An avid user of the app as part of his public relations efforts, the MP for Welwyn Hatfield has said he will abide by the government’s restrictions out of respect for “security concerns,” but doubled down on its utility for reaching the masses.
“Grant knows that TikTok can be a valuable tool for communicating with his constituents,” a spokesperson for Shapps told UK media on Friday, adding that “Aware of security concerns, he doesn't have the app on his phone and the account is instead managed by his constituency staff.”
In March, Sunak’s government clamped down on the use of TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, by banning civil servants and government officials from downloading the app onto their phones. Shapps fired back, saying that he would not be deleting his official account because politicians who choose not to engage with the public on the platforms they use “are unlikely to continue to represent these voters for long.”
However, according to UK media, Shapps has not had the app on his personal phone at least as far back as last year, when he bought a new device, and the account is run by his staff, not him.
Shapps, who has held four different ministerial posts this year, was appointed by Sunak to head the Defense Ministry after Ben Wallace retired from the position after four years of service. While Wallace was a former soldier, Shapps has never been in the military and is seen by his Conservative Party as an effective political communicator. According to UK media, the move is likely part of Sunak’s preparations for a general election next year.