Wallace confirms resignation as UK defence minister, Grant Shapps to replace him
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BEN Wallace confirmed his resignation as defence minister on Thursday (Aug 31) in a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, offering the government his continued support while warning the British prime minister not to see defence as a “discretionary spend”.
Wallace, who helped lead Britain’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said last month he wanted to step down after four years in the role and would quit as a lawmaker at the next national election to pursue new opportunities.
Seen as a strong advocate for increased spending on the armed forces, Wallace had hoped to be a potential successor to Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, but Stoltenberg’s contract was extended by another year.
In his official resignation letter, Wallace renewed his appeal for the government not to turn to defence to make spending cuts.
“The Ministry of Defence is back on the path to being once again world class with world class people,” he wrote.
“I know you agree with me that we must not return to the days when defence was viewed as a discretionary spend by government and savings were achieved by hollowing out.”
Sunak praised Wallace for this work, saying in a letter in response: “You have served our country in three of the most demanding posts in government: defence secretary, security minister and Northern Ireland minister.”
“I fully understand your desire to step down after eight years of exacting ministerial duties.”
Grant Shapps was appointed the new UK defence secretary.
Shapps wrote on social media that he was “honoured” to be appointed, saying Wallace had made an “enormous contribution” to UK defence and global security.
“I am looking forward to working with the brave men and women of our armed forces who defend our nation’s security,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.
“And continuing the UK’s support for Ukraine in their fight against Putin’s barbaric invasion.”
Shapps, 54, briefly served as home secretary last October in Liz Truss’s short-lived government and before that as transport secretary under Boris Johnson.
He was also business secretary under Sunak before taking over as minister responsible for energy security and net zero. REUTERS, AFP
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