Ben Wallace (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Ben Wallace
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Official portrait, 2022
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| Secretary of State for Defence | |
| In office 24 July 2019 – 31 August 2023 |
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| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Penny Mordaunt |
| Succeeded by | Grant Shapps |
| Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime | |
| In office 17 July 2016 – 24 July 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Theresa May |
| Preceded by | John Hayes |
| Succeeded by | Brandon Lewis |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland | |
| In office 12 May 2015 – 17 July 2016 |
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| 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) |
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| In office 5 May 2005 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Hilton Dawson |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Member of the Scottish Parliament for North East Scotland (1 of 7 Regional MSPs) |
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| In office 6 May 1999 – 31 March 2003 |
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| Succeeded by | Nanette Milne |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Ben Lobban Wallace
15 May 1970 Farnborough, London, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse |
Liza Cooke
(m. 2001) |
| Children | 3 |
| Residences | Lancashire, England London, England |
| Education | Millfield School |
| Alma mater | Royal Military Academy Sandhurst |
| Signature | _signature.svg) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch/service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1991–1998 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Scots Guards |
| Battles/wars | The Troubles |
| Awards | Mentioned in dispatches |
Sir Ben Wallace, born on May 15, 1970, is a British politician and a former officer in the British Army. He served as the Secretary of State for Defence from 2019 to 2023. This important role means he was in charge of the UK's armed forces and defence plans.
He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Wyre and Preston North from 2005 until 2024. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the House of Commons, which is part of the UK Parliament. Before becoming an MP, he was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for North East Scotland from 1999 to 2003.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ben Wallace was born in Farnborough on May 15, 1970. His father was also in the army, and his mother was an art teacher.
He went to Millfield, a private school in Somerset. While at school, he took a course for young officers. After school, he worked for a time as a ski instructor in Austria.
Military Career
After training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Ben Wallace joined the Scots Guards as an officer in 1991. He served in different places like Germany, Cyprus, Belize, and Northern Ireland until 1998.
In 1993, he was recognized for his bravery during an incident in Belfast. His patrol captured a group that was trying to carry out a bomb attack. He was promoted to Captain in 1996.
Ben Wallace was also on duty the night Diana, Princess of Wales passed away. He was part of the team that brought her body back to the UK from Paris. In 1998, he left active service in the army. He later explained that he enjoyed leading soldiers, but that part of the job would become less frequent as he got older.
He is also a member of the Royal Company of Archers, a special ceremonial group that acts as the King's bodyguard in Scotland. In this role, he took part in the vigil for Elizabeth II when she lay in state in 2022.
Political Career
Starting in Scottish Politics
After leaving the army, Ben Wallace decided to enter politics. He became a Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) in 1999. An MSP is like an MP, but for the Scottish Parliament, which makes laws for Scotland. He represented North East Scotland. He served until 2003, when he decided to try to become an MP in England instead.
Before becoming an MP, from 2003 to 2005, he worked as an overseas director for an aerospace company called QinetiQ.
Becoming a UK Member of Parliament
Ben Wallace was first elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Lancaster and Wyre area in 2005. He won the seat from the Labour Party.
His constituency changed in 2010, and he was then elected for the new area of Wyre and Preston North. He was re-elected in 2015, 2017, and 2019. He decided not to run for re-election in the 2024 general election, and his constituency was also changed due to new boundary lines.
From 2005 to 2010, he was part of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee in the House of Commons. He also worked as a Shadow Minister for Scotland. In 2008, he received an award for his work in making MPs' expenses more open to the public.
Government Roles and Key Decisions
After being re-elected in 2010, Ben Wallace became a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Kenneth Clarke, who was the Justice Secretary. A PPS helps a minister with their work. In 2014, he became a party whip, which means he helped make sure members of his party voted in line with the party's plans.
In 2015, he was promoted to a junior minister role in the Northern Ireland Office. In 2016, Theresa May made him the Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime. In this role, he was responsible for national security and fighting financial crime. He held this position during several terror attacks in 2017. He also helped coordinate the government's response to the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury.
Secretary of State for Defence
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On July 24, 2019, Boris Johnson became Prime Minister and appointed Ben Wallace as the Secretary of State for Defence. This is a very important job, overseeing the UK's military and defence strategies. He continued in this role under Prime Ministers Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak. He became the longest-serving person in the same Cabinet position at that time.
