After being appointed at the position, Grant Shapps said that he is looking forward to work with the armed forces who protect the nation…reports Asian Lite News
Conservative MP and former Energy Secretary Grant Shapps has been appointed as the new Defence Secretary of United Kingdom on Thursday.
This comes after Ben Wallace resigned from his position earlier on Thursday.
“The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP @GrantShapps has been appointed Secretary of State for Defence @DefenceHQ,” PM Rishi Sunak’s office said on X (formerly Twitter).
After being appointed at the position, Grant Shapps said that he is looking forward to work with the armed forces who protect the nation.
“I’m honoured to be appointed as Defence Secretary by @RishiSunak I’d like to pay tribute to the enormous contribution Ben Wallace has made to UK defence & global security over the last 4 years,” he said on X.
Shapps added, “As I get to work at @DefenceHQI am looking forward to working with the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who defend our nation’s security. And continuing the UK’s support for Ukraine in their fight against Putin’s barbaric invasion”.
After Shapps’ appointment, MP Claire Coutinho was given the position of Energy Secretary and Net Zero.
“Claire Coutinho MP @ClaireCoutinho has been appointed Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero @energygovuk,” Rishi Sunak’s office informed on X.
In his letter of resignation, on Wednesday, Wallace said that he stood with the army during thick and thin times. He recalled the incidents from the Wannacry ransomware attack, the 2017 terrorist attacks, the Salisbury Poisonings, Afghanistan, Sudan and Ukraine.
He further said that his support for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his government will continue.
The resignation of Ben Wallace is the second resignation from Sunak cabinet in quick succession.
Earlier, Nadine Dorries announced her resignation from the UK House of Commons on Sunday “with immediate effect” while simultaneously attacking Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. (ANI)
Wallace has played a vocal role in supporting Ukraine, including overseeing the transfer of weapons and vehicles to its army. His position as defence secretary when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine saw his profile increase at home and abroad…reports Asian Lite News
Ben Wallace says he will step down as defence secretary at the next Cabinet reshuffle after four years in the job. He told the Sunday Times he would not stand at the next general election, but ruled out leaving “prematurely” and triggering a by-election.
Wallace has served as defence secretary under three prime ministers and has played a high-profile role in the UK’s response to the Ukraine war. Sources said they expect the next reshuffle in September.
Rishi Sunak is reportedly planning to shake up his top team, but no date has been confirmed. Wallace said he was quitting frontline politics due to the toll it had taken on his family, and allies of his have said the decision was not a reflection on Mr Sunak’s leadership.
His Wyre and Preston North constituency is set to disappear at the next election under upcoming boundary changes and he told the newspaper he would not seek a new one. The 53-year-old’s confirmation of his plans to the Sunday Times comes after days of speculation that he was considering leaving government.
Last week, the prime minister disowned comments from Wallace in which he suggested Ukraine should show more “gratitude” for the military support it has been given. The comments were made at a fringe event at the Nato summit in Vilnius, after Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said it was “absurd” that Nato would not give a timetable for his country securing membership of the bloc once the war with Russia is over.
On Twitter on Saturday evening, writing in Ukrainian, Mr Wallace said his comments had been “somewhat misrepresented”, and he was making the point that in some parliaments there “is not such strong support as in Great Britain”.
He said his comments had not been about governments but “more about citizens and members of parliaments”. He noted the strong support for Ukraine amongst the British public, and added he would “continue to support Ukraine on its path for as long as it takes”.
Wallace informed the prime minister on 16 June of his decision to stand down from the Cabinet. Wallace told the Sunday Times: “I went into politics in the Scottish parliament in 1999. That’s 24 years. I’ve spent well over seven years with three phones by my bed.”
He suggested in the interview that he would continue to call for higher defence spending, something he has campaigned for throughout his time in the role.
It comes weeks after Wallace said he was no longer in the running to be the next secretary general of Nato, a role he was widely reported to be seeking. The announcement that Jens Stoltenberg would be continuing in the job effectively ended his hopes of becoming the next head of the military bloc.
Wallace has played a vocal role in supporting Ukraine, including overseeing the transfer of weapons and vehicles to its army. His position as defence secretary when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine saw his profile increase at home and abroad.
He is a popular figure in the Conservative Party and was, at times, seen as a frontrunner to become party leader, though never stood in a leadership election.
