UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace to step down as lawmaker at next election

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has announced that he will step down as a lawmaker and will not seek re-election at the next general election. 

In an interview with The Sunday Times on Saturday, Wallace revealed his decision,  saying that he will leave government before the upcoming cabinet reshuffle. 

Wallace has been a prominent figure in supporting Ukraine against Russia and was considered a potential candidate to succeed Jens Stoltenberg as NATO Secretary General. However, he failed to secure crucial backing from the United States, leading to Stoltenberg extending his term as the head of the alliance.

Wallace, who has served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Wyre and Preston North since 2005, has been the UK's Defence Secretary for four years. He played a crucial role in shaping Britain's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

Reflecting on his decision, Wallace explained, "I'm not standing next time," but ruled out triggering a by-election by quitting prematurely. His departure from government is attributed to the upcoming cabinet reshuffle and the boundary changes that will result in his parliamentary constituency being scrapped in the next election.

During his tenure, Wallace prioritised increasing the defence budget by £24 billion ($31 billion) and underlined the importance of continued high defence spending in the face of increasing global insecurity. He warned of the potential for conflicts in the future and expressed concerns about military conflicts with Russia, possible Chinese expansionism, nuclear proliferation, and the rise of Islamist groups in Africa.

Commenting on the situation in Ukraine, Wallace highlighted the potential dangers of a wounded Putin, saying, "If Putin loses in Ukraine, he will be deeply wounded... Putin is not done with us yet. There is an ability for him, in the next three or four years, to lash out." 

He also predicted that the world would become more unsafe and insecure by the end of the decade, with a high likelihood of finding ourselves in a conflict.

Wallace's decision not to seek re-election comes at a critical time for the UK, as a general election must be held within the next 18 months.