Ben Wallace to quit as defence secretary at next Cabinet reshuffle

Ben Wallace says he will resign as defence secretary at the next Cabinet reshuffle.

He told the Sunday Times he would not stand at the next general election, but ruled out leaving “prematurely” and triggering a by-election.

Mr Wallace has served as defence secretary under three different PMs and played a high-profile role in the UK’s response to the war in Ukraine.

Sources told the BBC they expect the next reshuffle in September.

Mr Wallace said he was standing down due to the toll the job had taken on his family and allies of his have said the decision was not a reflection on Rishi Sunak’s leadership.

His Wyre and Preston North constituency is set to disappear under upcoming boundary changes and he told the newspaper he would not seek a new one.

The announcement comes after days of speculation that he might leave government after four years in the role.

The 53-year-old has previously served as a minister in the Northern Ireland department and in the Home Office.

The BBC understands Mr Wallace informed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on 16 June of his decision to stand down from the Cabinet.

Mr Wallace told the Sunday Times: “I went into politics in the Scottish parliament in 1999. That’s 24 years. I’ve spent well over seven years with three phones by my bed.”

He suggested in the interview that he would continue to call for higher defence spending, something he has campaigned for throughout his time in the role.

It comes weeks after Mr Wallace said he was no longer in the running to be the next secretary general of Nato, a role he was widely reported to be seeking.

The announcement that Jens Stoltenberg would be continuing in the job effectively ended his hopes of becoming the next head of the military bloc.

Mr Wallace has played a vocal role in supporting Ukraine, including overseeing the transfer of weapons and vehicles to its army.

His position as defence secretary when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine saw his profile increase at home and abroad.

He is a popular figure in the Conservative Party and was, at times, seen as a frontrunner to become party leader, though never stood in a leadership election.

Mr Wallace has served longer in the role than any Conservative defence secretary before him, but told the Sunday Times he was conscious of the impact the job has had on his family.

Mr Wallace told the newspaper: “While I am proud to have worked with so many amazing people and helped contribute to protecting this great country, the cost of putting that ahead of my family is something I am very sad about.”