LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Ben Wallace, the secretary of defence, has declared his backing for Liz Truss, a cabinet colleague, in the race for Tory leadership.
Ms. Truss was characterised by Mr. Wallace as “authentic, honest, and experienced.” He also said she had the integrity for the job at such a powerful position.
The defence secretary, who himself was expected by many to succeed Boris Johnson as the next leader of the Tories before withdrawing from the race, said Sky News that Ms. Truss’s support for defence and security has also been very consistent.
He planned to step back at the start of this competition, Mr. Wallace added.
Sunak is accused by the Tories of “stabbing Johnson in the back” in response to an awkward monarchy issue posed by Truss.
He was the defence secretary, he wanted to find a candidate who would treat the department fairly and acknowledge that the threats they encounter on a daily basis were very serious, were rising, and required adequate funding, he said.
They couldn’t just sort of act like they would go away by themselves.
So he saw their performances at the hustings, but he also knew both of them.
He had been a member of cabinet for two years, working with Liz Truss and the chancellor. Therefore, it was crucial for him to determine who he believed to be the ideal person to lead everyone, he said.
Consequently, he knew Liz. She was really straightforward, genuine, and you get what you saw.
She read the same intelligence reports, but she had also been quite consistent in her support for defence and security. He therefore believed that she should be supported.
What you see is what you get with the foreign secretary, Mr. Wallace continued, and this is what he believes the public wants now more than ever.
She actually had a tonne of experience in government, which was another extremely crucial point, he continued.
She was the only candidate who served as the Treasury’s chief secretary for almost two years. That was the second place position. It attended the cabinet. It was quite significant. The country’s bookkeeper, she had done that job in the Treasury.
Back then she was the international and negotiated trade deals and now she was the foreign secretary.
He was worried Rishi lacked that kind of wide experience. Sure h He had worked in the chancellery, but he didn’t have that kind of experience.
If chosen as the next prime minister, the foreign secretary, he continued, wouldn’t break the fiscal laws on borrowing.
Rishi Sunak, a rival for the leadership with Ms. Truss, as well as some of his followers, came under fire from Mr. Wallace for resigning from Boris Johnson’s cabinet earlier this month.
He added that there were other options, such as a confidence vote through the 1922 committee of backbench Conservative MPs, and declared that triggering cabinet ministers walking out at the time of a crisis was not the proper course of action.
“Imagine if the markets had fallen. What if a terrorist attack occurred as a result of the home secretary’s actions? ” he inquired.
Wallace also said that he wanted Johnson to continue leading the Conservative Party and serving as prime minister.
Yesterday evening during the wide-ranging hustings, Mr. Sunak stated his support for the return of grammar schools, while Ms. Truss pledged to resurrect Northern Powerhouse Rail.
The candidates for the leadership position were finally confronted by members of the Tory party who will select the next prime minister of Britain after four TV debates after audiences mostly made up of floating voters.
The two-hour long event held in Leeds was the first out of the first of 12 hustings meetings that will be held nationwide before voting ends on September 2nd.
Mr. Johnson will continue in his position until 5 September when the next Conservative Party leader and prime minister will be announced.
