Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has stepped down from his role, bringing his four-year stint as one of the most crucial figures in the UK government to an end.

Wallace’s resignation came in the form of a letter addressed to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which was released earlier today.

In his resignation letter, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace cited his four-year tenure’s accomplishments in modernising and strengthening the Ministry of Defence, warned of an increasingly unstable global landscape, and expressed a desire to step down to focus on neglected aspects of his personal life.

“Dear Prime Minister,

Last month marked my fourth year as Secretary of State for Defence and my ninth year as a Minister. I have been privileged to serve you and your predecessors, contributing to the Government’s response to various threats and incidents such as Wannacry, the 2017 terrorist attacks, the Salisbury Poisonings, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Ukraine. My tenure has seen the Armed Forces exhibit outstanding leadership and professionalism in endeavors like the evacuation of Kabul and the Covid response. Your investment in Defence has been instrumental in enabling the Ministry to deliver for Britain, and I am personally grateful for your continued support.

During my time in office, the Ministry of Defence has evolved into a more modern, better-funded, and more confident organization. I’m proud of the strategic initiatives we’ve launched like GCAP, AUKUS, NCF, National shipbuilding, and the Defence and Security industrial strategies, which secure thousands of jobs for our young people. Our Armed Forces are once again world-class, and the global respect for them has only grown, especially since the war in Ukraine. As I leave, I must emphasize that now is the time for investment in Defence, especially as I foresee a more insecure and unstable world in the coming decade.

After dedicating myself to serving my country since joining the Army, I’ve decided to step down due to the personal toll it has taken on me and my family. I’ve had a long career in public service, having won my seat in 2005, and it’s time to invest in other areas of my life that have been neglected. Thank you for your support and friendship; you and the Government will continue to have my support.”

With Wallace’s departure, immediate questions about his successor arise, along with concerns about potential shifts in UK defence and security policy. Given the complex and dynamic challenges in global security, Wallace’s successor will undoubtedly have their work cut out for them.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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41 COMMENTS

  1. Grant Shapps reported to be new secretary. The most useless minister we have ever had is now in charge of our countries defence.
    This is the same minister that was adamant when transport sec that smart motorways are safe.

  2. “After much reflection, I have taken the decision to ask that I be allowed to step down. I won my seat in 2005 and after so many years it is time for me to invest in the parts of life that I have neglected, and to explore new opportunities.”

    A contributor to this website perhaps?

    Sign him up George

    • Utter incompetence may be okay. You need a certain amount of competence to mess things up. However, I think it shows the Prime Minister’s ignorance of and disregard for Defence that he’s put a talking head in charge when there’s war in Europe, a flare up in the Gulf and who knows what’s lining up for Taiwan.

  4. “Your investment in Defence has been instrumental in enabling the Ministry to deliver for Britain”

    Investment into –
    The Nuclear Deterrent. Meaning, big industry, and jobs.
    AUKUS. Meaning, politics, big industry, and jobs. SSN (R) a long way away and no proof the RN will get an expanded force.
    GCAP. Meaning, politics, big industry and jobs.

    See a pattern? The conventional military is no less cash strapped than it was before.

    “Strategic initiatives like NCF.” The offensive Cyber units already existed across the MoD, the military and GCHQ, the NCF just “brigades” them into one organisation.

    “Ministry of Defence has evolved into a more modern, better-funded, and more confident organization”

    Better funded, industry is better funded, and existing munitions sent to Ukraine have a replacement budget.
    More confident organisation, what does that even mean? How about a more efficient organisation, with procurement not impeded by treasury meddling and delay?

    As for Shapps, I know little of him, but I would not worry. Look what is waiting on the opposition benches.

    • “Look what is waiting on the opposition benches.”

      Maybe so, maybe not Daniel. Would anyone who voted Tory over the last couple of decades ever have thought they’d run our defences down as far as they have? It has enabled Putin & Xi to be extremely confident when considering land grabs & thumbing their nose at civilised values.
      GS probably just another yes man. Whatever party is in power we have the responsability to hold it to account in defence terms amongst any others.
      Well done BW for actually fighting for the armed forces corner.

      • Morning Frank.

        You’re right. Who knows. Healey might be amazing. Labour are judged by me and others on their past record, and the ideology that lurks within them, as much as Shapps is being judged on his past record now.
        I have a long memory, I know this countries military ORBAT through these decades better than many, and I judge on that. Wallace oversaw lots of cuts too, yet is judged as a good DS. By me included, even though I oppose them.

        I find this witch hunt on Shapps a little silly, and just indicative of the moan at all costs mentality that lurks on this site. The blokes barely been in the job for a few hours.

