Ben Wallace could be a ‘kingmaker’ in the Tory leadership race, but wait “until the final stage to announce who he supports” to become prime minister.
The defense secretary, 52, locked himself out of the running on Saturday despite being the bookmakers’ favorite to win and putting together a campaign team.
However, he remains popular with grassroots Tory members and his support is seen as a valued asset among the remaining six candidates.
But Mr Wallace is reportedly waiting until the final stage of the election and will listen to any of the hopefuls before giving his support to any particular campaign.
A friend of Mr Wallace said: The times that he is a ‘kingmaker’ in the race because of his popularity at the grassroots in the party.
They said he could “support any of the serious contenders, including Rishi,” despite the former chancellor’s opposition to an increase in defense spending.
But defense sources today denied suggestions that Mr Wallace could support Liz Truss as she launches her official campaign later today.
Ben Wallace’s endorsement is seen by hopeful Tory leaders as a coveted asset due to his grassroots popularity
Liz Truss, Tom Tugendhat, Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman, Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt took the first ballot on Wednesday
Mr Wallace can lend his support to Ms Truss, who is launching her official campaign today, for her favorable views on defense policy and spending
Mr Wallace and Mr Sunak (pictured) have repeatedly criticized defense spending, believing that the Defense Secretary will support anyone Sunak will face if he makes the final two.
A source added that he is instead waiting to hear about the candidates’ “wider ambitions” before making a decision.
Mr Sunak received the majority of MPs’ votes yesterday, with 88 as the best.
But he and Mr Wallace have repeatedly bumped into Britain’s defense budget.
The defense minister described the army’s land fleet as “poorly lagging behind its peers” and said it “definitely needs to be modernized” in May, when Mr Sunak was still chancellor.
During the same speech at the National Army Museum in Chelsea, he also hinted that British defense spending should increase in the coming years because of the ‘dangerous world’ that exists today.
But when launching his campaign on Tuesday, Mr Sunak declined to support a defense budget increase to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2030, instead saying he doesn’t believe in “arbitrary targets” despite warnings that it UK risks defaulting on spending by 2025.
It means that Mr Wallace is unlikely to lend his support to the frontrunner leadership if he remains steadfast in funding his department and rolling back military cuts.
It is believed that Mr Wallace will wait until the final stage of the election and will listen to each of the hopefuls before giving his support to a campaign
Minutes before MPs began voting in the first round of the leadership contest, YouGov research suggested Ms. Mordaunt is the overwhelming favorite of activists
A YouGov poll today found that Ms Mordaunt is the ‘clear favorite for the next conservative leader among party members’
However, it is believed that he has a good relationship with Mrs. Truss.
Ms Truss will today highlight her extensive cabinet experience as she promises Tory MPs that she will be the only candidate to run if she becomes Prime Minister.
The foreign minister, who has also held cabinet posts in a number of other departments, will launch her No. 10 campaign by emphasizing her commitment to party unity.
“I’m ready to be prime minister on day one. I can lead, make difficult decisions and stand up for the moment,” it is expected.
“The British people are crying out for a united and modern Conservative government ready with the courage of its convictions to deliver on its promises.”
Ms Truss will set out her pitch by saying she wants to make Britain an ‘aspiration nation’.
It is also more favorable to defense policy and spending.
Ms Truss has previously insisted that NATO’s target for spending 2 percent of GDP on military personnel should be a ‘floor, not a ceiling’.
Penny Mordaunt finished second in yesterday’s vote with 67 votes.
A YouGov poll found that Ms Mordaunt is the ‘clear favorite for the next conservative leader among party members’.
When Tory members were asked to choose their preference, Ms. Mordaunt convincingly topped the list with 27 percent of the vote.
The bombshell investigation also revealed that Ms. Mordaunt – who appeared to be an outsider at first – would beat any competitor in a run-off.
Her margin against Mr Sunak was estimated at 67 to 28 percent, while he could lose 59 to 25 percent against Ms Truss.
The dramatic findings quickly made her the bookmakers’ favorite and could have led MPs to reconsider their approach – with a ‘Stop Sunak’ campaign in full force among some elements of the party.
Ms Mordaunt, herself a former defense minister with a naval base in her constituency of Portsmouth North, has said she would set up a civilian defense force to ensure the British army is not overstretched inland.
Wallace could support Mrs. Mordaunt as she takes on Mr. Sunak in the final round.
Tom Tugendhat, who received 37 votes on the first ballot, chairs the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
He made a thinly veiled swipe at Mr Sunak and pledged to increase defense spending to 3 percent of GDP after the former chancellor’s refusal to do so.
He also mocked the ‘bean counters’ who refuse to increase the defense budget, a comment seen as criticism of Mr Sunak.
Former Equality Minister Kemi Badenoch and Attorney General Suella Braverman also made it through the first round with 40 and 32 votes respectively, and will be cast in the next ballot tomorrow. Only one of the 358 MPs did not vote.