Ben Wallace could be ‘kingmaker’ in Tory leadership contest as he ‘waits until the final stages to announce who he’s backing’
- Defence Secretary ruled himself out of the running last week despite popularity
- But he remains popular with grassroots Tories and his backing is highly sought
- Mr Wallace is said to be waiting for latter stages before backing a campaign
- Defence source says he ‘could back any serious contender including Rishi’
- But he and ex-Chancellor have repeatedly butted heads over defence spending
Ben Wallace could be a ‘kingmaker’ in the Tory leadership race, but is ‘waiting until the final stages to announce who he is backing’ to become Prime Minister.
The Defence Secretary, 52, ruled himself out of the running on Saturday despite having been the bookmakers’ favourite to win and having put a campaign team together.
However, he remains popular with grassroots Tory members and his backing is understood to be seen as a prized asset among the remaining six candidates.
But Mr Wallace is understood to be waiting until the latter stages of the election and will listen to each of the hopefuls before lending his support to a particular campaign.
A friend of Mr Wallace told The Times that he is a ‘kingmaker’ in the race due to his grassroots popularity in the party.
They said he ‘could back any of the serious contenders including Rishi’, despite the former Chancellor being against an increase to defence spending.
But defence sources today denied suggestions that Mr Wallace could back Liz Truss as she launches her official campaign later today.
The support of Ben Wallace is seen among Tory leadership hopefuls as a coveted asset due to his grassroots popularity
Liz Truss, Tom Tugendhat, Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman, Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt made it through the first ballot on Wednesday
Mr Wallace may lend his support to Ms Truss, who launches her official campaign today, due to her favourable views on defence policy and spending
Mr Wallace and Mr Sunak (pictured) have repeatedly butted heads on defence spending, with belief that the Defence Secretary will support whoever Mr Sunak goes up against if he makes the final two
Tory leadership race: Round one vote result
Rishi Sunak: 88
Penny Mordaunt: 67
Liz Truss: 50
Kemi Badenoch: 40
Tom Tugendhat: 37
Suella Braverman: 32
ELIMINATED
Nadhim Zahawi: 25
Jeremy Hunt: 18
A source added that he is instead waiting to hear on candidates’ ‘broader ambitions’ before making a decision.
Mr Sunak received the largest share of the votes from MPs yesterday, topping the ballot with 88 votes.
But he and Mr Wallace have repeatedly butted heads over the UK’s defence budget.
The Defence Secretary described the Army’s land fleet as ‘woefully behind its peers’ and said it ‘needs definitely to modernise’ in May, when Mr Sunak was still Chancellor.
At the same speech at the National Army Museum in Chelsea, he also hinted that UK defence spending should increase in future years due to the ‘dangerous world’ that now exists.
But at his campaign launch on Tuesday, Mr Sunak refused to back an increase to the defence budget to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030, instead saying that he does not believe in ‘arbitrary targets’ despite warnings that the UK risks not meeting spending commitments by 2025.
It means Mr Wallace is unlikely to lend his support to the leadership frontrunner if remains steadfast on funding for his department and reversing military cuts.
Mr Wallace is understood to be waiting until the latter stages of the election and will listen to each of the hopefuls before lending his support to a campaign
Minutes before MPs started voting in the first round of the leadership contest, YouGov research suggested Ms Mordaunt is the overwhelming favourite of activists
A YouGov poll today found that Ms Mordaunt is the ‘clear favourite for next Conservative leader among party members’
He is, though, understood to have a good relationship with Ms Truss.
Ms Truss will today highlight her vast Cabinet experience as she promises Tory MPs she is the only candidate who will hit the ground running if she is made prime minister.
The Foreign Secretary, who has also held Cabinet posts in a number of other departments, will launch her campaign for No 10 by stressing her aim to unite the party.
‘I am ready to be Prime Minister on day one. I can lead, make tough decisions and rise to the moment,’ she is expected to say.
‘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’.
She is also understood to have more favourable views upon defence policy and spending.
Ms Truss has previously insisted that the NATO target for spending 2 per cent of GDP on military should be a ‘floor not a ceiling’.
Penny Mordaunt finished second in yesterday’s ballot with 67 votes.
A YouGov poll found that Ms Mordaunt is the ‘clear favourite for next Conservative leader among party members’.
When Tory members were asked to choose their preferred, Ms Mordaunt convincingly topped the list with at 27 per cent of votes.
The bombshell survey also found Ms Mordaunt – who initially appeared an outsider – would defeat any competitor in a run off.
Her margin against Mr Sunak was projected to be 67 per cent to 28 per cent, while the he could lose 59 per cent to 25 per cent against Ms Truss.
The dramatic findings quickly turned her into the bookies’ favourite, and could have caused MPs to rethink their approach – with a ‘Stop Sunak’ campaign in full effect among some elements of the party.
Ms Mordaunt, herself a former Defence Secretary with a naval base in her constituency of Portsmouth North, has said she would create a civil defence force to ensure the UK’s military is not overstretched domestically.
Mr Wallace could lend his support to Ms Mordaunt if she goes head-to-head with Mr Sunak in the final round.
Tom Tugendhat, who received 37 votes in the first ballot, chairs the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
He issued a thinly-veiled swipe at Mr Sunak, pledging to increase defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP after the former Chancellor’s refusal to do so.
He also mocked the ‘bean-counters’ who refuse to raise the defence budget, a remark seen as a criticism of Mr Sunak.
Former Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch and Attorney General Suella Braverman also made it through the first round, receiving 40 and 32 votes respectively, and will be in the next ballot tomorrow. Only one of the 358 MPs did not cast a vote.
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