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Liam Fox and Grant Shapps could be frontrunners to replace Ben Wallace as Defence Secretary, reports say 

Liam Fox and Grant Shapps could be frontrunners to replace Ben Wallace as Defence Secretary, reports say 

Liam Fox and Grant Shapps have been named as surprise potential frontrunners to be the next Defence Secretary according to different reports, ahead of an expected Cabinet mini-reshuffle.

Rishi Sunak could name a successor to Ben Wallace, who said he would step down in the next reshuffle, as early as this week, the Financial Times reported.

The paper said Grant Shapps, the energy security secretary, was one of the frontrunners for the job according to government insiders.

Last week, Mr Shapps revealed he had made a visit to Ukraine’s capital. He shared a video highlighting what he had seen on X, the site formerly known as Twitter. In a post he wrote: “What I saw in Kyiv this week was a people resolute in their defiance against Putin’s tyranny and Russia’s aggression… And a nation standing strong and powering ahead in spite of constant attacks”.

Meanwhile the Daily Telegraph reported that Liam Fox, who had to step down as Defence Secretary in 2011 amid controversy, “is being discussed for the role”.

Mr Fox resigned from the post in October 2011 after weeks of pressure over his working relationship with friend and adviser Adam Werritty. In his resignation letter, Mr Fox wrote: “I mistakenly allowed the distinction between my personal interest and my government activities to become blurred”.

He was found to have broken the ministerial code in a report by the-then Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell. It criticised Mr Fox for allowing Mr Werritty to use business cards that would have made it look as if he was working for the Government and accused him of “a failure of judgment”.

More recently, Mr Fox, who also held the position of trade secretary in Theresa May’s government, has been criticised for lobbying on behalf of a business group that reportedly pays him £1,000 an hour.

In response to that report a spokesperson for Mr Fox and the Global Britain Commission, for which he is the chairman, said: “The commission is cross-party and has met with both Labour and Conservative MPs as well as officials in government who all want to positively contribute to the UK’s growth, international standing and the creation of highly skilled jobs.”

The Telegraph pointed out Mr Fox has previously cleared security vetting for the post and has in the past taken a tough stance on Russia.

A host of other names have been floated as potential successors to Ben Wallace, who announced in July that he would resign in the next reshuffle.

Some of those touted include James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, John Glen, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, former transport and International Trade Secretary, security minister Tom Tugendhat, and security minister Sir Brandon Lewis. Jeremy Quin, a Cabinet Office minister who previously served as defence procurement minister and James Heappey, the armed forces minister, have also been named in reports.

Earlier this month, Penny Mordaunt hinted that she would like to be made Defence Secretary again, saying: “I’ve always loved the international work, I’ve always loved Defence.”

Mr Wallace, who has held the position for four years, said he was quitting due to the toll the job had taken on his family.

Mr Sunak has been widely expected to reshuffle his Cabinet next month when MPs return to Parliament following the summer break.



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