UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace resigns

Ben Wallace has resigned as UK defence secretary after four years in the post.

Mr Wallace announced last month that he would resign from the senior Cabinet role at the next reshuffle. He has served under three prime ministers in the position and played a key role in the UK’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and was a close ally of Boris Johnson.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, he said: “The Ministry of Defence is back on the path to being once again world class with world class people. The United Kingdom is respected around the world for our armed forces and that respect has only grown more since the war in Ukraine.

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"I know you agree with me that we must not return to the days where defence was viewed as a discretionary spend by Government and savings were achieved by hollowing out.”

Rishi Sunak praised Mr Wallace, telling him he leaves office with the Prime Minister’s “thanks and respect”. Now Mr Sunak is expected to announce a new defence secretary.

Armed forces minister James Heappey and Chief Secretary to the Treasury John Glen have both been suggested as possible replacements. The Daily Telegraph also suggested former defence secretary Liam Fox as a possibility.

Dr Fox, who served in the role under then prime minister David Cameron between 2010 and 2011, was forced to resign after allowing his friend and best man, Adam Werritty, to take on an unofficial and undeclared role as his adviser. The senior Tory MP backed Mr Sunak in last summer’s Conservative leadership race.

Mr Wallace during his tenure had made little secret of his desire to boost the defence forces budget and in his final letter as