Pictured: The Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP, UK Defence Secretary, speaks at a press conference onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth docked in Oslo, Norway. Image MOD Crown Copyright. 

Ben Wallace has resigned as Defence Secretary after announcing last month he would leave his office on the next cabinet reshuffle.

Mr Wallace who has held the role for four years said in his resignation statement that his military and political careers had come at “a personal toll to me and my family.”

Mr Wallace went on to add, “the Ministry of Defence that I leave now more modern, better funded and more confident than the organisation I took over in 2019.”

Prime minister, Rishi Sunak said, that Mr Wallace left with “thanks and respect” having worked in “the most demanding posts in Government.”

Grant Shapps will replace Mr Wallace as Defence Secretary having previously been Energy Secretary.