Shapps was appointed to the transport role by Boris Johnson in 2019 before being sacked by Liz Truss in 2022. During his time in office, he was regularly pressed on the rationale behind the government’s various ill-fated pandemic-era travel restrictions, including the infamous traffic lights regime.

The government was accused of confusing consumers and the travel industry with the system, in particular those destinations designated amber, and by imposing quarantine rules on some countries but not others. Messages from Shapps’ department were often also inconsistent with those coming from the Foreign Office.

In May 2021, Shapps was rebuked by Abta for his comments on travel agents when he made reference during an interview to businesses he described as "what people would have called travel agents, perhaps in the past".

"These were ill-judged and ill-informed comments, which simply do not align with the facts," said Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer. "Travel agents are very much here and make a vital contribution to both the UK economy and to consumer confidence in travel."

Shapps did, however, subsequently take up an offer to meet with Off Broadway Travel, an independent agency in his Welwyn constituency, where the agency’s senior team ran him through the impacts of his and the government’s actions on travel agencies, and the need for sector-specific support.

Another former transport secretary, Mark Harper, has been given a peerage by Rishi Sunak, meaning he will sit in the House of Lords. Both Harper and Shapps lost their seats at the last general election.