Ben Wallace (politician)

For other people named Ben Wallace, see Ben Wallace (disambiguation).

The Right Honourable
Sir Ben Wallace
KCB
Official portrait, 2022
Secretary of State for Defence
In office
24 July 2019 – 31 August 2023
Prime Minister
Preceded byPenny Mordaunt
Succeeded byGrant Shapps
Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime
In office
17 July 2016 – 24 July 2019
Prime MinisterTheresa May
Preceded byJohn Hayes
Succeeded byBrandon Lewis
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office
12 May 2015 – 17 July 2016
Prime MinisterDavid Cameron
Preceded byAndrew Murrison
Succeeded byKris Hopkins
Member of Parliament
for Wyre and Preston North
Lancaster and Wyre (2005–2010)
In office
5 May 2005 – 30 May 2024
Preceded byHilton Dawson
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for North East Scotland
(1 of 7 Regional MSPs)
In office
6 May 1999 – 31 March 2003
Succeeded byNanette Milne
Personal details
Born
Robert Ben Lobban Wallace

(1970-05-15) 15 May 1970 (age 54)
Farnborough, Kent, England
Political partyConservative
Spouse
Liza Cooke
​
(m. 2001)​
Children3
Residence(s)Lancashire, England
London, England
EducationMillfield School
Alma materRoyal Military Academy Sandhurst
Signature
Websitebenwallace.org.uk
Military service
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch/service British Army
Years of service1991–1998
RankCaptain
UnitScots Guards
Battles/warsThe Troubles
AwardsMentioned in dispatches
Ben Wallace's voice
Wallace opens a panel of defence ministers at the 2020 Conservative Party Conference
Recorded 5 October 2020

Sir Robert Ben Lobban Wallace KCB (born 15 May 1970) is a British politician and former British Army Officer who served as Secretary of State for Defence from 2019 to 2023. A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wyre and Preston North, formerly Lancaster and Wyre, from 2005 to 2024.

Before becoming involved in politics, Wallace was a captain in the Scots Guards. He was elected in 1999 as a Conservative list Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for North East Scotland, serving until 2003.[1][2] He subsequently resigned from the Scottish Parliament, moved to Lancashire and sought selection for a Westminster constituency in England.[3][4] First elected to the UK Parliament in 2005, Wallace served as a backbencher for nearly five years. From 2010 to 2014, he was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the then Secretary of State for Justice, Ken Clarke. Wallace served as a party whip from July 2014 to May 2015.

Following the 2015 general election and the formation of the majority Cameron government, he became Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Northern Ireland Office. In 2016, he was appointed Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime by Theresa May, holding the position until she left office in July 2019. A supporter of Boris Johnson, Wallace was promoted to the senior cabinet role of Secretary of State for Defence, after Johnson became prime minister. He continued the role under Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, making him the longest serving member of the Cabinet to serve continuously in the same position until he left office.[5]

In July 2023, Wallace announced that he intended to resign as Secretary of State for Defence at the next Cabinet reshuffle, and that he would not be seeking re-election as an MP at the 2024 general election.[6] In August 2023, Wallace formally resigned as Secretary of State for Defence.[7]

  1. ^ "New defence secretary Ben Wallace has defended Stracathro Hospital and fox hunting". The Courier. 26 April 2019. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sabbagh was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference msp was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference msp bbc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Ministerial Appointments: September – October 2022". gov.uk. 10 October 2022. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  6. ^ Shipman, Tim (13 July 2023). "Ben Wallace: I'm resigning from politics at the next cabinet reshuffle". The Times. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).