UK Defense Secretary says planning to resign in fall
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The Defense Minister of the United Kingdom is set to resign later in the year and seek a job in a field unrelated to defense and politics.
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British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, left, speaks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, July 12, 2023 (AP)
UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace is set to resign during the anticipated cabinet reshuffle in the fall and has no plans to participate in the upcoming general election, The Times newspaper reported.
Wallace informed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of his decision on June 16 and intended to make a formal announcement later in the summer. However, due to a leak to the media regarding his intentions, he decided to reveal his plans earlier than expected.
"I'm not standing next time," Wallace disclosed to The Times regarding the forthcoming general election in the United Kingdom. He also ruled out any deliberate premature resignation in order to trigger a by-election.
Moreover, the defense secretary mentioned that his next endeavor might involve a complete departure from both politics and defense.
Earlier this week, The Times highlighted that Wallace was contemplating stepping down from his government position after serving four years as defense secretary during Sunak's scheduled cabinet reshuffle in the fall.
The newspaper also identified potential contenders for the role of UK defense secretary, including Chief Secretary to the Treasury John Glen, Minister of State for Security Tom Tugendhat, and Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan.
Wallace criticized Ukraine on Wednesday, expressing frustration over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's constant demands adding that "people want to see gratitude" and claimed that he's heard "grumbles" from some US diplomats that "we're not Amazon."
Wallace's resignation is coming despite reports earlier in the month saying UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak planned to try to convince US President Joe Biden to support UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace's candidacy for the post of NATO Secretary General.
The British Prime Minister has already raised the topic on the sidelines of the recent meeting of the leaders of the G7 countries in Japan's Hiroshima, The Telegraph reported.
The report mentioned that Wallace's candidacy for the post of NATO Secretary General may not be supported by Germany and France. Additionally, a number of NATO member countries could support the candidacy of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, reported the newspaper.
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