In August 2019, he was heard talking about the temporary suspension of Parliament. He suggested it was to stop MPs from blocking Brexit plans, which was different from the official reason given by the government. The Supreme Court later ruled this suspension was unlawful.
In October 2019, at a NATO meeting, Wallace supported Turkey's actions in Syria, saying they needed to defend themselves. In January 2020, he said the UK should be ready to fight wars without relying too much on the US, especially given the "America First" policies of the US President at the time. He also said the UK's defence plans would be deeply reviewed. In March 2021, he announced plans to spend £188 billion on defence over four years.
In July 2021, Wallace said the US withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan put Britain in a "very difficult position." He also said the UK would work with the Taliban if they came to power, as long as they followed international rules. He was very emotional during a radio interview about the withdrawal, saying, "because I'm a soldier... because it's sad." He was in charge of Operation Pitting, the British evacuation from Kabul.
In December 2021, he met with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia to discuss defence cooperation. In 2022, he spoke about Britain's determination to "stand up to bullies" at an event marking the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War.
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In February 2022, Ben Wallace met with the Russian Defence Minister in Moscow. The Russian minister denied plans to invade Ukraine. The next day, Wallace said a Russian invasion was "highly likely." He was also filmed joking about the Scots Guards having "kicked the backside" of a Russian leader in the past. Russia invaded Ukraine the following day.
In March 2022, a video of Wallace in a prank call by Russian pranksters was released. The pranksters pretended to be the Ukrainian Prime Minister. That same day, Wallace announced plans to reduce the number of British Army personnel.
Initially, in March 2022, Wallace was hesitant to send Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. However, in January 2023, the UK changed its position, and Challenger 2 tanks were sent to Ukraine in March 2023.
When Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister in July 2022, Ben Wallace was considered a possible successor. However, he decided not to run, saying his focus was on his job as Defence Secretary. He supported Liz Truss, who became Prime Minister, and he kept his role. He also kept his role when Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister in October 2022.
In January 2023, Wallace and other defence ministers signed the Tallinn Pledge, promising continued support for Ukraine against Russian aggression. In June 2023, he ruled himself out of the running to become the next NATO Secretary-General.
At a NATO summit in July 2023, Wallace suggested that Ukraine should show more gratitude to Western allies for their support. He also mentioned that some lawmakers felt Ukraine was making too many demands for military aid.
On July 15, 2023, Ben Wallace announced he would resign as Secretary of State for Defence at the next government reshuffle. He also confirmed he would not seek re-election as an MP in the 2024 general election. He formally resigned as Secretary of State for Defence on August 31, 2023.
Post-Parliamentary Career
Political Commentary
Since leaving Parliament in 2024, Ben Wallace has continued to share his opinions on defence matters. In April 2024, after an drone attack on Israel, he wrote that the West should "hit back twice as hard" against Iran and Russia. He also called for Israel to supply weapons to Ukraine.
In February 2024, he expressed disappointment that Germany's leader refused to give Ukraine certain missiles. In July 2024, he said that Europe could do more to help Ukraine, even if the United States reduced its support. In August 2024, he said Ukraine "should be given the tools to finish the job" against Russia. In September, he stated that arguments over long-range missiles for Ukraine were unhelpful and only benefited Russia.
Private Sector Work
In April 2025, it was announced that Ben Wallace joined the board of Advanced Innergy Holdings, a UK technology company, as a non-executive director.
Personal Life
Ben Wallace married Liza Cooke in 2001. They met when she was a researcher in the Scottish Parliament. They have two sons and a daughter. He has mentioned that the demands of his job affected his private life. He divides his time between Lancashire and London. For fun, he enjoys skiing, sailing, rugby, and horse racing.
Honours
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
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Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (KCB) | 2024 Dissolution Honours, for political and public service |
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General Service Medal | Northern Ireland Clasp; Mentioned in Despatches |
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Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal | |
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Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal | |
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Cross of Merit of the Ministry of Defence (Class I) | Estonia |
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Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (Class II) | Ukraine |
See also
In Spanish: Ben Wallace (político) para niños
