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Rishi Sunak is set to appoint a new defence secretary to replace Ben Wallace, who has announced his resignation after serving in the position for four years. Wallace has also stated that he will not stand in the upcoming general election.
Wallace’s departure from the government will coincide with Rishi Sunak’s upcoming cabinet reshuffle, which is expected in the coming weeks. He will then leave Westminster at the time of the next election.
As defence secretary, Wallace has served under three prime ministers and was once considered a potential future leader of the Conservative Party due to his popularity among Tory activists.
According to individuals familiar with the situation, the potential candidates to succeed Wallace as defence secretary include John Glen, the Treasury chief secretary, and Tom Tugendhat, the security minister.
This cabinet position holds significant importance due to the UK’s leading role in supporting efforts to assist Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of the country.
There were speculations that Wallace may leave UK politics after expressing his interest in becoming the next secretary-general of NATO, but his candidacy was not backed by US President Joe Biden.
Wallace has expressed support for Sunak’s efforts to control high inflation but believes that more needs to be done to secure victory in the next election.
Labour currently enjoys a substantial lead over the Conservatives in opinion polls, and over 40 Tory MPs have declared their intention to step down at the upcoming election.
Wallace has clarified that his decision to step down as an MP is unrelated to the fact that his constituency is being redrawn in the electoral boundaries reform.
Previous reports denying his plans to leave politics have been dismissed by Wallace and his close associates.
With a background as a former captain in the Scots Guards and experience in both the UK Parliament and Scottish Parliament, Wallace is a trusted ally of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. However, he withdrew himself from the leadership contest following Johnson’s resignation.
According to Conservativehome, a website focused on the Conservative Party, Wallace is the most popular member of Sunak’s cabinet among Tory members.
Wallace’s proudest accomplishment as defence secretary has been halting the extensive cuts at the Ministry of Defence and securing additional funding for defense purposes.
He has also expressed concerns that by 2030, Britain could find itself in a conflict, most likely with Russia. Wallace emphasized the need to prepare for this challenging situation.
Despite suggestions of a future in the defence industry, Wallace is considering pursuing alternative interests such as Formula One or horseracing.
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