Ben Wallace formally resigns as Sunak hails ‘dedication and skill’ of former defence secretary

Ben Wallace has this morning resigned as defence secretary.

In his letter accepting Mr Wallace’s resignation, the prime minister mentioned: “You may have served our nation with distinction. Your strategic foresight and readability has been invaluable to our nation and the safety of our continent. You noticed, earlier than others did, what Vladimir Putin’s true intentions in Ukraine have been. Your dedication to get Kiev weaponry earlier than the Russians attacked had a fabric impact on the power of the Ukrainians to thwart the invasion.”

He added: “I’m happy with how this nation has led in responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“You may have performed a completely important position in rallying help for Ukraine at dwelling and overseas”.

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The letter ends: “I absolutely perceive your need to step down after eight years of exacting ministerial duties. As you say, the roles you will have carried out have required you to be out there on a steady foundation. However I do know you will have extra to supply public life each right here and internationally. You permit workplace with my thanks and respect.”

Grant Shapps, who’s power safety secretary, is regarded as the frontrunner to interchange Mr Wallace.

Different names which have been floated embody: John Glen, chief secretary to the Treasury, Tom Tugendhat, who’s the safety minister, and Liam Fox, who has held a variety of cupboard roles.

If a present Cupboard minister is made defence secretary, the prime minister must change them as nicely, that means there may very well be a barely broader shuffling of the decks.

Mr Wallace initially introduced in July his intention to face down.

He informed The Instances: “I went into politics within the Scottish parliament in 1999. That’s 24 years. I’ve spent nicely over seven years with three telephones by my mattress.”

The announcement adopted an argument when the defence secretary informed a NATO summit press convention that the UK was not an “Amazon” supply service for weapons to Ukraine.

It additionally adopted a failed UK bid to make Mr Wallace the following head of NATO.

Mr Wallace was as soon as tipped as a possible candidate for Conservative chief and prime minister. However he dominated himself out of the race to interchange Boris Johnson final summer time and as a substitute backed eventual winner Liz Truss.

Requested what he would do subsequent by The Instances, he mentioned: “I’m fairly completely happy to go and work at a bar,” or “simply do one thing fully totally different.”