Sir Ben Wallace | |
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Secretary of State for Defence | |
In office 24 July 2019 – 31 August 2023 | |
Prime Minister | Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak |
Preceded by | Penny Mordaunt |
Succeeded by | Grant Shapps |
Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime | |
In office 17 July 2016 – 24 July 2019 | |
Prime Minister | Theresa May |
Preceded by | John Hayes |
Succeeded by | Brandon Lewis |
Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Northern Ireland | |
In office 12 May 2015 – 17 July 2016 | |
Prime Minister | David Cameron |
Preceded by | Andrew Murrison |
Succeeded by | Kris Hopkins |
Member of Parliament for Wyre and Preston North Lancaster and Wyre (2005–2010) | |
In office 5 May 2005 – 30 May 2024 | |
Preceded by | Hilton Dawson |
Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
Member of the Scottish Parliament for North East Scotland | |
In office 6 May 1999 – 31 March 2003 | |
Preceded by | Constituency created |
Succeeded by | Nanette Milne |
Personal details | |
Born | Robert Ben Lobban Wallace 15 May 1970 Farnborough, Kent, England |
Nationality | British |
Political party | Conservative |
Spouse(s) | Liza Cooke[1] |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | Royal Military Academy Sandhurst |
Occupation | Politician |
Profession | Army officer |
Website | www.benwallace.org.uk |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch/service | British Army |
Years of service | 1990–1998 |
Rank | Captain |
Unit | Scots Guards |
Battles/wars | The Troubles |
Awards | Mentioned in Despatches |
Sir Robert Ben Lobban Wallace (born 15 May 1970) is a British politician. He has been the Secretary of State for Defence from 24 July 2019 to 31 August 2023. He was the UK’s longest-serving Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime from 2016 to 2019. Wallace is a member of the Conservative Party. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wyre and Preston North from 2010 to 2024.
Wallace was first elected as the MP for Lancaster and Wyre in the 2005 United Kingdom general election. He was a Captain in the British Army.[2]
On 15 July 2023, Wallace announced his plan to resign as Secretary of State for Defence at the next Cabinet reshuffle and confirmed that he would not be seeking re-election as an MP at the next general election.[3] On 31 August 2023, Wallace formally resigned as Secretary of State for Defence.[4]