Wallace has served longer in the role than any Conservative defence secretary before him, but told the Sunday Times he was conscious of the impact the job has had on his family. Wallace told the newspaper: “While I am proud to have worked with so many amazing people and helped contribute to protecting this great country, the cost of putting that ahead of my family is something I am very sad about.”
Before entering politics as a member of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, Wallace served in the Army as an Officer in the Scots Guards. He was first elected to the Commons in 2005, and previously served as a minister in the Northern Ireland department and in the Home Office.
Zelenskyy later said that he was confused by what the defence secretary said, adding that “we were always grateful. I didn’t know what he meant and how else I should express my words of gratitude.”…reports Asian Lite News
The UK is not an “Amazon” delivery service for weapons to Ukraine and Kyiv might be wise to let its supporters “see gratitude”, Britain’s defence secretary has said.
In a blunt intervention, Ben Wallace said his “counsel” to the Ukrainians was to keep in mind that they need to persuade some doubting politicians in Washington and other capitals that the tens of billions of pounds they are spending on military aid to their country for its war with Russia is worthwhile.
He was responding to a question about whether the failure of allies to give President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a timeframe for NATO membership at a major summit this week would undermine the morale of his troops on the frontline.
Zelenskyy later said that he was confused by what the defence secretary said, adding that “we were always grateful. I didn’t know what he meant and how else I should express my words of gratitude.”
He jokingly added: “We could get up in the morning and express our words of gratitude personally to the minister. We are grateful to the UK.”
Wallace earlier said that he did not believe Ukrainian troops’ morale would be affected by NATO splits, before describing how Ukraine is always asking for more even after receiving the latest batch of arms.
“There is a slight word of caution here, which is that whether we like it or not people want to see gratitude,” Mr Wallace said in a briefing to journalists on the sidelines of the two-day NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius.
“My counsel to the Ukrainians is sometimes you’re persuading countries to give up their own stocks [of weapons] and yes the war is a noble war and yes we see it as you doing a war for – not just yourself – but our freedoms. But sometimes you’ve got to persuade lawmakers on the Hill in America, you’ve got to persuade doubting politicians in other countries that you know that it’s worth it and it’s worthwhile and that they’re getting something for it. And whether you like that or not, that is just the reality of it.”
Wallace said you sometimes hear “grumbles” from American politicians – not the administration – about support to Ukraine that “we’ve given $83bn worth or whatever [and] you know, we’re not Amazon.”
The defence secretary said he too had told the Ukrainians in June last year that the UK was not the online delivery service when it came to supplying arms.
“I said to the Ukrainians last year, when I drove 11 hours to [Kyiv to] be given a list – I said, I am not Amazon.”
He also said he warned them that they needed to provide better training for their troops to stop them from suffering such a high weekly rate of casualties as that would risk them losing political support. He instead offered to provide a training programme in the UK.
But Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pushed back against the defence secretary’s comments, saying Mr Zelenskyy had “expressed his gratitude for what we’ve done on a number of occasions”.
“Not least in his incredibly moving address that he made to parliament earlier this year,” the prime minister added.
“He’s done so again as he’s done countless times when I’ve met him so I know he and his people are incredibly grateful for the support the UK has shown, the welcome that we have provided to many Ukrainian families but also the leadership that we’ve shown throughout this conflict – often being the first to move support forward whether it was the provision of tanks or long-range weapons,” he said.
“People across Ukraine are also fighting for their lives and freedom every single day and they’re paying a terrible price for it so I completely understand Volodymyr’s desire to do everything he can protect his people and to stop this war. We will continue to give him the support he needs.”
Ukraine has accused Russia of using “kamikaze” drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, to hit energy infrastructure and other targets…reports Asian Lite News
British defence minister Ben Wallace said on Monday he would be “open minded” about supplying Ukraine with longer-range weapons systems if Russia carried on targeting civilian areas.
Speaking to parliament, Wallace was asked by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a vocal supporter of Ukraine, about the possible supply of longer-range missile systems to Kyiv to destroy or damage drone launch sites.
“I constantly review the weapons systems we could provide,” Wallace told parliament.
“We too have in our armour potential weapons systems that are longer and should the Russians continue to target civilian areas and try and break those Geneva Conventions, then I will be open minded to see what we do next,” he said, referring to agreed basic humanitarian principles during war.
