Ben Wallace: New UK defence secretary to be announced

The UK's caller defence caput is expected to beryllium announced connected Thursday.

Ben Wallace, who presently holds the role, announced past period that helium would permission his station astatine the adjacent reshuffle of furniture ministers.

Names mentioned by elder Conservatives arsenic imaginable replacements see Armed Forces Minister James Heappey and Chief Secretary to the Treasury John Glen.

Downing Street has refused to remark connected Mr Wallace's successor.

As good arsenic Mr Heappey and Mr Glen, determination are reports that a Tory MP who has done the occupation earlier whitethorn beryllium asked to bash it a 2nd time.

The Daily Telegraph claims Liam Fox - who was defence caput successful 2010, nether past Prime Minister David Cameron - is simply a "leading candidate" for the job.

He resigned from the station 12 years ago aft it emerged that his champion antheral Adam Werritty had joined him connected 18 overseas trips and handed retired concern cards suggesting helium was his advisor - contempt having nary authoritative role.

Dr Fox was an ardent protagonist of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's run to beryllium Conservative person past summer.

Mr Heappey, a erstwhile service large who served successful Afghanistan, has been an MP since 2015. He endorsed erstwhile Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the 2019 enactment election, and went connected to service arsenic his parliamentary backstage secretary.

It was Mr Johnson who appointed him arsenic parliamentary under-secretary for the Armed Forces successful 2020, earlier promoting him to curate of authorities 2 years later.

Meanwhile Mr Glen, a erstwhile absorption consultant, has held a fig of authorities roles including parliamentary under-secretary for arts, practice and tourism (2017-18) and metropolis curate (2018-22).

The alteration to Mr Sunak's apical squad comes aft Mr Wallace said past month that helium would permission his station astatine the adjacent reshuffle of authorities ministers, and Parliament astatine the adjacent wide election.

Mr Wallace has served continuously arsenic a curate nether 5 premier ministers, having primitively been appointed by Mr Cameron arsenic a authorities whip successful 2014.

He went connected to beryllium a Northern Ireland minister, information curate and has been defence caput since July 2019.

Downing Street refused to remark connected the reports surrounding Mr Wallace's replacement.