Favourite Ben Wallace pulls out of leadership race to protect family
DEFENCE Secretary Ben Wallace has pulled out of the running to succeed Boris Johnson after concluding that the impact of the job on his family would be too severe.
Mr Wallace, who had been the bookmakers’ favourite to win the contest, said: ‘After careful consideration and discussing with colleagues and family, I have taken the decision not to enter the contest for leadership of the Conservative Party.’
He added: ‘It has not been an easy choice to make, but my focus is on my current job and keeping this great country safe.’
He had put a campaign team together and is understood to have secured the initial support of more than 25 MPs.
Mr Wallace has three children, who live in his Wyre and Preston North constituency in Lancashire.
A friend said: ‘It is a source of great sadness, but some things are more important. He would never have seen the children.
‘I think he would only have gone for it if he was allowed to run the country from the North.’ Mr Wallace added in his statement: ‘I wish the very best of luck to all candidates and hope we swiftly return to focusing on the issues that we are all elected to address.’ The Cabinet Minister, who topped a YouGov poll of potential runners, had remained loyal to Mr Johnson and did not resign from Cabinet during last week’s crisis, arguing that his position was too important to vacate given the ongoing war in Ukraine because he had ‘an obligation to keep this country safe, no matter who is PM’.
The former Army officer’s ratings have soared since the war broke out in February. The MP’s friend added that Mr Wallace’s determination to stay in his job would also be ‘the best thing for Ukraine’.
Mr Wallace also masterminded the mission to rescue UK nationals and others from Afghanistan following the takeover of the country by the Taliban last August.
Armed Forces Minister James Heappey, who had been expected to run Mr Wallace’s campaign, said the Defence Secretary had been ‘thinking really hard’ about whether he wanted to run.
Mr Heappey added: ‘It’s so typically Ben that he understands it is a massive responsibility and wants to make sure he is ready for it, and if he is, he will make a great prime minister.’
Last week, a poll by the Conservative Home website showed Mr Wallace had a net satisfaction rating of 85.6 per cent among party members – 30 per cent higher than the second-placed Minister.