Ukraine has accused Russia of using “kamikaze” drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, to hit energy infrastructure and other targets.
Britain has committed 3.8 billion pounds of support for Ukraine since February this year, including the supply of weapons, military training and humanitarian assistance.
Rishi Sunak visited Kyiv in one of his first foreign visits since becoming British prime minister in October, hoping to cement Johnson’s promise that British support for Ukraine would be steadfast regardless of the leader.
Wallace said the inflationary pressures alone on the budget could total about £8 billion (U.S. $9 billion) over two years…reports Asian Lite News
Britain’s defense secretary appeared before the parliamentary Defence Committee on Wednesday, with lawmakers eager to quiz him about the impact of inflation, exchange rates and possible spending cuts.
Ben Wallace told lawmakers that inflation and a weak pound versus the U.S. dollar were key issues affecting spending.
“In the here and now, next two years up to 2025, I need money to protect me from inflation and forex,” he said, referring to the foreign exchange market. ”They are the two main challenges to the defense budget I have between now and the next spending review.”
Wallace said the inflationary pressures alone on the budget could total about £8 billion (U.S. $9 billion) over two years.
“As a very capital-dependent department, we are much more vulnerable to inflationary costs than other departments on our programs and equipment,” Wallace said.
British inflation is currently at 10.1% and climbing, while the pound has fallen from $1.34 to $1.14.
Wallace was in front of the committee to talk about U.S., U.K. and NATO relations. But the lawmakers, led by the panel’s chairman, Tobias Ellwood, grabbed the opportunity to question the defense secretary about more pressing domestic issues related to money and key equipment programs.
Wallace is scheduled to meet Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on Thursday to begin thrashing out how much money the department will get when the government rolls out its new budget Nov. 17. Defense faces the requirement to plug a £40+ billion black hole in its finances; mainly by way of raised taxes and departmental spending cuts.
Wallace is scheduled to meet Jeremy Hunt on Thursday to begin thrashing out how much money the Defence Ministry will get when the government rolls out its new budget Nov. 17, with a requirement to plug a £40 billion or more black hole in its public finances — mainly via raised taxes and departmental spending cuts.
Gone are the days of the recent past where now ex-Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss were promising Wallace a rise in defense spending by around 2028 to 3% of gross domestic product, up from a whisker over 2% now.
Wallace told lawmakers on the committee that the 3% figure is now “aspirational.”
That surprised nobody. Committee member Mark Francois, a former defense minister, said Wallace’s response was disappointing.
“Those of us who have been in politics for a while know what that [aspirational] means. So at least spend 2.5% of GDP by 2026,” Francois asked.
Wallace didn’t reply directly, saying he “meets with the chancellor tomorrow and over the next few weeks until the budget, and I will be fighting for as much money as I can get. … We are keen to make sure the chancellor believes it should be raised up the profile and we can see where we are in the next few weeks,” he said.
It wasn’t just defense spending the committee quizzed Wallace about. Key equipment programs also were on the agenda.
The defense secretary reported that the MoD had signed a deal to start replenishing missile stocks run down by the supply of weapons to the Ukraine.
Five hundred NLAW anti-tank weapons are scheduled for delivery from missile maker Thales U.K. next year, and Wallace said a further deal for thousands of weapons for Britain and other customers will be signed next year.
There was some positive news on progress with the troubled £5.5 billion Ajax armored reconnaissance vehicle program for the British Army, which has been stalled for years by serious vibration and noise problems.
Wallace said the vehicle, being built by General Dynamics UK, had now completed its user validation trials.
“They will now analyze the data and commence into reliability and growth trials, hopefully in December or January,” he said.
Wallace’s appearance in front of the Defence Committee wasn’t his only parliamentary duty Nov 2.
He also issued a statement to Parliament detailing delays to the first Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigate being built by BAE Systems Goven yard in Scotland.
The statement said initial operating capability will be delayed 12 months, to October 2028.
Wallace blamed the coronavirus pandemic as well as design and equipment supply delays for the date slip.
