Ben Wallace resigns as defence secretary with mini cupboard reshuffle anticipated – UK politics dwell | Politics
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He has been a familiar figure throughout the various Tory prime minister’s cabinets in recent years, also serving as business secretary, transport secretary and even home secretary (for less than a week under Liz Truss).
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And now he appears likely to take on the defence job. Stay tuned.
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Ben Wallace has confirmed his resignation as defence secretary after four years in the post, saying the Ministry of Defence is “back on the path to being once again world class”.
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The move is likely to lead to a mini-reshuffle, with the chief secretary to the Treasury, John Glen, and the former defence secretary Liam Fox in the mix to replace him.
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Wallace played a key role in responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and was a close ally of Boris Johnson, but told the Sunday Times in July he was “not standing next time”. However he ruled out leaving parliament “prematurely” and forcing another byelection on Rishi Sunak, of whom he remains supportive.
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That’s all folks! Been a privilege to serve this great nation. Ben Wallace's resignation letter and the Prime Minister's response: 31 August 2023 – https://t.co/wuRcmekTU8 https://t.co/847yME5p7n
— Rt. Hon Ben Wallace MP (@BWallaceMP) August 31, 2023
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Key occasions
Candidate to switch Wallace Grant Shapps enters Downing Avenue
One other title being strongly linked with the now vacant defence secretary function is power safety secretary Grant Shapps, who was seen coming into Downing Avenue simply earlier than 9am as we speak.
He has been a well-known determine all through the assorted Tory prime minister’s cupboards lately, additionally serving as enterprise secretary, transport secretary and even house secretary (for lower than per week below Liz Truss).
And now he seems more likely to tackle the defence job. Keep tuned.
Among the many candidates to switch Wallace as defence secretary is Liam Fox. Fox was defence secretary in 2010, below then David Cameron, however resigned over his uncommon working relationship together with his greatest man Adam Werritty.
One other title being talked about is James Heappey – a former military main who served in Afghanistan, and who beforehand served as Boris Johnson’s parliamentary personal secretary.
Chief secretary to the treasury John Glen has additionally been linked with the submit. He has beforehand labored as under-secretary for arts, heritage and tourism and the town minister.
A 12 months in the past, Ben Wallace was seen as a possible candidate to switch Boris Johnson after the previous PM’s resignation. Wallace was tipped as a doable favorite following his dealing with of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and topped a ConservativeHome ballot of Tory celebration members about who ought to turn out to be the following prime minister.
He was a staunch remainer and dominated himself out of the race to turn out to be PM that was initially received by Liz Truss saying: “I didn’t need it sufficient. I feel at my stage in life … to wish to be prime minister, you need to actually, really need it. It’s important to need it above all else, to be ruthless at one stage. I will be ruthless in sure issues. However I’ve three teenage youngsters, my spouse and I had separated, so nobody’s going to return and dwell with me in Chequers.”
Wallace didn’t go to college. He left college at 18 and have become a ski teacher in Austria earlier than attending the Royal Army Academy at Sandhurst. He joined the Scots Guards in 1991 and served in Germany, Cyprus, Belize and Northern Eire. He left in 1998 to pursue a political profession and was elected a 12 months later as a member of the Scottish parliament, the place he served a single time period.
He later moved to Lancashire and was elected because the MP for Lancaster and Wyre in 2005. He was appointed defence minister 4 years in the past and his profile rose with the conflict in Ukraine and the prior evacuation of UK forces from Afghanistan.
The prime minister, Rishi Sunak, will appoint a brand new defence secretary after Wallace’s formal resignation. He praised Wallace’s “strategic foresight” in coping with Vladimir Putin and the Ukraine conflict and stated he performed an instrumental function within the evacuation of Afghanistan.
In his resignation letter, Wallace factors to his dealing with of threats together with the Salisbury poisonings, Afghanistan, Sudan and Ukraine and factors to elevated funding he secured for the armed forces. However he warns towards slicing funding within the armed forces, saying he believes “over the following decade the world will get extra insecure and extra unstable”.
Ever since I joined the Military I’ve devoted myself to serving my nation. That dedication nevertheless comes at a private toll to me and my household. After a lot reflection, I’ve taken the choice to ask that I be allowed to step down. I received my seat in 2005 and after so a few years it’s time for me to spend money on the components of life that I’ve uncared for, and to discover new alternatives.
Ben Wallace resigns as defence secretary
Ben Wallace has confirmed his resignation as defence secretary after 4 years within the submit, saying the Ministry of Defence is “again on the trail to being as soon as once more world class”.
The transfer is more likely to result in a mini-reshuffle, with the chief secretary to the Treasury, John Glen, and the previous defence secretary Liam Fox within the combine to switch him.
Wallace performed a key function in responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and was a detailed ally of Boris Johnson, however advised the Sunday Instances in July he was “not standing subsequent time”. Nevertheless he dominated out leaving parliament “prematurely” and forcing one other byelection on Rishi Sunak, of whom he stays supportive.
That’s all of us! Been a privilege to serve this nice nation. Ben Wallace's resignation letter and the Prime Minister's response: 31 August 2023 – https://t.co/wuRcmekTU8 https://t.co/847yME5p7n
— Rt. Hon Ben Wallace MP (@BWallaceMP) August 31, 2023
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