Politics latest: Shapps appointment 'so depressing'; 'absolute nightmare' coming for NHS; Sunak's 'northern problem'

Rishi Sunak has reshuffled his top team, with Grant Shapps succeeding Ben Wallace as defence secretary and Claire Coutinho entering cabinet as energy secretary.

Thursday 31 August 2023 23:00, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Thanks for following along on a busy day of news from the heart of Westminster, as we get closer to the reopening of Parliament.

Before you go, here are Thursday's highlights:

Grant Shapps will become the UK's new defence secretary, Downing Street confirmed today, as the prime minister carried out a mini-reshuffle of his top team;

Additionally, it was confirmed Claire Coutinho will replace Mr Shapps as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero;

Following today's reshuffle, there is now only one cabinet minister who has a constituency in England that is north of the Midlands - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak himself;

Dozens of schools in England have been told to shut buildings made with a certain type of concrete that is prone to collapse;

The Department for Education said around 104 schools and "settings" had been contacted ahead of the new term, while 50 already have mitigations in place;

In response, Labour's Bridget Phillipson described the situation as "an absolutely staggering display of Tory incompetence".

We'll be back at 6am with all the latest.

Dozens of schools face disruption or closure just as term is about to start over fears about the safety of concrete used in buildings.

The type of concrete forcing the closures is Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, known as RAAC.

It is the same type of concrete that has been found in some hospitals that have been deemed to be unsafe, prompting Health Secretary Steve Barclay to fast-track them into the government's hospitals-building programme.

Here, Sky News details what we know so far:

During the post-war building boom of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, reinforced aerated autoclaved concrete (RAAC) was something of a wonder material.

Filled with bubbles of air, the material is about a quarter of the weight of normal reinforced concrete.

RAAC was seen as ideal for shaping into lighter, pre-formed concrete components used in the modern lego-like construction of many public buildings of the time.

Given its light weight, planks of RAAC were widely used to make the flat roofs - a key reason why the current situation is so dangerous.

You can read more from our science and technology editor Tom Clarke below:

Safe spaces for drug users to take substances under medical supervision should be provided in the UK as part of an overhaul of drug laws, MPs have concluded.

Although the Scottish government has been pushing for a so-called safe consumption facility to be set up, efforts have been blocked by Westminster.

But the Home Affairs Committee has published a report recommending a pilot in Glasgow is supported by Westminster and jointly funded by both governments.

The committee said if the UK government remains unwilling to support the pilot then the power to establish it should be devolved to the Scottish government.

You can read more from Sky News in the link below:

Grant Shapps was today appointed as defence secretary after his predecessor Ben Wallace resigned from the position he had held since 2019.

This is Mr Shapps's fifth cabinet role in less than a year - a point opposition parties have raised repeatedly throughout the day.

But who is the Tory minister? Below, our political correspondent Liz Bates explains:

Analysis by Sam Coates, deputy political editor

Rishi Sunak today sought to put his own stamp on the cabinet, in a way not possible a year ago when he took over.

Yet this reshuffle - which was already in the works in May - took only baby steps towards creating a cabinet truly in Mr Sunak's image.

Even this level of change immediately provoked rumblings which suggest some of the Conservative Party are not yet ready for a top team that bears his imprint too heavily.

Today has been a stark reminder that, 10 months into the job, sometimes Rishi Sunak still struggles to take part of his party with him.

And as a result he is now likely to have a second reshuffle before the end of the year.

The logic behind the three decisions today tell us much about Mr Sunak.

There is a perfectly sensible reason to replace Ben Wallace with Grant Shapps.

Mr Wallace had qualities that endeared him to many - his affinity with the military, his high standing with Tory members, his willingness to confront the Treasury and other ministers, and his pivotal role over Ukraine.

But not all of these went down so well in Mr Sunak's Number 10, who felt this amounted to grandstanding on the world stage and endless demands for cash.

It was no secret in Westminster that the personal relationship between Wallace and Sunak was not the strongest.

So the Shapps appointment represents a different approach.

A fast learner - as any cabinet minister who has had five jobs in the last year can expect to be - he will use this more high-profile approach to project the government's message more widely.

Read the full analysis below...

Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips will launch this weekend.

Among the first guests on the new flagship weekly programme will be Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

You can watch the interview live from 8.30am on Sunday.

The show aims to set the political agenda, delve deep into the big stories, and hear from news-making guests.

The 90-minute show will have a welcoming approach to all sides of the political debate, putting people at the heart of the discussion, while getting under the surface of the wider issues and the decision-makers impacting them.

As well as the big set-piece interviews with high-profile politicians, Trevor will speak to cultural and institutional leaders, figures from business, the arts, science and tech, and key protagonists from the week's most newsworthy stories.

He will harness the expertise of a panel of guests with experienced and diverse backgrounds, to draw out key questions before and after the interviews and react and respond to what's been said.

Heathrow Airport passengers are being warned about incurring multiple ULEZ charges if they use meet and greet car parking services.

Motorists driving a non-compliant vehicle will now be forced to pay the £12.50 charge to enter the airport after Tuesday's ULEZ expansion, which now incorporates every London borough.

ULEZ charges only apply to older diesel and petrol cars which do not meet emissions standards.

Some passengers use meet and greet services when parking their car, meaning they drive to the terminal doors or a nearby car park, hand over the keys and walk to the terminal, while a member of staff takes the vehicle to a different site.

Cars are then returned to passengers when they get back from their travels.

But travellers who return home via a different terminal to the one they left through may have to pay three separate ULEZ charges - as their car is driven on public roads for collection on their arrival home.

You can read more from Sky News below...

Former transport and energy secretary Grant Shapps has been named as the new head of the Ministry of Defence after Ben Wallace stood down from the role on Thursday morning.

Mr Wallace had overseen one of the biggest international responses to the war in Ukraine - with the UK behind only the US in terms of support since the war began, having committed £4.6bn in military assistance.

On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson is joined by our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn and military analyst Professor Michael Clarke to discuss the significance of Mr Shapps's new role given the war in Ukraine. They also focus on the use of drone technology on the battlefield.

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

We have been reporting through the day on news that 104 school buildings in England made with a certain type of concrete will be immediately closed over safety fears.

But in separate news, hundreds of children are facing disruption to their new term after safety concerns were raised about other, newly opened school-buildings.

The Department for Education is launching an investigation into the projects, which were built by Caledonian Modular.

Read more from our politics reporter Tim Baker below...