        That he’s been in, what 5, ministerial posts in a few years just reflects on the obsolence of the political system as a whole. How can one man be a SME on transport, energy, home affairs, and defence? He can not.

        Which is why they have advisors.

        The budget going forward has been set, FS has been published.
        The SDSR cuts are unlikely to be reversed, and mostly can not be, as the army for example can not recruit to fill the units it has.
        Wavell has yet to be detailed, support to UKR will not weaken, there won’t be another SDSR until Labour come in and do their thing, and we have panicked posts that “we’re ruined” “he’ll wreck everything”

        If the bloke does just 2 things, sack Capita and return recruitment to proper army careers offices with real SMEs in them, and expunge the “Woke” nonsense in the RAF regards “useless white males” when this nation is 80 something % WHITE, then he’ll be a hero to me already.

        Give the guy a chance.

        🙄

        • Addenda on one of your points I missed.

          No, I wouldn’t have thought they’d cut defence and reduce numbers in the manner they have. I have never been more depressed than I was in 2010 after that SDSR and after 13 years of Labour.

          • It’s all come down to simple costs. Defence inflation has been well above normal inflation costs for 30+ years. The defence budget has struggled to even keep up with normal inflation and has reduced as percentage of GDP while adding more and more costs that weren’t in the defence budget previously.
            So less money = smaller forces with less stuff.
            Such a shame

  6. Oh Bother! Not him. He’ll ruin us! Who better than a Captain of the Scots Guards? Ben Wallace made it a bit to small but very well trained in some cases. If that guy makes it even smaller les say under 50,000 Foot Soldiers, I’ll emigrate to the US got a large army there! 😉
    Nah Daniele should raid his bomb his car and take his place 😂

  9. I’ve been critical of Ben Wallace in the past, particularly his support of the disastrous Ajax program. But I will give him credit for arranging the re-financing of the MoD. After Sanders’ outspoken public comments about reductions to Army manpower, Wallace had to sack him – however I think with regret.

    Wallace did the decent thing and shortly afterwards, himself resigned. He is an honourable man and represents that rarity among British politicians, honesty. I expect he’s got a cushy job lined up on the gravy train, but I think many in the defence community will regret that he’s gone.

    Grant Schraps has been a failure in every ministerial job he has had. He has no military experience whatsoever and doubtless, he will continue his career as a ministerial failure as SoS Defence. Lets hope the damage is limited until Labour win the next election in 18 months

        • Yep, Sanders was promoted to 4*General in May 2019, so he has had two appointments at that rank.
          He will be 58 when he leaves the CGS post – that’s time to do that lucrative second career job! Even Generals have to leave the army by 60 – and he has now done the top army job, so there is nothing left to do.

  11. Sets the bar far too low for Labour.

    Shapes, the poodle wheeled out for the 7a.m. news round talking whatever bollocks he’s told too.

    I really hope his seat is targeted by the Lib dems and he can go and sell double glazing.

  15. Grant chapps, lot of ohhh no’s going on but who is he….well he’s what you would call from a normal background….no private school…but got into grammar school..but only got the minimum 5 O levels….polly higher education with a business degree….started selling photocopiers as a first job…purchased a bankrupt photocopier business and kept it going…had a number of on line businesses that are best described as practice on the edge ( potentially pyramid selling if you look at it one way some with questionable testimonials from people no one can find)..went into politics on 2005 was a minister the moment the Conservative Party….been demoted a lot and promoted due to opportunistic supporting of a very short lived PM…more an opportunitist than a talent.

  17. Sorry to see BW go best of luck to him in the future .Oh top man for that NATO job, that’s our USA friend’s for US 🙄🇺🇸

    • I don’t know if he actually wants the nato job. Big Ben says he wants more family time etc. Can’t see top job at nato being any less demanding than defence secretary

      • Did you never see Yes Minister? Wanting to spend more time with the family is the code phrase used by Jim Hacker to say he wanted the top job without actually saying it.

        ‘Who then?’

        I raised my glass to him, smiled and said, ‘Cheers.’

        The penny dropped. So did his lower jaw. ‘You don’t mean — you?’

        Again I put on my surprised face. ‘Me?’ I said innocently. ‘Our children are approaching the age when Annie and I are thinking of spending much more time with each other.’

        He understood perfectly. ‘You do mean you.’

  20. Any PM worth their salt would have done anything to keep Ben Wallace on as the Defence Secretary. But Rishi is too full of himself to appreciate when someone knows the job and actually cares about their role. Grant Shapps will turn out to be another yes man. I reckon if the public could vote to keep Ben in the post they would vote for him hands down. Rishi is loosing the best man for the job and didn’t even put up a fight to keep him.

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