The favourite to be Britain’s next Prime Minister, Ben Wallace, has sensationally declined to enter the race.
The Defence Secretary has soared in popularity and name recognition in recent months after Britain provided Kyiv with £2.3bn worth of military support. Ukrainian troops have been heard to shout ‘God Save The Queen’ as they fire anti-tank missiles in the direction of Russians and Mr Wallace has lapped up the credit.
However, in a tweet posted on Saturday afternoon Mr Wallace said he would not bid to be Tory leader “After careful consideration and discussing with colleagues and family”.
He added: “It has not been an easy choice to make, but my focus is on my current job and keeping this great country safe.
“I wish the very best of luck to all candidates and hope we swiftly return to focusing on the issues that we are all elected to address.”
After careful consideration and discussing with colleagues and family, I have taken the decision not to enter the contest for leadership of the Conservative Party. I am very grateful to all my parliamentary colleagues and wider members who have pledged support. 1/2
— Rt. Hon Ben Wallace MP (@BWallaceMP) July 9, 2022
Captain Fantastic
Mr Wallace is a former Captain in the Scots Guards who was mentioned in dispatches after thwarting an IRA bomb attack in Belfast during the Troubles.
He quit the Army to stand for election to the Scottish Parliament in 1999 where he was nicknamed ‘Captain Fantastic’ by local Tory ladies who were “enamoured by this dashing young captain”.
In 2005 he swapped Scottish politics for life in London when he was elected MP for Lancaster and Wyre; he briefly served as a Minister of State for Northern Ireland under David Cameron but was elevated to the cabinet by Boris Johnson in 2019.
“He leads by example and is hard-working. He considers issues carefully, listens and is meticulous. He’s a good lad, and I’m very privileged to work with him,” Baroness Goldie, a former Scottish Tory leader who now serves as his deputy in the Ministry of Defence, told The Sunday Times.
Defence Secretary @BWallaceMP hosted the Danish Minister of Defence Morten Bødskov in the UK this week. The pair visited the UK-led training of the Armed Forces of Ukraine currently underway in the UK, as well as holding talks on continued support for Ukraine. @Forsvarsmin 🇬🇧🇩🇰 pic.twitter.com/Kar3XwLqSo
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) July 9, 2022
An unpredictable contest
As Boris Johnson’s popularity among MPs and the public plummeted, one Westminster observer dryly noted that “the Defence Secretary has lost weight and is wearing much smarter suits; a male MP’s waistline is often the best guide to their political intentions.”
However, it was not to be and his departure blows the race wide open; former Chancellor Rishi Sunak has already announced his candidacy, as has Attorney General Suella Braverman, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Tom Tom Tugendhat and former Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch.
It is expected Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt will also declare an interest in the coming days.
Main image: Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence in Downing Street. Credit: Malcolm Park/Alamy Live News.