The first three of eight planned Type 26s are in various stages of construction.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier in the Kremlin Wall. (Photo: UK Ministry of Defence)
Throughout the four and a half-day vigil, guards stand around the catafalque, a raised platform upon which the coffin rests, rotating their watch every 20 minutes…reports Asian Lite News
British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace stood guard by Queen Elizabeth’s coffin on Thursday as the late monarch lay in state inside parliament’s Westminster Hall.
Wallace was acting in his capacity as a member of the Royal Company of Archers which functions as the monarch’s body guard in Scotland – one of the protective units involved in keeping constant vigil over the coffin.
Wearing the company’s dark green uniform, including a traditional Scottish hat known as a Balmoral bonnet, Wallace took a position in front of the coffin as mourners slowly walked past.
Throughout the four and a half-day vigil, guards stand around the catafalque, a raised platform upon which the coffin rests, rotating their watch every 20 minutes.
Wallace was joined by the government’s Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack, who is also a member of the Royal Company of Archers.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said, “Backed by our formidable Defence industry, the UK has been one of the global leaders in providing military assistance to support Ukraine’s armed forces…reports Asian Lite News
The roundtable, convened at Downing Street with thirteen industry Chief Executives, comes as industry organisations across the country came forward to submit proposals that could accelerate the development of equipment for Ukraine’s armed forces.
The £25 million campaign fund – launched by Ministers in late May – focused on bolstering the existing provision for artillery, coastal defence and aerial systems. 295 proposals were received and sifting has begun, with a view to funding allocations beginning in the coming weeks.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said, “Backed by our formidable Defence industry, the UK has been one of the global leaders in providing military assistance to support Ukraine’s armed forces. Their creativity and commitment to this complex and demanding problem has been invaluable to helping resist the Russian invasion. As this unprovoked attack continues and Russia’s tactics change, we are working closely with industry partners to provide innovative solutions that will bolster the heroic Ukrainian efforts for the coming weeks and months.”
Through the £25 million innovation fund, the Government believes drawing on UK expertise across the defence industry, including from innovative small and medium-sized enterprises, could provide battle-winning solutions for the Ukrainian forces.
The UK has already committed more than £2.8 billion to support Ukraine through humanitarian aid and grants, as well as military kit including 120 armoured vehicles, air defence systems and more than 6,500 anti-tank missiles.
His speech, at the National Army Museum in London, will also directly criticise the behaviour of Russian commanders for war crimes and their incompetence in a campaign which has failed to secure the gains expected by Putin…reports Asian Lite News
Vladimir Putin’s regime is ‘mirroring’ the actions of the Nazis and must share the same fate as them, Ben Wallace will say as the Russian leader stages a military parade to celebrate victory in World War II.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace will use a major speech to say that Putin and his inner circle should share the same fate as the Nazis, who ended up defeated and facing the Nuremberg trials for their atrocities.
His speech, at the National Army Museum in London, will also directly criticise the behaviour of Russian commanders for war crimes and their incompetence in a campaign which has failed to secure the gains expected by Putin.
In Moscow, Putin will watch the Victory Day parade of military hardware, marking the defeat of the Nazis in 1945.
But according to extracts briefed to the Telegraph and Times, Wallace will say: ‘Through their invasion of Ukraine, Putin, his inner circle and generals are now mirroring the fascism and tyranny of 70 years ago, repeating the errors of last century’s totalitarian regimes.’
He will add: ‘Their fate must also, surely, eventually be the same.’
Russia’s sacrifices in the past should not be forgotten, ‘but nor must the lessons about what lies in store for the perpetrators of such unprovoked brutality’, he will say.
In a message to Putin, he will say: ‘In going to such extremes to justify this war of choice he and his generals are now ripping up both Russia’s past and its future.
‘Their unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine, attacks against innocent citizens and their homes, and the widespread atrocities – including deliberately against women and children – corrupts the memory of past sacrifices and Russia’s once-proud global reputation.’
The generals in their ‘manicured parade uniforms’ are ‘utterly complicit in Putin’s hijacking of their forebears’ proud history’ of resisting fascism, and ‘all professional soldiers should be appalled at the behaviour of the Russian army,’ Wallace will say.
‘Not only are they engaged in an illegal invasion and war crimes, but their top brass have failed their own rank and file to the extent they should be court-martialled.’
He will say that rank and file soldiers in the Russian army ‘will not get a voice and their mothers and sisters will be shamed into silence’.
