Shapps* run?

Seriously, a con man who peddled a pyramid scheme should not be an MP, let alone in contention to become our next PM.#ToryLeadershipContest pic.twitter.com/1ioEjI1yyG

— 💙@KTParker 🇫🇷🇬🇧🇪🇸🇺🇦🌻 (@lunaperla) July 7, 2022

11.

Feel a profound sense of helplessness when I realise there are people in this country who could help make Grant Shapps become PM#Shapps #ToryIncompetence #LeadershipContest

— Perks (@chrisperks1709) July 7, 2022

12.

Grant Shapps fancies a crack at being PM. If the Tories choose to replace a liar with a man who uses false names then they should cease to exist.

— Graham Woodhouse (@yankface1) July 7, 2022

13.

https://twitter.com/notinaboyband/status/1545062688476131336

Related: Foreign media outlets are loving the embarrassing downfall of Boris Johnson