Wallace’s speech comes after Foreign Secretary Liz Truss accused Russia of war crimes over the bombing of a school in eastern Ukraine where civilians were sheltering.
Up to 60 are feared dead after the school in Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine was bombed and caught fire on Saturday.
The Foreign Secretary said she was ‘horrified’ and added that Putin’s regime would be held to account.
Around 90 people were thought to have been sheltering at the school, but just 30 have been rescued.
Liz Truss tweeted: ‘Horrified by Russia’s latest attack on a school in Luhansk, resulting in the deaths of innocent people sheltering from Russian bombardment.’
She said the deliberate targeting of civilians and infrastructure ‘amounts to war crimes’ and ‘we will ensure Putin’s regime is held accountable’.
On Sunday, G7 leaders including Boris Johnson and Joe Biden held talks with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Boris Johnson told his counterparts ‘the world must go further and faster to support Ukraine’ against the Kremlin’s invading forces.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: ‘The Prime Minister said there was a savage irony that the leaders had gathered to discuss Putin’s barbaric invasion on a day when they should be remembering the sacrifice of Russian soldiers defeating fascism in the Second World War.
‘He agreed with G7 leaders that the world must intensify economic pressure on Putin in any way possible, and said the West must not allow the war to turn into a stalemate that only magnified suffering.
‘Ukraine needed to receive military equipment that allowed them to not just hold ground in Ukraine, but recapture it, the Prime Minister told the leaders.’
The G7 agreed more needed to be done to support Ukraine’s agricultural exports, with the war impacting food supplies around the world.
Johnson also urged G7 countries to intensify diplomatic lobbying of countries which were failing to apply pressure on Moscow, ‘especially as it was clear grossly unjustifiable human rights abuses and war crimes were being committed’, the spokeswoman added.
US officials claimed two major Russian tank factories had ground to a halt because of the impact of economic sanctions.
The UK has pledged an extra £1.3 billion in military support to Ukraine, in a dramatic escalation of assistance for Zelensky’s forces as they fight the Russian invasion.
It is the highest rate of UK military spending on a conflict since the height of the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The ministry accused London of “unprecedented hostile actions,” in particular referring to sanctions on Russia’s senior officials…reports Asian Lite News
Moscow on Saturday announced it was banning entry to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several other top UK officials, after London imposed sanctions on Russia over its military operation in Ukraine.
“This step was taken as a response to London’s unbridled information and political campaign aimed at isolating Russia internationally, creating conditions for restricting our country and strangling the domestic economy,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ministry accused London of “unprecedented hostile actions,” in particular referring to sanctions on Russia’s senior officials.
“The British leadership is deliberately aggravating the situation surrounding Ukraine, pumping the Kyiv regime with lethal weapons and coordinating similar efforts on the behalf of NATO,” the ministry said.
Russia’s entry blacklist includes UK Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, former Prime Minister Theresa May and the First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon.
Britain has been part of an international effort to punish Russia with asset freezes, travel bans and economic sanctions, since President Vladimir Putin moved troops into Ukraine on February 24.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: “The Russian state was responsible for the hoax telephone calls made to UK ministers last week…reports Asian Lite News
The Downing Street has said that Moscow was behind calls to British defence secretary and home secretary last week, The Guardian reported.
The Russian state was responsible for hoax calls to Ben Wallace and Priti Patel, pretending to be the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Downing Street has said.
In its first statement attributing blame for the video calls, the Downing Street said it believed Russian state actors were responsible, without giving more details at to who linked to the Kremlin had been identified as being behind the attempts.
It is understood that there are fears in the Whitehall that Russia could release doctored quotes of their comments for propaganda purposes. Nadine Dorries, the culture secretary, was also unsuccessfully targeted, The Guardian reported.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: “The Russian state was responsible for the hoax telephone calls made to UK ministers last week.
“This is standard practice for Russian information operations and disinformation is a tactic straight from the Kremlin playbook to try to distract from their illegal activities in Ukraine and the human rights abuses being committed there.”
Defence secretary Wallace has publicly acknowledged that he had been targeted shortly after his call on Thursday in an attempt to get ahead of any attempt by Moscow to circulate footage from it.
An investigation has been launched into how it happened and a cross-Whitehall review is looking at tightening security procedures further.
The caller who got through to Wallace was pretending to be Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
